Adopted cat not adjusting well after 3 months

[jdell90]

Hello! We rehomed a 5 year old female cat 3 months ago and she's still not comfortable in my 1 bedroom apartment. She hid in our closet for the first 2 months, but we decided to take her out and make her new safe space in the living room, per something I read on Jackson Galaxy. We blocked off underneath the couch, put 5 beds in the room and gave her a high place to hide. She adjusted to that transition within a day, but she does not roam the room. She stays in 1 one of 2 spots. If we put her on the couch (or anywhere else), she immediately bolts back to that spot. I can tell she is very uncomfortable away from those spots. She will only use the litter box or explore at night. She has never left her 2 spots while I'm there (they're about 4 feet away from each other). I would say no real progress has been made in about 8-10 weeks. It's always about the same. What would you do? We have a vet appt next week, but I don't suspect she's sick.

With me, she is very friendly! We definitely have bonded, she is excited to see me and greets me when I approach her. She's taken a liking to me for almost the whole time of being here.

We know her old owners and they are lovely people who took good care of her. They gave her up due to a move. So as far as I know, she wasn't in a bad situation prior.

Things we've tried:
- Feliway
- Bach's Rescue Remedy
- Jackson Galaxy's scaredy cat
- Putting treats in various areas/using food to lure her out
- Playing soft "cat" music
- Lots of treats and playtime when she wants it

What would you do?

 

[ArtNJ]

If the place isn't that noisy and you don't notice any triggers like vaccuming, dishwasher, laundry, etc. then maybe talk to the vet about a mild med dose.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi! I know other members will likely come along with better ideas/thoughts, but here goes mine.
- Were you able to bring with her all of her possessions from her previous home? If not, that might slow down the adaptation process.
- Was she a 'single' cat, and maybe she can smell the scent of other cats you currently have - or have had in the past - that make her more hesitant?
If she was taken very well care of by her previous owners, the adaptation time might even be greater, as she really misses them. And, since she is very friendly with you, even to the point of greeting you when you approach her, I think you are doing all the right things, you will just have to be patient. Based on what you have said, I think she will eventually come around. Don't force her to go or be moved anywhere - let her do it on her own and in her own time. Unusual noises and other similar triggers, as noted by A ArtNJ above could also affect her acclimation period.

If you can, sit on the floor a bit of a distance from her hiding spots, just read a book out loud, but softly, and have treats on hand in case she gets curious. Even set the treats in a dish somewhere between you and her - you can gradually move both you and the treats closer if she starts to respond.

 

[jdell90]

Hi! I know other members will likely come along with better ideas/thoughts, but here goes mine.
- Were you able to bring with her all of her possessions from her previous home? If not, that might slow down the adaptation process.
- Was she a 'single' cat, and maybe she can smell the scent of other cats you currently have - or have had in the past - that make her more hesitant?
If she was taken very well care of by her previous owners, the adaptation time might even be greater, as she really misses them. And, since she is very friendly with you, even to the point of greeting you when you approach her, I think you are doing all the right things, you will just have to be patient. Based on what you have said, I think she will eventually come around. Don't force her to go or be moved anywhere - let her do it on her own and in her own time. Unusual noises and other similar triggers, as noted by A ArtNJ above could also affect her acclimation period.

If you can, sit on the floor a bit of a distance from her hiding spots, just read a book out loud, but softly, and have treats on hand in case she gets curious. Even set the treats in a dish somewhere between you and her - you can gradually move both you and the treats closer if she starts to respond.

Thank you for the response! We weren't able to bring her possessions and she came from a house with many cats. Now she is the only cat in our house. I wanted to get her a sister, but I'm not sure if that would help or hurt. Lot's of sounds startle her - if i drop my phone, if someone starts walking around, etc. I sit with her all the time and she will greet me, want scratches. She is just terrified of our apartment.

 

[Pjg8r]

Could you take a towel and rub it on her, let her sleep on it, and then rub it on corners or around your apartment? I don’t know if this will help, but with my blind kitten leaving a scent trail helped her navigate the house at first.

 

[jdell90]

Could you take a towel and rub it on her, let her sleep on it, and then rub it on corners or around your apartment? I don’t know if this will help, but with my blind kitten leaving a scent trail helped her navigate the house at first.

We have tried that a few times but it doesn’t seem to help unfortunately.

 

[LTS3]

She may just be a shy cat and prefers to be hide most of the time and is easily startled. Let her interact with you on her terms. Don't force it.

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[FeebysOwner]

Thank you for the response! We weren't able to bring her possessions and she came from a house with many cats. Now she is the only cat in our house. I wanted to get her a sister, but I'm not sure if that would help or hurt. Lot's of sounds startle her - if i drop my phone, if someone starts walking around, etc. I sit with her all the time and she will greet me, want scratches. She is just terrified of our apartment.

So, she is 'alone' in a new home, that is - with none of her 'buddies' around, and without any familiar old possessions. It is too bad that one of her companion cats couldn't have joined her in her new home with you. It is no wonder that she is very leery. Way too many changes all at once. Everything is new - everything.

 

[jdell90]

So, she is 'alone' in a new home, that is - with none of her 'buddies' around, and without any familiar old possessions. It is too bad that one of her companion cats couldn't have joined her in her new home with you. It is no wonder that she is very leery. Way too many changes all at once. Everything is new - everything.

Yeah I guess it's just time, I just wish she would love me in the rest of my apartment and not her designated spots. She is from a very reputable home grown cattery and is a retired cat who was previously used for breeding BSHs. She was not abused or in a cat mill. She had 4 litters in her 5 years. Do you think another cat would help or hurt?

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am not at all familiar with what goes on in a breeding cattery. I could only imagine that, regardless of the extraordinary care given to a cat who is in that environment, it is not the same as a cat that is in a home to be cared for solely as a pet/companion. So, I will have to defer to others, who may understand it more than I do, to know if bringing in another cat at this time would or would not be helpful. Coming from my standpoint, I think she needs to adapt to her new home with you, her new lifestyle, and be comfortable with you and her surroundings before introducing another cat. But, given her background, I could be totally wrong about that perspective. I hope others with more knowledge/understanding of her past life will come along soon and offer their input/opinions about getting her a 'friend'.

 

[pearl99]

I have a similar cat, Gracie. She is 13 years old. I adopted her last November at age 12. She also stays in her one or two spots all day- her favorite is a cubby in a cat tower by my patio door. She mostly eats at night. It also took a few months before she would move much in the house. She then started coming out a couple of times a day to look for me and sit on my lap for a bit.
Now, almost a year later, she will be out in the house in the morning then head for her cat tower cubby.

Does your kitty want to sleep on your bed at night with you? That's one thing Gracie loves so I get snuggly time then. She also loves to play when on my bed with a string toy.
What I've done is let Gracie go at her own speed. I'd go over to her spot and pet her, talk to her, play with a string toy, give some treats or meat baby food which she loves- which sounds like you are doing too. I'd keep that up.
Was she out and about in the house at her previous home?

I've used Zylkene added to wet food, which is supposed to help with anxiety. It's a milk protein kind of supplement with no taste or smell, it comes in capsules and is on Chewy and Amazon. I open the capsule and put the right amount using a 1/8 teaspoon on some wet food that Gracie eats, or the baby food.

Not sure about another new cat in a one bedroom apartment, personally I'd not do that right now, since your kitty is an adult- 5 years old and those intros can be harder.

So I guess have the vet check and more time. She may just have this personality- like my Gracie.

 

[jdell90]

She may just be a shy cat and prefers to be hide most of the time and is easily startled. Let her interact with you on her terms. Don't force it.

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Thanks! We knew what she was like at her old home and she was not a hiding type cat. So the move has effected her. I've read those articles a million times, but we're not seeing progress. She stays in the same spot all day.

 

[jdell90]

I have a similar cat, Gracie. She is 13 years old. I adopted her last November at age 12. She also stays in her one or two spots all day- her favorite is a cubby in a cat tower by my patio door. She mostly eats at night. It also took a few months before she would move much in the house. She then started coming out a couple of times a day to look for me and sit on my lap for a bit.
Now, almost a year later, she will be out in the house in the morning then head for her cat tower cubby.

Does your kitty want to sleep on your bed at night with you? That's one thing Gracie loves so I get snuggly time then. She also loves to play when on my bed with a string toy.
What I've done is let Gracie go at her own speed. I'd go over to her spot and pet her, talk to her, play with a string toy, give some treats or meat baby food which she loves- which sounds like you are doing too. I'd keep that up.
Was she out and about in the house at her previous home?

I've used Zylkene added to wet food, which is supposed to help with anxiety. It's a milk protein kind of supplement with no taste or smell, it comes in capsules and is on Chewy and Amazon. I open the capsule and put the right amount using a 1/8 teaspoon on some wet food that Gracie eats, or the baby food.

Not sure about another new cat in a one bedroom apartment, personally I'd not do that right now, since your kitty is an adult- 5 years old and those intros can be harder.

So I guess have the vet check and more time. She may just have this personality- like my Gracie.

The cat is now in the family room and doesn't come in our room anymore (we leave the door open at night). She was in our closet for the first 2 months (never left during the day) and once at night she came our bed. Jackson Galaxy, the cat whisperer, on his site said that I was doing it wrong. That I should force her into and area where he has to interact with the other members in the house. So we moved her to living room and blocked off under our couch/bed and closet.

We give her lots of love and treats. When I come sit with her she will explore the area more and venture a bit. She greets me purring, showing me her stomach and slow blinking all the time...but only in her two spots. If i put her anywhere else (i dont do often), she bolts back in a panic. She wasn't like this at her old home. She used to rule the roost if you will. Now she rules her bed on my bookshelf.

About another cat, I think she would eventually do best with another...but I agree right now it might be too much for her. Our apartment is 1k sq feet, so there's a decent amount of space. She does well with other cats. I'm afraid she's lonely bc she used to be 1 of like 8 cats before.

 

[pearl99]

Our apartment is 1k sq feet, so there's a decent amount of space. She does well with other cats. I'm afraid she's lonely bc she used to be 1 of like 8 cats before.

Nice size apartment! I hope she feels more comfortable, and if the time comes for another cat it sounds like it could help.

 

[felinelover2]

If she is friendly to you than it seems like she'll adjust in time. Just be patient, she is just taking her time to get used to the new surroundings. Keep giving her affection, use treats to 'guide' and encourage her explorations at night (e.g. leave a trail of treats for her to follow somewhere, like the bedroom, and see if they are eaten in the morning). Try to use play - even if she's not that engaged at first eventually it will kick in. I wouldn't 'place' her anywhere, just let her do it on her own. Our 2 scaredy cats took about 6 months to leave their base camp room - but now at around 8 months with us they roam the whole house freely, even during the daytime.

I don't think a second cat is a good idea until she feels secure in her territory.

Good luck and I hope she settles in well.

 

[Kflowers]

In my experience, if you get a cat friend for your cat, you will still have
plenty of attention from your cat.
I think if you get the friend/sister cat for your new cat, she will feel safer and more comfortable. Cats aren't really solitary animals. Given half a chance they gather in prides, like lions, sharing the work of caring for kittens, and protecting them. They form close bonds and have each
other's back. This last means they can relax more. It's likely your cat
and her sister were watching out for each other at the cattery and she
misses that security.

If you get the sister/friend you'll see they remember each other.

Again, you'll still get plenty of affection. You'll need a footstool so both of them can sit in your lap at the same time.

Four litters in five years is still a lot even though cats can have two litters a year, I believe it's hard on them. I know they grieve for the kittens that are taken away from them.

 

[FeebysOwner]

If you get the sister/friend you'll see they remember each other.

If I recall correctly, a 'familiar face' is not an option. So, if that is true, no addition of a strange cat is going to help this cat recognize and go through the process that she has a new home as just a pet. She needs to first adapt to her new lifestyle.

 

[Kflowers]

I was basing my thoughts on Post #4 "We weren't able to bring her possessions and she came from a house with many cats. Now she is the only cat in our house. I wanted to get her a sister, but I'm not sure if that would help or hurt."

I'm assuming the sister/friend is still there and available.

 

[susanm9006]

From what I have read In your post, she is eating, drinking, and using her litterbox . She has a couple of places she likes to sleep and seems to enjoy your company as long as it is on her terms. She may be skittish when she leaves her safe places but otherwise she seems pretty comfortable with her life. I don’t agree with forcing a cat into a place where they have to interact but she is doing better than many adult cats do in just three months. I would expect she will gradually expand her territory as she gets more comfortable with you and her space.

I would consider getting another cat at this point. She needs her time to adjust and get comfortable, whether than takes weeks or months.