Been One Week, New Cat Still Hiding/can't Touch

[trizzo0309]

I brought in my cat CoCo 9 months ago. She still hides in my bedroom. My cat Maggie still does not like her. At first Maggie was very aggressive. Now she just chases CoCo behind the blinds. Whenever CoCo sees Maggie she hides. No one else, though used to. When Peaches was 5 weeks old she would fling her poo up to the handle bars. At first Josie did not like her. Now they are best buds. Josie just turned 16, Peaches 5

maggie101 Thank you for your reply. Does Coco leave your bedroom at all? What changed with your cat Peaches flinging the litter? My cat is around 2.5 years old and he still does it.

 

[calicosrspecial]

It is great that is is doing well in the room. We just have to build on those positives. Keep building his confidence. Then slowly expand his territory. In addition to trying to associate the other cat with something good. SO we want to do some scent swapping with the cat he does not get along with. And to keep them apart if at all possible for now. Also get his scent on an old shirt and have it by the cat that doesn't like him where that cat feels most secure and when they eat. We want to associate the scent with positive things (like food, safety, comfortable, secure etc).

We want to make sure the new cat isn't chased or made to feel unsafe.

It is very common for the resident cats to be nice at the beginning and then turn as they feel more insecure. If you can step up play with the old cat that is being mean and build their confidence that should be helpful as a confident cat is less likely to attack (or be attacked).

Cats do wake up early sadly. As he gets older he should get better. But in the meantime try to play as much as possible to try to get some of the energy out of him. Also making sure they have warm and comfy places to hang out and sleep in can help and also a place to look out of the window. But it is tough, they do like to wake us up earlier than we would like.

We don't want bad feelings to become ingrained so please try to keep the new cat and the old cat totally separated and do the scent swapping to associate each of them with something good and to continue to build their confidence. If they do happen to accidentally get together try to distract them in a positive way if at all possible.

Please let me know if this makes sense and if I can clarify anything. Small steps but it sounds like progress is thankfully being made.

 

[maggie101]

CoCo will not leave my bedroom. She just started surprising me on the kitchen counter when it's time to eat. She sneaks by my cats when they are sleeping. After they eat I usually have to carrier back to my bedroom. Peaches stopped after a few days. She was only 5 weeks so she was playing.

 

[trizzo0309]

CoCo will not leave my bedroom. She just started surprising me on the kitchen counter when it's time to eat. She sneaks by my cats when they are sleeping. After they eat I usually have to carrier back to my bedroom. Peaches stopped after a few days. She was only 5 weeks so she was playing.

maggie101 Interesting, thanks for your insight and information.

 

[trizzo0309]

C calicosrspecial Okay, thank you for that information. We'll keep trying the scent swapping while they are eating and make sure they cannot get to one another. We have a screen gate in our bedroom that they can see each other from but cannot get to one another. They look at each other often but then hide as the new cat becomes scared the old one will attack. We'll try the scent swapping and increasing the old cat's play.

Further, we haven't blocked off the bed yet as he's been a tough cat to get to do this.

Do you think it's a really important thing to block off the bottom of the bed to boost his confidence or is it fine to just let him run under there to feel safe? That's a big decision we need to make.

So, once we get him cool with the other cat and have him not be so scared we should be fine getting him out...eventually.

 

[maggie101]

I removed the bed frame so she goes in the blinds instead. Since she cannot get under the bed she gets to explore my bedroom more. I am sure she likes looking out the window. She can also see what my cats are doing. She does not go immediately in the blinds like she used to

 

[calicosrspecial]

If there is any way to prevent the old cat from attacking the gate that will be helpful in building his confidence. The more times they can be together without incident the more trust will be built. So if possible distract the older cat. Food, play, calling the name, love (if done without risk). Anything to show the new cat that the old cat is not "after him" always. If we get the old cat to stop focusing on the new cat and vice versa it is a big step in the right direction.

We want to make every encounter as positive as possible as no incident is a confidence builder.

It will be important to block off under the bed at some point. He will then not find it as a crutch and will go high instead (which will build his confidence).

So keep up the scent swapping and associating with good things (food), try to distract before anything negative happens, and don't let them get together.

We'll get him cool. Just focus on making every interaction between them as positive as possible. Distract when needed to avoid anything negative. If you have to block the old cat off from seeing the new cat at the gate for times that is fine. And keep building confidence through play.

 

[maggie101]

It seems like your cats will eventually become friends or tolerate each other. You have had the cat 3 months+. Mine 9 months and still a long way to go. It took 6 months for her to eat with my cats.

 

[trizzo0309]

Today we lowered our bed and set up a cat hood for him to feel safe in and now he freaked out and is hiding under our dresser.

We need severe help with this situation. Should we put the bed frame back up so he can go back to feeling safe underneath that area?

C calicosrspecial

 

[kissthisangel]

Hi,

Honestly, no I don't think you should. I think you need to block off his hiding spaces under your furniture completely. Leave the cat hood for now. Do you have many scratch post/ cat furniture around? Try giving him things he can mark with his scent( card/ cloth/ soft wood items). Try not to put any pressure on him to physically touch you by not grabbing him from any hiding space he does find and give him space. You can try and make him less frightened of you by approaching him slowly, and talking softly at the same time offering food but backing off if he seems frightened. You can read aloud to him ( I know this sounds stupid but he will come around to your voices) later in the process You can also try teasing him out with food or a toy.

What's his back ground, how did you get him? do you know how old he is?
~ Kiss

PS do you have other pets?

 

[orange&white]

He needs to come out from the dresser as well, and not go back under the bed. The cat hood is good, and you can give him a cardboard box or two, or a cat carrier...some dens or hidey-holes where he can feel safe but you can still get to him. I would stuff some pillows or blankets or something in the crevices between the wall and dresser (or floor and dresser) so he can't get back under there. Four months is too long for him to still have access under heavy furniture.

 

[maggie101]

Just realized I have had her a year. Since my cat scared her so bad yesterday she is afraid to eat with her and quivers her tail. That will pass after a few days. I just bought online a thundershirt. It looks like a harness. It covers her body like a hug. She was taken from her mom too young and brought back a yr later. She is much better since I had her on trauma, self esteem, and scaredy cat spirit of essence. Can you block the dresser? I do not think staying under the bed would help. He needs to see what's going on and walk around. And, like Cali said, she needs to watch from up high. My cat hides in the blinds in my bedroom. I bought a bed with a cover. Big mistake because there's no escape route. She has toys and a 60inch scratch post to keep her busy in my room. She sleeps on my bed now and dresser

 

[calicosrspecial]

Hi,

It is good you blocked off the bed. We need him to build confidence rather than hide. Use food or play to coax him out from under the dresser. He'll find out that he is safe without needing to hide. Is it possible to block off under the dresser?

If he is out and about he will realize there is no threat, that he will be fine. Stay calm and confident around him, let him know he is loved, try to play with him then after play feed. Give him treats. So he can find happiness in the room and feel safe and loved.

You did the right thing. We need to build his confidence and trust.

If possible, keep the other cats away from that door/room. We want him to build his confidence without worrying about a potential threat (resident cat) for now.

Don't worry, we'll help you through this. It is very normal and nothing to worry about. Many, many cats go through this.

 

[maggie101]

Measure the width and length of your dresser. Cut up card board boxes to fit snug all the way around. Books would work..Anything to block off the sides totally. Pillows,blankets,towels

 

[pearl99]

I've used pillow with great success, can squish them up to take up the space; and for a long dresser a body pillow fit perfectly!

 

[trizzo0309]

Looks like we have to move out, too much cat fighting unfortunately

 

[maggiedemi]

What happened?

 

[calicosrspecial]

I am so sorry.

Please post if you need any advice. Always here for you.