Houdini is under the bed...again

[Jerseymeow]

I am writing this just to provide an amusing post. You may relate to our attempts to block the bed "unders" or just find it funny that our shelter kitty (who was at the shelter a really long time) is able to outwit us. As background, Mimi was at the shelter (age 3 ish) a very long time and the shelter asked us to foster her. We have had many cats but never started with an adult cat.

• We brought Mimi home and I forgot to get a good look at her before we opened the crate. Whoosh. She is under the bed. What does she look like? I have a photo!
• We read Jackson Galaxy. No unders! We cut up our many Amazon boxes and taped the bed openings all around. We provided two other hiding places with fluffy blankets. One is by the baseboard heater. She loves it there, and spends most of her time there.
• A few days later, Mimi is missing. Where is she? Under the bed.
• We get her out from the unders and do a really good job blocking off the bed. Good job. High fives.
• A few days later, Mimi is missing. Where is she? Under the bed.
• Okay, now this is a challenge. No unders! We blocked every nook and cranny with towels, heavy boxes, and more. There is no way the cat can now get under the bed. Impossible! Mission accomplished.
• This morning I went in the room, confident we have done a good job blocking the unders.
• Mimi is missing. Where is she? I look every where, since there is no way she can be under the bed. But, there is no where else. I pulled back part of the securely taped blockage. I shined a flashlight. I spoke in my meowy lovey voice. Where's Mimi? There she is!
• Mimi is under the bed. But...there is no sign of entry. Nothing is moved, pryed away. Towels are in place. Cardboard still taped around. Heavy boxes still there.
• Houdini!

 

[Mr. Meow]

Lol, I had the same issue when bringing cats home that had been abused. My solution, I got rid of my bed frame and put everything flat on the floor... until I realized my dresser had openings on the back bottom of it

 

[artiemom]

This reminds me of what Geoffrey did when I brought him home. He was an adult, 3-4 years old. Once I opened the carrier, he made the area under the bed as "his" security home.. He still does.

I did the exact same thing as you: taping cardboard, using books, a trash barrel, a small hand weight, everything I could think of the keep him out from under, duct taping the cardboard to all the pieces, and even the frame of the bed.. hardcover books, a couple of trash barrels....

Yet, he still managed to get in there.. amazing... It really was... How do they find ways in?? and how much strength do they have? and he always hid right in the area where I could not reach him.. It was so frustrating..

I also had to use a flashlight to find him.. all I saw was shining eyes...

I could not get him out from under.. unless it was dark outside.. even with the lights on, in the house, he would emerge at night.. I called him my "Vampire" Cat....

I thought I was the only one with a 'houdini'... guess I am not... thanks for the info..

 

[Jerseymeow]

Lol, I had the same issue when bringing cats home that had been abused. My solution, I got rid of my bed frame and put everything flat on the floor... until I realized my dresser had openings on the back bottom of it

Hi. How long did it take for a little trust on the cat's part?

 

[Jerseymeow]

This reminds me of what Geoffrey did when I brought him home. He was an adult, 3-4 years old. Once I opened the carrier, he made the area under the bed as "his" security home.. He still does.

I did the exact same thing as you: taping cardboard, using books, a trash barrel, a small hand weight, everything I could think of the keep him out from under, duct taping the cardboard to all the pieces, and even the frame of the bed.. hardcover books, a couple of trash barrels....

Yet, he still managed to get in there.. amazing... It really was... How do they find ways in?? and how much strength do they have? and he always hid right in the area where I could not reach him.. It was so frustrating..

I also had to use a flashlight to find him.. all I saw was shining eyes...

I could not get him out from under.. unless it was dark outside.. even with the lights on, in the house, he would emerge at night.. I called him my "Vampire" Cat....

I thought I was the only one with a 'houdini'... guess I am not... thanks for the info..

Thanks for your story!

 

[Jerseymeow]

I am writing this just to provide an amusing post. You may relate to our attempts to block the bed "unders" or just find it funny that our shelter kitty (who was at the shelter a really long time) is able to outwit us. As background, Mimi was at the shelter (age 3 ish) a very long time and the shelter asked us to foster her. We have had many cats but never started with an adult cat.

• We brought Mimi home and I forgot to get a good look at her before we opened the crate. Whoosh. She is under the bed. What does she look like? I have a photo!
• We read Jackson Galaxy. No unders! We cut up our many Amazon boxes and taped the bed openings all around. We provided two other hiding places with fluffy blankets. One is by the baseboard heater. She loves it there, and spends most of her time there.
• A few days later, Mimi is missing. Where is she? Under the bed.
• We get her out from the unders and do a really good job blocking off the bed. Good job. High fives.
• A few days later, Mimi is missing. Where is she? Under the bed.
• Okay, now this is a challenge. No unders! We blocked every nook and cranny with towels, heavy boxes, and more. There is no way the cat can now get under the bed. Impossible! Mission accomplished.
• This morning I went in the room, confident we have done a good job blocking the unders.
• Mimi is missing. Where is she? I look every where, since there is no way she can be under the bed. But, there is no where else. I pulled back part of the securely taped blockage. I shined a flashlight. I spoke in my meowy lovey voice. Where's Mimi? There she is!
• Mimi is under the bed. But...there is no sign of entry. Nothing is moved, pryed away. Towels are in place. Cardboard still taped around. Heavy boxes still there.
• Houdini!

 

[FeebysOwner]

LOL! A cat wants what a cat wants when a cat wants it!!

In all seriousness, if there is nothing in the 'unders' that she can harm herself with, let her go there. You really are taking away the one place she truly believes is her best safe zone! As you have already experienced, there are just some times it is better to let them be. Force touching and blocking off a cat's desired safe space are counter-productive when it comes to trust-building efforts.

Little Houdini Mimi!

 

[Mr. Meow]

Hi. How long did it take for a little trust on the cat's part?

It's always going to take quite a bit of time, more so if they've been through trauma.
Just keep taking it slow, don't force her to do anything she doesn't want to. Eventually she'll realize that she gets constant food and hasn't been harmed, and then she'll start to come out of her shell.

 

[di and bob]

I agree, with cats you just can't hurry anything.... They thrive on routine and absolutely no changes in their life!

 

[susanm9006]

I disagree with Jackson on the blocking of cat’s hiding spots. First of all it stresses them and second, they will seek out another. So unless her spot is unsafe I think it is best to let her be. Make sure she is able to get out for food, water and her litterbox but otherwise let her have her safe space. She will make her presence known when she is ready.

 

[neely]

In all seriousness, if there is nothing in the 'unders' that she can harm herself with, let her go there. You really are taking away the one place she truly believes is her best safe zone!

I agree 100%. Cats need an escape route and a safe place in order to feel secure. Since Mimi has been at the shelter a very long time she is confused and doesn't understand that you only want to help her. It's helpful that you have had cats in the past so are not new to their habits. Time and patience are the key. Whether it's a week, a month or longer she will come to realize you are her friend.

 

[riley1]

I just got a foster cat yesterday! Made the mistake of letting him out in the bedroom. He is now under the dresser. I had no idea he was this wild, shy or scared! I thought I was getting a shy/timid cat. Well, he stayed there for hours not making a sound. I left for 2 hours and came home to mini blinds almost pulled down and 2 screens shredded! I just did not expect he was going to try a jail break! This cat is 3-4 years old, male, neutered (not recent). He was hanging around a house. The people trapped him in the garage & the shelter folks came out and got him. They said he was trying his best to get away but was not aggressive! I agree that maybe he is best left there for awhile but the instructions I got were to keep him from hiding and interact with him several times per day. These came from Austin Pets Alive. I was looking on line for things to keep him from staying under the bed or dresser but they all looked pretty hopeless. I am afraid he was an indoor/outdoor cat and is never going to be happy in a home but I will try my best to tame him. Any advise would be appreciated!

 

[susanm9006]

I just got a foster cat yesterday! Made the mistake of letting him out in the bedroom. He is now under the dresser. I had no idea he was this wild, shy or scared! I thought I was getting a shy/timid cat. Well, he stayed there for hours not making a sound. I left for 2 hours and came home to mini blinds almost pulled down and 2 screens shredded! I just did not expect he was going to try a jail break! This cat is 3-4 years old, male, neutered (not recent). He was hanging around a house. The people trapped him in the garage & the shelter folks came out and got him. They said he was trying his best to get away but was not aggressive! I agree that maybe he is best left there for awhile but the instructions I got were to keep him from hiding and interact with him several times per day. These came from Austin Pets Alive. I was looking on line for things to keep him from staying under the bed or dresser but they all looked pretty hopeless. I am afraid he was an indoor/outdoor cat and is never going to be happy in a home but I will try my best to tame him. Any advise would be appreciated!

It sounds like he had a fun on panic attack trying to get out, poor guy. I do not believe in removing a cats hiding place as long as it is a safe one. Put food, water and his litter box nearby and let him relax and settle down without disturbing him. At this point he needs time and patience .

 

[riley1]

Thank you! I am not sure why Austin Pets Alive thinks this is a good plan. If I had put him in my little bathroom with just a cardboard box I think he would have been terrified 24/7. They also said it was best to keep him in the living room in a cage so he would get used to humans. This was not recommended because I have a cat and they want them separate. I figured I would just go in & visit/talk to him without forcing him to do anything. He has been coming out (when I am not in the room) & eating/using the box. I put on talk radio for a couple hours today so he could hear human voices. I sure wish I knew why he panicked after I left. No one was here to scare him.

 

[Jerseymeow]

Cats definately need a safe hiding place. But...some unders should be blocked. We re-defined the "unders". We blocked under the bed, desk and dresser. We built a box with an opening and put a throw in it, that our shelter cat uses. We also put fluffy throws in a "hidden" corner near the baseboard heater and our cat spends most of her time there. This way she feels like she is hiding, but I can see her. I talk to her, sing to her...etc. She comes out at night and uses the cat tree, eats, litter box and wanders around (I see fluffs of fur all over). Our cat was in the shelter for 2 years, so she is used to humans but is very timid.
It will be helpful to you to try to figure out how socialized your cat has been in the past - socialization is interaction with humans.
Stray:

• A stray cat is a cat who has been socialized to people at some point in her life, but has left or lost her domestic home, as well as most human contact and dependence.
• Over time, a stray cat can become feral as her contact with humans dwindles.
• Under the right circumstances, however, a stray cat can also become a pet cat once again. Stray cats that are re-introduced to a home after living outdoors may require a period of time to re-acclimate; they may be frightened and wary after spending time outside away from people. ·
• Another definition that may help:
  – “A stray cat is a domestic cat that has been abandoned or has ‘strayed’ from home and become lost. Stray [cats] were once pets and they can usually be successfully rescued and placed in homes.” – Stray Cat Handbook

Feral:

• A feral cat is a cat who has either never had any contact with humans or her contact with humans has diminished over time. She is fearful of people and survives on her own outdoors. A feral cat is not likely to ever become a lap cat or enjoy living indoors.

Feral and Stray Cats—An Important Difference