Need Tips For Shy Cat

[Candybee]

My new shelter kitty Gypsy is extremely shy. I've had her for almost a week and understand I need to be patient while she gets used to her new surroundings.

For several days she would dissapear under furniture, beds, couch, etc. and stay there all day and not come out until after I was asleep.

So I decided it may be time to challenge her. So yesterday I blocked off the large couch so she could not crawl underneath. She could still go under the other furniture but the big couch was her mainstay.

I got her to follow me into the bedroom and on the bed where I petted and cooed at her for several minutes until she climbed into her little cat bed on top of my bed. We took a long afternoon nap. That evening when I was on "her couch" she jumped up and the rest of the evening sat next to me on the couch and later I was able to coax her back into the bedroom to sleep with me last night.

The change in her since I blocked off her couch has been huge. She is exploring a bit now but still very shy. I am staying close to her to pet her often and give her encouraging words.

She won't play with any toys I have for her so I think I will go and get a laser pointer toy. Her mouth is sore from her bad teeth. She has an appt next month to fix her teeth. Her mouth is too sore to play with mouse or bird type toys which actually covers a lot. So I think the laser toy will help her. If she plays with it I hope she may gain some confidence. I know play helps a cat gain confidence as much as encouragement.

Am looking for some other tips that may help her come out of her shell and be a more confident cat.

BTW-- she started eating more again once she spent the day with me instead of hiding all day. Yippee!

 

[tabbytom]

Hello Candybee , thank you for adopting Gypsy from the shelter and for giving her a fur-ever warm and loving home

It takes some time for her to totally gain confidence in her new home but it seems that she’s making tremendous progress. Just continue to give her the assurance and let her now that you are there for her. Here’s an article for you to read :- How To Get A Cat To Come Out Of Hiding? There are many good tips in the article which will help you help the kitty.

You may want to try using the cat wand and instead of having feathers at the end of the string, try something light and frilly and safe and get her to catch it with her paws. Also you can hide the frilly thing behind a box just exposing some of it for her to hunt.

Not all cats like all the toys that are out there. You may want to experiment with a few types till you get the right ones that she’ll be interested in. Or just diy some or even daily objects like plastic bottle covers, that’s big enough so she don’t swallow it or rolled up paper into a ball.

 

[rubysmama]

It sounds like things are coming along with Gypsy. Possibly just getting more comfortable in her new home. But probably also blocking off the couch helped. It must have been so nice to have her hanging out with you yesterday.

TCS as an article with 10 Must-know Tips For Happy Living With A Shy Cat that may be helpful.

And, though you've made progress, one on How To Get A Cat To Come Out Of Hiding?

Here's another one that maybe helpful: How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home

And one last one: 14 Cat Experts Reveal: How To Get A Cat To Like Me

 

[duckpond]

Sounds like she is doing great. Still early days, she is learning to trust you and her new home. You most likely dont know what her life was like before you got her. Most likely not the best.

Keep doing what you are doing, and let her learn to trust you. Dont push too hard or she may regress, keep it slow and simple. and once she gets her teeth fixed, i'm sure she is in some pain, i bet it will get even better. Best of luck, keep us updated.

I have a shy one, she has been with us for 3 years now, wonderful cat, my little white girl. But we do still have to give her space when she needs it, letting her come to us more than we go to her. Most of the time she is outgoing now, unless company comes over, then you never see her. She plays with us, and the other cats, snuggles up with me each night in bed, but once in a while she needs her hiding spots, and some alone time

 

[Candybee]

Thank you for the articles. I read through them and they helped confirm I am pretty much on track doing the right thing. Patience with her and getting her dental hygiene taken care of will be the ticket.

I am amazed though at the progress she has made simply by doing this one thing of blocking the couch off. She has other hidey places she can go to if she wants to but so far today she has been out in the open and hasn't hid once! Right now she is sunning herself and sleeping out in the open at the sliding glass door instead of hiding. I have also noticed relaxed facial expressions off an on during the morning. Its good to see the beginnings of her self soothing and relaxing on her own in her new home. She also came to me when she wanted to be petted. She gives little chirps instead of mews when she greets me.

I'm still going to get her that laser toy as soon as I take a run to the store.

 

[rubysmama]

I just looked through your other posts, and realized you lost your Cookiepuss. So sorry for your loss. I hope little Gypsy helps to heal your broken heart. RIP sweet Cookiepuss.

Since Gypsy is "new", please consider starting her very own thread in the New Cats on the Block forum. We'd love to "meet" your new girl.

Is she going to have all her teeth extracted? Or just "fixing them up".

 

[Candybee]

rubysmama thank you for your kind words. I lost Cookiepuss a week ago but it was her time and she went peacefully which I am so thankful for.

Gypsy is my new baby and I swear I was divinely guided to her at the shelter to be her new mom. I am convinced that she was 'given up' because of her dental hygiene. Its EXTREME! No way could a 3 hr old cat have a mouth of such bad teeth and gums. Yes, she is going to have them extracted. Vet said from the looks of them probably all her teeth will need extraction, all of them including the canines. I was floored as this was supposedly a 3 yr old cat. So chances are she is closer to 8-10 yrs old.

So this morning I tried playing with her with a feather toy which at first she was interested in enough to catch in her paws. But she went to put the "capture" in her mouth and winced and pulled away. She is no longer interested in it and won't even watch it out of curiosity. So until her mouth is fixed I will avoid any type of toys she may want to put in her mouth.

So I'm guessing the laser, maybe a paper bag, box, or tunnel toy. Anything I can think of to engage her in play to gain confidence.

 

[rubysmama]

Awww, poor Gypsy. I'm sure she'll feel much better once her teeth are extracted and her mouth heals.

Have you seen this article?
Can Cats Manage Without Their Teeth?

About toys, the ones you suggested sound fine. And maybe some soft balls like these? My Ruby likes them, though she does bite into them and pulls pieces out of them. I found mine at the grocery store.

 

[Candybee]

Thanks. I have one of those balls. So far thou she shows little to no interest in the toys I present to her. Got the laser toy this afternoon and showed it to her. She seemed surprised then walked right on by the laser beam on the floor. Before you ask, yes I know how to play with cats and engage them in their toys. I'm 65 and have had many playful cats in my life. It could be because of her teeth, she is still shy, or wary, or just simply is not interested. Occasionally older cats sometimes do that too. I will just go day by day with her and learn from her what she likes.

Forgot to add the vet has a toothless cat and she explained to me how well Gypsy should be able to get along just fine without her teeth. She can even continue to eat her kibble which I did not know as she is capable of swallowing it without chewing. She told me her toothless cat prefers her kibble and she sort of 'chews' on it before swallowing. So Gypsy should do okay toothless. Mostly I just want to get all that rot out of her mouth so she can start feeling good again!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

She sounds like she's blossoming under your care, despite her currently sore mouth!

Hang in there, give her a week or two
The more she gets used to your daily patterns, the more confident she'll become.

 

[aliceneko]

I agree, it does sound like she is progressing!

My kittens were very shy when I first got them, especially Fudge. I spent as much time with them as possible, petting them and using positive reinforcement whenever they made progress. I also played with them - wand toys are great for initial bonding. Perhaps she still needs to get used to her new environment before she becomes interested in toys, though I'm sure she'll come round eventually.

 

[rubysmama]

I'm sure it's part her teeth, and part just getting used to her new home. I'm sure in time, she'll be a happy little love bug.