New Adopted Cat Help!

[Torryh91]

Hiya,
We adopted a 3 year old girl last Saturday (a week ago today) and we were getting on just fine. We set up the safe room with all essentials and the feliway defdusor. After 3 days we let her roam around to the kitchen (our stairs are off the kitchen). She was fine and loves venturing around so we let her in to our bedroom and the lounge. She seemed perfectly happy. But yesterday when I got home from work, she seemed really spooked. (She is a nervous cat anyway). She meowed during the night which she hasn’t done once yet and today is just hiding. She comes out but as soon as she sees you can see her she hides again. She opens her mouth at me but nothing comes out.
I’m worried because it’s like she is a completely different cat the last 2 days. Please has anyone got any advise?? I just want to give her a loving home she deserves

 

[danteshuman]

Put her back in the safe room with lots of scent markers. Like a couple card board scrathers & a blanket or towel where she likes to sleep. Let it marinate in her scent 3-7 days then slowly start moving those items out of her safe room and into the next room. It just takes time. Give her time. I'm sure with or without spreading her scent around in a few weeks she will be owning the place

 

[Torryh91]

Put her back in the safe room with lots of scent markers. Like a couple card board scrathers & a blanket or towel where she likes to sleep. Let it marinate in her scent 3-7 days then slowly start moving those items out of her safe room and into the next room. It just takes time. Give her time. I'm sure with or without spreading her scent around in a few weeks she will be owning the place

so should I put her back in and shut off the rest of the house again?? I hate her being so scared I don’t know why she all of a sudden changed!

 

[susanm9006]

Yes, she either saw or smelled something that scared her. I would not put her back in one room but rather leave it available and let her hide until she calms herself down. If she has already been put exploring she probably will again within a few days. In the meantime speak softly to her but don’t approach her until she comes near you. You can offer her treats but let her come to get them. If she is hiding where she can see you try playing with a toy on a string and she might get interested in joining in.

 

[Torryh91]

We haven’t shut off her room and her bowls, litter tray and bed are all still in there, we haven’t moved them. We have a double bed in the room and she hides under this, we try and play but she just watches. She will come out for her treats but then hides again and I am very conscious of how many we have giving her to try and get her to come out and associate us as the good humans. I just don’t know what to do

 

[susanm9006]

It takes some cats weeks to come out in the first place, and yours has already been out so I wouldn’t worry. You just need to have patience and let her move at her own pace. She will likely come out to explore once you have gone to bed and will eventually figure out there is nothing to hurt her at your house. Do you have other pets she might run into?

 

[Torryh91]

Last night she was meowing through the night and was first time we had heard her meow. Seemed odd when it was yesterday she went a bit funny. I just don’t want to be doing the wrong thing so it’s all reassuring. Any more tips would be welcomed ! Iv also bought her more toys in case she was getting bored! She’s going to be our spoilt queen

 

[Torryh91]

Ps, no other pets

 

[Elfilou]

Don't worry I think what's happening is totally normal. You're already doing great things to encourage her to come out, such as the treats and play (With the play have you tried a wand-type toy like "DaBird"? Usually these are irresistable to cats), but there's a few other things you can try.

Something I would suggest is to invest in a few cat beds (hidey-hole type beds) or just cardboard boxes with a hole cut out of them, so she has multiple hiding spots throughout the house. This gives her the opportunity to be in more socially active places of the home. From there she can observe you and get used to being around you guys, while remaining undisturbed in one of those hiding spots. You can encourage her to find these spots by hiding treats inside them just before you go to bed. She will probably be exploring the house when everyone is asleep, and thats a perfect time for her to use her nose and find those new hiding spots!

What these beds will also do is start mingling her scent into the house. Cats are very territorial, so when they step into a room and smell their own scent they'll go "oh yeah, this is mine". Investing in a few cardboard scratchers or scratching posts will also help mingle her scent into the territory. When her scent is properly mixed in with the entire house you will see she's gonna strut around like she owns the place!

It will take some time, but you will make it a lot easier on her with the cat beds and scratching posts, since she's probably not gonna be inclined to roll all over your couch to mingle her scent with your furniture -YET!-.

I would have kept her in the safe room a little longer and expanded the territory from there but what's done is done. She's probably a bit overwhelmed, and the meowing could have very likely been her getting lost. Demented cats tend to do the meowing during the night as well, and it's solved when people introduce a night light so those senile little kitties stop panicking when they forget where they are. You don't have to do that, she will probably know her way around the house in no time.

 

[danteshuman]

I meant put her back in the room for an hour or so & then leave the door open. I agree with Elfilou , some hiding spots would be appreciated. https://thecatsite.com/members/elfilou.97959/

 

[Torryh91]

Thank you! I’ll make her a few more hiding spots and hide the treats!
Iv borrowed a night light for her because I didn’t want her to be in the dark the first night.
I have a wand toy but she gets a bit scared of it when she paws at it. She can be fine and then she hits it quite hard and she will run and hide again! I bought a circuit with a ball in too to try and keep her mind occupied. Fingers crossed she will get there and I will deffo invest in some more hiding places.

 

[susanm9006]

Ps, no other pets

That’s great. She

Last night she was meowing through the night and was first time we had heard her meow. Seemed odd when it was yesterday she went a bit funny. I just don’t want to be doing the wrong thing so it’s all reassuring. Any more tips would be welcomed ! Iv also bought her more toys in case she was getting bored! She’s going to be our spoilt queen

She is gorgeous and most certainly deserves spoiling!

 

[Torryh91]

She is beautiful! We adopted her from RSPCA and just want the best for her!

 

[Torryh91]

Thank you everyone. She is a lot better now! She’s come to us for playtime this evening and really enjoyed herself!

 

[susanm9006]

That is wonderful. She may still have her moments when she needs to retreat and collect herself but as you have seen in a short while she is feeling better.