New Cat Angry and Hiding! Not eating too

Vanna234

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2018
Messages
39
Purraise
45
Hello. I just adopted a Reganmuffin cat who is 4y7m from Humane Society. She had been surrendered because the owner’s nephew was allergic to her. Based on her history, she had lived with her owner her whole life. She had been at the shelter for 6days and I brought her home yesterday. She was very sweet and loving at the shelter but now something has ticked her off. She doesn’t eat, drink, and rarely comes out to be petted. Out of nowhere she becomes aggressive and hisses and growls, and then hides again. I do have another cat but I have not introduced them yet because it is too soon. I am worried. I understand it’s soon but I am worried because she is not eating or going to the bathroom. Any similar stories to mine and how did you handle it? I understand she may be sensitive and miss her previous owner, I just want to make sure she eats and drinks water. So far she only likes catnip and hiding.
PS: I keep her in my room only. There is other people in the house too but they haven’t had contact with her yet
 

Mr. Meow

Special needs cat expert.
Super Cat
Joined
Dec 25, 2020
Messages
846
Purraise
2,630
Location
Ohio
Cats don't like change. So, she's now been moved from her home, to a shelter, to a new/scary house in the matter of a week. This new, scary place smells different too, so she's not sure what's happened or why. She doesn't understand why her previous family gave her away, nor does she know if it's her fault. Now there are these new people and she doesn't know if you'll hurt her, or if you'll just turn around and give her away. That's a LOT of change for a cat to deal with in a short period of time.
Keep putting food out. Try tuna. Try smelly wet food. Make the room dark and quiet. Have different treats with you. Speak in a soft voice while sitting on the floor. Let her come to you when she's comfortable. If you try to force her to open up on your terms, it'll only take longer.
Cats (and animals in general) have a survival instinct. They won't let themselves starve. As long as she's medically healthy, she'll eventually eat, she'll eventually drink and she'll eventually use the litter box. But it'll take time.
 

taraconnor777

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Sep 20, 2019
Messages
14
Purraise
6
YES, my cat
talurea.gif
was three when I ''rescued"her.my little house was bigger than her owner's tiny studio.PLUS,my place is nosier.She tried to hide in the back of the house.SHE WASN'T USED TO PLAYING,I got down and tried to show her"how to roll a ball."She liked "dangling snakes"from the cat tree.We even got into"arguments"trying to get along.YES, different places,noise,smell,space, ect. very much spook cats.She went CRAZY ABOUT OUTDOORS,but "fleas"got her housebound.She has no "outdoor tolerence"to fleas.That really disappointed her,but a house cat doesn't always do well outdoors.IT TOOK A LONG TIME for she and I to get along but we love each other.THAT was important.She's wonderful,and is jealous of the computer.
sluee.gif
 

susanm9006

Willow
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
13,151
Purraise
30,216
Location
Minnesota
She isn’t angry, she is frightened. Being in a new place with a new human is scary and it is just going to take her some time to figure out this is a safe place with a kind human. Give her some space and time, don’t push her to interact with you and she will come around And become the sweet cat that she was at the shelter.
 

dalya

Dalya
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 29, 2014
Messages
63
Purraise
42
Location
Kuwait
Hello. I just adopted a Reganmuffin cat who is 4y7m from Humane Society. She had been surrendered because the owner’s nephew was allergic to her. Based on her history, she had lived with her owner her whole life. She had been at the shelter for 6days and I brought her home yesterday. She was very sweet and loving at the shelter but now something has ticked her off. She doesn’t eat, drink, and rarely comes out to be petted. Out of nowhere she becomes aggressive and hisses and growls, and then hides again. I do have another cat but I have not introduced them yet because it is too soon. I am worried. I understand it’s soon but I am worried because she is not eating or going to the bathroom. Any similar stories to mine and how did you handle it? I understand she may be sensitive and miss her previous owner, I just want to make sure she eats and drinks water. So far she only likes catnip and hiding.
PS: I keep her in my room only. There is other people in the house too but they haven’t had contact with her yet
When I got my cat Hugzie from the shelter he was only 3 months. and he did the same. he hid behind my closet and hadn't eaten for 15 hours. he finally got out and started eating when he saw his brother eating. I adopted them both together so it helped. try keeping the food close to where she hides. slowly try blocking the places so she doesn't go and hide. put boxes, books .. anything you can put to block the small places where she can hide. maybe you should start indirect introduction by allowing the cats to smell each other but not see each other. I think somehow the new cat smells that there's another cat in the place and started being alert.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

Vanna234

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2018
Messages
39
Purraise
45
She isn’t angry, she is frightened. Being in a new place with a new human is scary and it is just going to take her some time to figure out this is a safe place with a kind human. Give her some space and time, don’t push her to interact with you and she will come around And become the sweet cat that she was at the shelter.
I’m giving her a lot of it, but it seems like she doesn’t like my presence sometimes. She hisses and growls when I walk past her, even though I am totally ignoring her. She sometimes comes and rubs herself on me but then hisses and growls. I sat on the floor to talk to her and she totally ignored me. I’ve decided to let her be and see where this goes.
 

susanm9006

Willow
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
13,151
Purraise
30,216
Location
Minnesota
if she is coming out at all and getting even a little bit close to you, she is doing wonderfully and the rubbing on you says that she does like people. She is just very conflicted right now between being afraid of a new person and wanting to seek comfort from humans. The hiss/growl is just a warning to stay away because you still make her nervous. I expect that will pass pretty quickly.

She may also be getting hissy because she is smelling the other cat on you. You can try washing your hands or even changing clothes before you have her near.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

Vanna234

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2018
Messages
39
Purraise
45
Hello. I just adopted a Reganmuffin cat who is 4y7m from Humane Society. She had been surrendered because the owner’s nephew was allergic to her. Based on her history, she had lived with her owner her whole life. She had been at the shelter for 6days and I brought her home yesterday. She was very sweet and loving at the shelter but now something has ticked her off. She doesn’t eat, drink, and rarely comes out to be petted. Out of nowhere she becomes aggressive and hisses and growls, and then hides again. I do have another cat but I have not introduced them yet because it is too soon. I am worried. I understand it’s soon but I am worried because she is not eating or going to the bathroom. Any similar stories to mine and how did you handle it? I understand she may be sensitive and miss her previous owner, I just want to make sure she eats and drinks water. So far she only likes catnip and hiding.
PS: I keep her in my room only. There is other people in the house too but they haven’t had contact with her yet
 

eva21513

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 5, 2020
Messages
55
Purraise
64
Hi everyone!
UPDATE: Kitty had eaten and comes out frequently. She hisses less and likes to be petted SOMETIMES.
Oh yay!! So glad to read this :) it takes time sometimes! You might sit in the room while she eats and talk softly or read from a book/ebook, to help her further associate you with good things happening, and to underline that she’s safe with you. She might be ready to play with you, too!

Was she an only cat at her previous home? Either way, it’s definitely stressful and scary moving into a strange new cat’s territory (on top of all the other things already mentioned - going to a shelter after living your whole life with your family...! Ugh, poor thing.)

Thank you for giving this sweet baby a home! <3 My cat is a Ragamuffin and she didn’t eat for the first 24 hours or so. I was really freaked out. After that though she got braver - first eating under the bed when I was in the room, then eating out in the open, then eating out in the open when I was in the room, and then she let herself get really curious about me. And just like that we were buds. But after that we had a bit of a bumpy road. I had to take her to get blood work within a few days, then back to the vet to get spayed, then she got sick so I, the not-yet-fully-trustworthy human, had to give her pills and torture her with the carrier again...but once I got to see her full personality - oh, man. You can read all the glowing reviews of Ragamuffuns on the internet and you’ll still be shocked how wonderful they actually are.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

Vanna234

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2018
Messages
39
Purraise
45
Hi there 😊. She slept with me last night and we played a little. She is still scared but I think she’s doing good so far. She grew up with a small dog according to her previous owner. I cannot wait for her to be my bestie, but I think she will need more time to get comfortable 🥰
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13

Vanna234

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2018
Messages
39
Purraise
45
UPDATE: Kitty is becoming friendlier however, she hides during the day and comes out to snuggle at night only. Eating and using the litter box as usual during the night.
 

Katy Perkins

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 14, 2021
Messages
33
Purraise
16
It’s very typical for many different types of stress to induce this behavior in cats. Being introduced to a new environment is one of the most stressful things that can happen in a house cat’s life. Just let your cat sort himself out and learn his new environment and get to feel secure and settled. That may take weeks or only a few days but however long or short a time it takes, you can’t rush him into behaving in certain ways. Oh, after a few hours when he has explored the new house, give him some catnip leaves.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

Vanna234

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2018
Messages
39
Purraise
45
I am trying to be very patient but whenever it seems like we are making a step forward we make 2 backwards. Last night kitty decided that I was a threat and hit me, hissed, and growled. She hit the bowl of food out of my hand and then 5min passed, she decided I was not a threat anymore and started asking for snuggles. I am really scared of her Because I do not know what to expect from her. It’s like playing Russian roulette. One night she is very friendly and the other she decides to be violent towards me. She even tried to bite me last night. She keeps hiding during the night and I am in desperate need of more advice. I know I cannot force her to come out but whenever she comes out she doesn’t let me sleep and starts exploring the room. She knocks stuff out, sniffs around, and decides to sleep for a while, and then wakes up and does the same thing all over again. Any advice? She doesnt take no’s very easily and honestly she scares me. The shelter told me that she was a very sweet kitty but I do not know what to think anymore.
 

susanm9006

Willow
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
13,151
Purraise
30,216
Location
Minnesota
Absolutely normal and to be expected behavior. Trust doesn’t come in a straight line, there may be great leaps forward and equally great steps backward. Fearful one second and loving the next is also to be expected. i would always move slowly and try to read her body language to judge when she is starting to get uncomfortable. If petting her, always stop after a few pets to judge her reaction.

That she is getting up at night and exploring is a good thing because it means she is checking out your room, and most cats are awake for a portion of the night. As soon as you start introducing her to the rest of the house and other pets you can perhaps change her location. Do you have a plan for introductions?
 
Top