New cat, incredibly shy.

[oddlawngnome]

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• oddlawngnome
• Jun 15, 2015

So I'm just starting week three of having my first cat Belle, she's a one year old rescue I got from a foster home. Previous to that she was abandoned and was living as a neighborhood cat for a while, she also had two kittens but has since been neutered. She seemed comfortable enough with the lady who was taking care of her, she came by to look things over before she dropped off Belle and when she opened the crate Belle explored all around the room and let herself be picked up. After the caretaker left she retreated back to the crate, she stayed there for another two days or so. Ever since then she has been hiding in my closet, over the last week she started coming out at night (litter box is in an open corner of the closet, food on the opposite side of the room near my desk, and water bowl about midway between the two) when I'm sleeping and within the last four days she'll come out when I'm sitting at my desk. I try to ignore her as best I can and just quietly talk to get her used to my voice, but she still runs at any noise out of the ordinary or excessive movement on my part. I figure this is normal for a new cat who has been feral, but the last two nights she's been mewing (very high pitched, varying degrees of loudness) at random points during the night. I'll hear her come out of the closet, she'll mew four to five times, then keep moving around. She's also been going crazy at the door, I woke up to her popping her claws in the carpet under the door, I looked over and she looked like she was trying to squeeze under the door. Then she realized I was looking at her and she scampered back to the closet, only to try it again an hour later. Is it normal for her to want to explore the rest of the apartment while still being (apparently) terrified of me? Do you have any ideas why she might be mewing?

 

[oddlawngnome]

Also I should specify she let herself be picked up by the caretaker, I didn't try to interact with her when she was being dropped off.

 

[dandila]

Thank you for giving this poor cat a forever home. She's lovely.  Cats with questionable backgrounds can present some challenges but they are so rewarding.  Your cat sounds very much like a cat I have.  This cat was on the streets and pregnant.  She delivered kittens at the end of March and is at the vet for her spay today.

So my cat meowed at the door at night and poked her paws out from under the door and has done a number on the carpet.  I cannot let her roam the rest of the house because I have a quirky cat that doesn't care for any other cats.  The cat that I enclose in the bedroom with her kittens was used to roaming during the night while her kittens were sleeping.  I guess she used this time of night as her "me time."

I rearranged some cats and when she meowed I let her come out so I could watch what she did.  Mostly, she just walked around and sniffed everything.  A couple of times she went to the door and meowed to be let out but I let her know that wasn't going to happen by redirecting her with some toys.  It seemed to work.  She learned the routine...the time I got up and the time I went to bed and she stopped waking me up.  My guess is your cat had a similar experience in her life with kittens and she just wants to roam.

Is there a reason she is confined to a room?  It is normal for cats to be active at night so I would suggest letting her roam your apartment?  If it can't be done I would get up with her when she meows just to see what she does.  That may help you figure out how to accommodate her and get some sleep.

 

[oddlawngnome]

By the direction her mews are coming from I didn't think it was be a signal for me to let her out the door, they way she mews then moves around had me thinking it was some sort of test to see if I was awake or not so she'd know if it was "safe" to explore. My only real concern with letting her roam out in the rest of the apartment is that she might get out the front door, from her behavior with me I'd say that's a ridiculous fear but her caretaker warned me to make sure all the windows and doors are secure because she might try to bolt for an exit. As far as the mewing, I've tried to acknowledge her when she does it, but for the few times when she's been in my line of sight from the bed she just stares at me then gradually crouches down. As with any time I accidentally make eye contact with her, I keep my eyes half closed and slowly blink or just close my eyes. Eventually when I open my eyes again she's gone, and I hear her back in the closet. 

Something else weird that I noticed, her body language doesn't seem to make sense based on all sorts of sources that I've read. A few days ago I thought I smelled something odd coming from the closet and was worried she might have thrown up, so I opened the closet door at the far end which is normally closed. Didn't find any vomit or anything out of the ordinary, but as I was looking around she was watching me but not running away and she was laying on her side which was an oddly vulnerable pose for her. I figured I'd try something a little different (I know, I know, probably a mistake) so I closed my eyes and she let me pet her, I could feel her breathing quickly when I started but it gradually slowed down and at a few points she looked away and (I think) closed her eyes. She didn't shy away, hiss, or anything like that. That was about the point at which she started coming out more while I was awake, could it have been that making the difference?

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Do you live alone or do you have roommates that might let her get out?  

I think she does want to explore the rest of your apartment and that's a great sign!  I also think she is doing well; for a cat with her past.  Some cats take longer than others to settle in.  It sounds to me like she is making nice progress and just needs more time.  

 

[oddlawngnome]

I have one roommate, but I'm not worried about him letting her out. He's as careful as I am and he wants to hang out with her when she gets more comfortable! 

I have a cat condo and some Feliway coming tomorrow, she's taken to sitting on top of the crate as a vantage point so I think I'll replace that with the cat condo. I'll work on catproofing the rest of the apartment in the next few days, then let her out and see what she does.

 

[dandila]

I think all of your plans are good ones.  And I agree she wants to explore the rest of the apartment and wants to do it while you are asleep to get her bearings.  That is very good progress.  You petting her was a big step in her mind.  Its the beginning of trust.