New cat’s first night: acclimation room door open or closed?

[daftcat75]

I got a new kitty!
Introducing Betty White

And I have a question about her acclimation as I’ve received some conflicting advice already. I have her closed up in an acclimation room—all her necessities in my home office with the door closed. She was an owner surrender. She spent ten days in the shelter. I only met her through her carrier because the shelter is still closed due to Covid. She’s only been interested in hiding since she got home. But she has finally ate something. And used the box.

So my last cat, Krista, she was super-confident and in my face from the moment I brought her home. This one may need some time. My question is do I leave the door to her acclimation room open tonight and see if she wants to roam the entire apartment? Or do I keep it closed and give her the freedom to roam her single safe room without fear of intrusion?

Second question. Her acclimation room is my home office. Do I try to work in the office with her tomorrow? Or do I take my laptop to the front room for the next day or three?

 

[Tobermory]

Congratulations!!! Lovely Betty White.

Hard to know, isn’t it! So, just my opinion: I’d leave her closed in her acclimation room tonight…and I’d spend some time in there just working, but also talking to her quite a bit. Then I’d work in there tomorrow morning, door closed and talking to her. I’d leave the door open at lunchtime and go from there! Lots of calm conversation.

 

[susanm9006]

Congrats on your new family member! I would leave the door shut for at least a day and probably longer depending on how she is reacting. You don’t want her to come out and find an unacceptable hiding space. I think it is fine to work in the room. Even though you will likely need to ignore her hiding, she will still be checking you out. I would bring along a treat to set on the floor somewhere near you are working and talk to her occasionally as you work. it is preferable to having them relaxed enough to come out while you are in the room before allowing them to have the whole place but that just doesn’t work for all cats. If a week or two goes by and she still won’t come out while you are there and assuming you have no other pets, I would then start leaving the door open at night for her to explore.

I love her name by the way. I was thinking it would be a perfect name for a newly adopted pet.

 

[Margot Lane]

…also am assuming your home & office are escape proof (ie no ceiling tiles you can push up?). If Krista was confident about her space and you, she probably didn’t try the Houdini trick the way this cat might. …So happy for you!

 

[daftcat75]

Her shelter name was Pink. My first thought was that she had Bette Davis Eyes. But also because Betty White’s passing and 100th birthday is still fresh on my mind.

 

[daftcat75]

…also am assuming your home & office are escape proof (ie no ceiling tiles you can push up?). If Krista was confident about her space and you, she probably didn’t try the Houdini trick the way cat might. …So happy for you!

No ceiling tiles. Window is kitty proof. She’s not leaving. Unless maybe she digs a tunnel in her litter box.

She finally ate something! I put out a half can of Fancy Feast. It’s different than what she was eating at the shelter. But I don’t want to feed her any of that Hill’s crap. I will feed her a little less the next day or two while she gets adjusted. I won’t challenge her gut with a brand new food at full portions in a new home with all the other changes she’s been through in the last couple weeks.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I'd leave the door open, at least enough for her to come out if she wants, which I'm guessing she will do at least after the lights go out tonight. As for working tomorrow, unless she gets extra friendly tonight, I'd plan on working in the front room for a day or two.

 

[IndyJones]

As long as she can't get into anything (chemicals, mouse traps, electronic cables, elastics etc) I think it's fine to let her roam.

 

[daftcat75]

As long as she can't get into anything (chemicals, mouse traps, electronic cables, elastics etc) I think it's fine to let her roam.

Shes five years old. I’m not saying a cat won’t be a cat. But she’s definitely not a kitten anymore. She did a little exploring this afternoon. But mostly she’s been sitting or resting in her nook beneath a cat tree. I came in just now to scoop her box and adjust the cameras. She remained in her nook the whole time.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Happy your heart was ready to save this dear little girl. Sad her family had to turn her in to the shelter but thank Heavens they didn't just dump her somewhere unsafe

 

[IndyJones]

Shes five years old. I’m not saying a cat won’t be a cat. But she’s definitely not a kitten anymore. She did a little exploring this afternoon. But mostly she’s been sitting or resting in her nook beneath a cat tree. I came in just now to scoop her box and adjust the cameras. She remained in her nook the whole time.

Never underestimate a cat solely by age, my 14 year old cat still tears boxes to shreds and even destroyed a set of aluminum blinds by biting them. He was 10+ when he destroyed the blinds by biting through the aluminum slats.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Shes five years old. I’m not saying a cat won’t be a cat. But she’s definitely not a kitten anymore. She did a little exploring this afternoon. But mostly she’s been sitting or resting in her nook beneath a cat tree. I came in just now to scoop her box and adjust the cameras. She remained in her nook the whole time.

Poor little girl is confused, scared & stressed. Traumatized by her eye problem, her people gone, left in a strange place with strange animals, she may even have had a fur friend that was left behind, and now here she is in another strange place. She isn't sure what's going to happen next but I'm sure that you with your cat empathy and cat savvy she will come around and settle in.

 

[daftcat75]

She just needed some alone time during the day to acclimate. Once she found my ear scratches and catnip banana, she settled right in nicely. Except food. She’s nibbling at Fancy Feast but she was hunting and mewing through the night like she was looking for kibble. Sorry girl. No kibble in this home.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

So glad she is settling in now . I figured she would, given time on her own to explore when all was quiet. She looks right at home

 

[IndyJones]

Maybe if you mix the canned with a bit of the old kibble it would help.

If she's 5 she could be set in her ways. Kibble is better than starving, that's how my vet explained it when she tried to switch Kabby to canned only and he was having none of it.

My vet is of the opinion canned is better than kibble, but Kabby is old and set in his ways. He was anemic on canned alone.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Maybe if you mix the canned with a bit of the old kibble it would help.

If she's 5 she could be set in her ways. Kibble is better than starving, that's how my vet explained it when she tried to switch Kabby to canned only and he was having none of it.

My vet is of the opinion canned is better than kibble, but Kabby is old and set in his ways. He was anemic on canned alone.