New foster still hiding after 16 days

[rubysmama]

Definitely progress.

 

[duncanmac]

In happier news, Luna came out yesterday evening. I don't know if she thought no one was around, but when she saw me, she didn't run. She just casually strolled back under the bed.

Progress!

That really is progress. It was one of the first steps I saw with our feral. He would have the run of the finished basement at night and one morning I saw him stroll back into his safe room - not run, not slink just kind of trot back in.

If I counted right, the mama cat has been in maybe 4 or 5 homes in fairly quick succession. Give her more time to come out and see you. Spend as much time as you can sitting with her and just talking to her (or yourself). She will get the idea that you are relatively harmless.

 

[rosegold]

I read every word of that thread. rosegold , I am so very sorry for your loss. But she knew you loved her with all your heart. Thank you for giving Chai so much love in such a short time.

In happier news, Luna came out yesterday evening. I don't know if she thought no one was around, but when she saw me, she didn't run. She just casually strolled back under the bed.

Progress!

Aww, thank you so much for your kind words about my Chai. Hopefully there were some tips in there that might help you with Luna, too! I’m so happy to hear that she came out of hiding! Go Luna!!

 

[WoodstockGirl]

That really is progress. It was one of the first steps I saw with our feral. He would have the run of the finished basement at night and one morning I saw him stroll back into his safe room - not run, not slink just kind of trot back in.

If I counted right, the mama cat has been in maybe 4 or 5 homes in fairly quick succession. Give her more time to come out and see you. Spend as much time as you can sitting with her and just talking to her (or yourself). She will get the idea that you are relatively harmless.

I'm working on that. It's hard, though. I'm one person and can't keep an eye on Jasper when he's out and try to spend time with Luna alone without him around. Add to that, my daughter is home (college graduation tonight, yippee!) and, well, the schedule is going to be messed up for the next several days.

In a couple of weeks I'll feel more comfortable giving Japser more free range. Loki gets pretty rough and Jasper just isn't quite big enough yet to fight back, although he does try. He's a feisty little thing. I can't tell sometimes if Loki is playing or assertin

Aww, thank you so much for your kind words about my Chai. Hopefully there were some tips in there that might help you with Luna, too! I’m so happy to hear that she came out of hiding! Go Luna!!

There were a lot of tips, thank you! We'll get there eventually. It's going to be a long process.

 

[WoodstockGirl]

Hi everyone and Happy New Year! It's been a busy couple of weeks. My daughter came home from Oregon and walked at her college graduation. Go Penn State! Now she needs to put that to use and get a big girl job.

Updates: Luna came out!! She came out to eat, but it was broad daylight and someone was in the room. Yay! I'll take it. My mother also said that for the last several nights in a row, she's been out playing with Jasper in the middle of the night. I think that's awesome progress.

Jasper is doing great and integration almost complete. He and Loki are now best buds, and he has the full run of the house except for the basement. He's 15 weeks old, so I don't think there's any need to supervise every single second. He goes back into the room at night, but the rest of the time (when I'm home) he can stay out. This morning he was crying pitifully at the door to be let out, but I didn't have time to track him down and corral him back in there and get ready for work at the same time. Magic is mildly interested in him, Itty seems to like him, Poochy ignores him, and Jenner is as usual the wild card. She just watches and if he gets too close she'll hiss at him, but she's never batted him or anything.

So, my question for the pros is this: Can I integrate Luna with the rest of the household even though she's still not out completely? Another week or two won't make a difference and she can stay under the bed whenever she wants--I just need to know it won't be total madness and mayhem if I let the other cats in there. I can't leave that room shut up forever and it's been 5 weeks. Any advice on how to do that would be great.

 

[rubysmama]

I've never introduced cats myself, so I'm definitely not a "pro", however, I think it would be extremely overwhelming for Luna if she's still mostly hiding under the bed to suddenly have one, or more, cats invade her safe space. I'm thinking first you need to let her get more comfortable around yourself, and/or any other humans that live in the home, so I would suggest spending more time in her room, just surfing the net, or reading, listening to music, etc. Just in the hopes that she gets comfortable enough to let you pet her, or come out to see you, when you call her name.

Then work on the cat introductions, which would include scent swapping, and other steps included in cat introduction lists. Here's the main TCS article, in case you've not seen it: How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – Cat Articles

If you could set up something like the stacked baby gates at her door, then that way she could see the other cats, if they came to investigate, without them being able to touch.

I know it's already been 5 weeks, which seems like forever to you, but for Luna it's not such a long time, as everything is so new for her. So though it seems like baby steps to you, the fact that she's come out from under the bed to eat, when someone was in the room, is really huge.

Eventually, once she's regularly coming out when someone is in the room, you might want to try putting the mattress and boxspring on the floor so she can no longer hide under there. Just ensure you leave a cardboard box, or covered cat carrier, etc., that she can still use as a hiding/comfort place.

BTW, if you haven't seen it, here's a current thread you might want to read: Featured - Very shy new cat - under the bed and won’t come out

 

[WoodstockGirl]

I've never introduced cats myself, so I'm definitely not a "pro", however, I think it would be extremely overwhelming for Luna if she's still mostly hiding under the bed to suddenly have one, or more, cats invade her safe space. I'm thinking first you need to let her get more comfortable around yourself, and/or any other humans that live in the home, so I would suggest spending more time in her room, just surfing the net, or reading, listening to music, etc. Just in the hopes that she gets comfortable enough to let you pet her, or come out to see you, when you call her name.

Then work on the cat introductions, which would include scent swapping, and other steps included in cat introduction lists. Here's the main TCS article, in case you've not seen it: How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – Cat Articles

If you could set up something like the stacked baby gates at her door, then that way she could see the other cats, if they came to investigate, without them being able to touch.

I know it's already been 5 weeks, which seems like forever to you, but for Luna it's not such a long time, as everything is so new for her. So though it seems like baby steps to you, the fact that she's come out from under the bed to eat, when someone was in the room, is really huge.

Eventually, once she's regularly coming out when someone is in the room, you might want to try putting the mattress and boxspring on the floor so she can no longer hide under there. Just ensure you leave a cardboard box, or covered cat carrier, etc., that she can still use as a hiding/comfort place.

BTW, if you haven't seen it, here's a current thread you might want to read: Featured - Very shy new cat - under the bed and won’t come out

Hi and thanks!

We've done the stacked baby gates for weeks now and this weekend I bought a cheap screen door and hung it. She knows there are other cats, and they know she's there.

I was planning on waiting a bit until she is a bit more comfortable and then introduce them all one at a time so it's not so overwhelming. It has to be done eventually, and I like to plan ahead. I don't expect her to take advantage of any house roaming when she IS comfortable enough, hence my question. She seems perfectly content to lounge under the bed during the day.

 

[rubysmama]

She seems perfectly content to lounge under the bed during the day.

That's why I'm wondering if it's time for a teeny bit of "tough love" and dismantling the bed, so she can't spend all day hiding under it.

 

[WoodstockGirl]

That's why I'm wondering if it's time for a teeny bit of "tough love" and dismantling the bed, so she can't spend all day hiding under it.

It's in my mother's bedroom, so she needs to sleep there. I'd move her up to the 3rd floor if I didn't think it would traumatize her all over again.

 

[rubysmama]

Yeah, ok. Guess we'd better let your Mom continue to sleep in her bed, and not on the floor.

 

[rosegold]

I think you could let her out if she’s at that stage with introductions with the other cats (i.e. there won’t be any fights) and if she’s seeming curious about the outside. Chai left her safe room before I could actually touch her, and being with my other cat seemed to help her confidence a LOT in those next few weeks.

Is there a way you could give her a chance to explore another part of the house without the other cats there? Or even just extend her territory a bit to include some hiding places in the hallway next to the door, so she can observe and peek out but still feel safe?

 

[WoodstockGirl]

Yeah, ok. Guess we'd better let your Mom continue to sleep in her bed, and not on the floor.

I pulled the mattress off and lifted the box spring...she was clinging to it for dear life. I tried to pry her off of it with my free hand and she would not move. I'd blocked it off before I did it and she did eventually come out. And then she outsmarted me twice and got back under there. There's not enough room to leave the bed together and put the mattress on the floor, so when I get home from work tomorrow I'm taking the bed apart. My mother said she was good with that.

I think Luna hates me now.

 

[WoodstockGirl]

I think you could let her out if she’s at that stage with introductions with the other cats (i.e. there won’t be any fights) and if she’s seeming curious about the outside. Chai left her safe room before I could actually touch her, and being with my other cat seemed to help her confidence a LOT in those next few weeks.

Is there a way you could give her a chance to explore another part of the house without the other cats there? Or even just extend her territory a bit to include some hiding places in the hallway next to the door, so she can observe and peek out but still feel safe?

She has shown zero interest. Maybe after tomorrow that will change.

 

[rosegold]

I think you are moving in the right direction! Baby steps Let us know how it goes!

 

[WoodstockGirl]

I think you are moving in the right direction! Baby steps Let us know how it goes!

Happy New Year everyone!

You know, if Jasper hadn't still been nursing when they came here, I would have crated them in the living room. But I figured they would need and want privacy. The only cat I have that ever hid for so long is now the best cat anyone could want, but she was food motivated and it wasn't hard to bond with her and engage with her. I was willing to indulge Luna while Jasper was still teeny and nursing, but you guys are right. Tough love is in order now that Jasper is more or less out of the room. He spends less and less time under the bed with her when he's in there anyway. But live and learn, right?

 

[rubysmama]

That's great that your Mom is on board with dismantling her bed, but it is time for Luna to get out from under the bed. Do ensure you have somewhere else safe for her to hide, but also somewhere you can easily reach her, if need be.

Good luck.

 

[WoodstockGirl]

Update:

Operation Move the Bed successful and what a difference it's made! My friend came over to help and Luna was hanging on for dear life when I lifted the box spring, but my friend is absolutely relentless. She scruffed her and got her out.

Luna camped out on the bench under the window and tries to "hide" behind the curtains. I guess she thinks she's an ostrich. She has a little house to hide in, and during the day she likes to be in there but she will come out to eat even in daytime. I don't even think it could be called hiding at this point. It's a cozy little bed that she likes to sleep in. It's not very big, and Jasper tries to go in there too, but he's getting too big for that.

I feel like we're finally making progress. When I go in to spend time with her now, she's perfectly relaxed and I pet her and talk to her. A couple of nights ago, for the first time she moved her head against my hand. Tonight she stretched out completely and was purring. I didn't want to stop but my hands were totally numb--she let me pet her for over an hour.

I let Poochy in the room...and absolutely nothing happened. He roamed around sniffing, looked at her, she looked at him and that was that. No hissing or growling or anything. Loki will be next, then Itty and Magic. Jenner is the wild card so she goes last. Once I'm sure nothing is going to happen I'll open the room completely. It's okay if she chooses to not leave the room, but at least the others will have access to it.

Jenner can be a bully, but Jasper chased her out of a spot she wanted. LOL She's 3 times his size! Jasper is now officially part of the tribe. He jumped on my bed and was sniffing Itty and she started grooming him. Yay!

 

[rubysmama]

Excellent update.

 

[WoodstockGirl]

Update:

Luna spends more time lounging by the window than in her bed, which is good. I still don't feel like we're bonding very well, though. I put a magnetic screen up in the doorway. Jasper figured it out in about 10 seconds, but the rest of them would sit by the screen but not try to get in until just a few days ago. Now Loki and Itty regularly come and go from there and there have been no issues. They know Luna is there and she knows they are there.

Luna had shown no inclination to leave the room...till today. Apparently when my mother was in the room, she bolted. After a long drawn out drama, she is up on the 3rd floor in my daughter's old room. My mother put Jasper up there with her along with some food, water and a litter box. It's too much for her to try to get her out of there alone.

So, where do I go from here? She's out now. Should I just let her have free run? She is still a very scared kitty and as I said, while we've been making baby steps progress I don't know if she's ready for her world to be that big yet.

 

[susanm9006]

I would give her a try. The alternative is to catch her and put her back in her old space which might be upsetting to her. But if there seems to calm amongst the cats, I would give it a shot and see what happens. The risk is that she may find a different hiding place but I think she is ready to explore.