New kitten won't come out of carrier(I've read the Sticky)

[bigperm20]

I just bought a 13 week old purebred Red Point Siamese kitten. I know it's common for cats to be scared in a new environment, especially one with another kitten. I am so far following the suggestions in the sticky regarding New cat introductions as far as segregation to a safe room. The problem is its been 8hours and she hasn't eaten, used the litter box, or drank anything.

I've tried talking to her sweetly , and she looks really depressed. I'm sure she misses her mommy. I haven't tried petting her yet.

I will follow the sticky with regards to getting the cat's smells traded back and forth once she becomes a little more confident with her surroundings. Want her in my other cat Oksana to be good sisters so I'll take it slow in this area.

Should, I try to spoon feed her some wet food? She has dry and wet up there that haven't been touched.

 

[bigperm20]

Come on beloved UK members you all are all out of bed. I need some help here. She still hasn't eaten, I don't know about water, but she did pee in the litter box.She has to eat though, she's a kitten...

 

[ritz]

I'd put fresh food out, the smellerier the better, kind of close to where she is hanging around, and leave the room.  I know as a kitten she needs to eat, but she needs to feel safe, too.

I adopted Ritz (semi-feral, friend rescued her and litter mates, I helped socialize them), and for the first 12 hours she stayed under the sofa, completely hidden.  After a few hours when it was clear she wasn't moving, I put some food on a plate and slide it under the sofa and then lovingly ignored her.  She ate the food.   At night, she came out and used the litter box and ate some of the food I'd placed by her litter box.

She was fine thereafter.

 

[bigperm20]

I put some fancy feast beef flavor cat food out for her last night. She also has her kitten chow. I'm about to go check on it now. But I bet it hasn't been touched. the fancy feast sat there for 4 hours last night and she didn't touch it. I tried spoon feeding her some of it, no go. I did stroke her a few times in her cat carrier just to show her I wasn't going to hurt her. I hope that wasn't out of line, but she just looked so pitiful

 

[bigperm20]

She didn't eat a bite of it. I put some of the stinkiest pate' cat food she had on the plate slid it in the carrier to her. Last night I night I had it outside the carrier. I don't know what else to do I'm getting worried.

 

[sugarcatmom]

Do you have any cat treats you could try leaving for her? What about plain meat baby food or canned salmon? What was she eating at her old home?

 

[txcatmom]

My Emily hid under a blanket in her carrier (which was in her isolation room) for two days after we adopted her.  She would come out at night though, when it seemed safe because she could hear there was nobody around.  We saw evidence that she had used the litter box and eaten just a little food.  We would spend some time in there during the day reading out loud so she could get used to our voices but we never tried to force her out.  She finally came out because I got a string and just started moving it around on the floor like prey.  Play was the key for her.

I know your kitten is younger and more fragile than a 6 month old.  I can see why you would worry.  But I'd try to give her some stretches of time where she doesn't have to worry about you being around.  Maybe she would feel safer coming out that way.  You could try the playtime thing too and see if that is the key for her like it was for Emily. 

 

[missymotus]

Did the breeder give you a diet sheet of the foods she's used to eating?

It's not too unusual for a kitten not to eat or toilet for a day or so, I've never had one hide though. I suggest you get some teasers and sit quietly in her room, try to entice her with the teasers. If she does come out just let her play or explore, don't try and grab her - let her come to you.

 

[bigperm20]

I did get her to come out but I broke every rule in the stickies. (I'll explain in a sec)  I really didn't mean too, but I am very tired and not feeling too well from 5 days straight of migraine headaches so I'm not really thinking straight., This heat is absolutely killing my head!

Do you have any cat treats you could try leaving for her? What about plain meat baby food or canned salmon? What was she eating at her old home?

I did try offering her treats in her carrier just placing them in there. I also tried offering her a couple of spoonfuls of stinky canned cat food before she came out. No dice. It was the canned food she was eating at home.

My Emily hid under a blanket in her carrier (which was in her isolation room) for two days after we adopted her.  She would come out at night though, when it seemed safe because she could hear there was nobody around.  We saw evidence that she had used the litter box and eaten just a little food.  We would spend some time in there during the day reading out loud so she could get used to our voices but we never tried to force her out.  She finally came out because I got a string and just started moving it around on the floor like prey.  Play was the key for her.

I know your kitten is younger and more fragile than a 6 month old.  I can see why you would worry.  But I'd try to give her some stretches of time where she doesn't have to worry about you being around.  Maybe she would feel safer coming out that way.  You could try the playtime thing too and see if that is the key for her like it was for Emily. 

I tried this with new toys purchased last night such as feathers on a string. I didn't want to force her out, as I knew how scared she was. I would also go in occasionally and talk to her really sweet. the only evidence I had of her leaving the crate was her using the litter box to pee one time.

Did the breeder give you a diet sheet of the foods she's used to eating?

It's not too unusual for a kitten not to eat or toilet for a day or so, I've never had one hide though. I suggest you get some teasers and sit quietly in her room, try to entice her with the teasers. If she does come out just let her play or explore, don't try and grab her - let her come to you.

Yes, I have all the foods she is used to eating, the litter she likes, toys she likes, etc. I got the scoop before I left with her. I wish I had had all of these posts to read earlier as I called my vets office and could not talk to a vet, only a vet tec. They of course just told me to bring her in ( she hadn't eaten in 10 hours at the time). She said it was dangerous for a kitten not to eat after a certain period of time. She didn't know the amount of time. A lot of good she was. Putting her back in the car and taking her to a busy vet's office with dogs, cats, and God knows what else in it sounded like it would do more harm than good so I decided against that but I continued to worry.

Here's where I screwed up: It had some good short term gains, and I'm hoping any long term ramifications will not be too bad. I went to check on her at her 11th hour w/ no food and my other cat Oksana was outside the door when I left her sanctuary. Oksana meowed curiosly several times and the kitty who hadn't said a peep since the car ride home suddenly sprang to life and meowed back like she thought Oksana was mommy or something. I guess I had a moment of insanity but I thought well maybe I should try the "perfume trick now"? In hindsight this was a terrible idea b/c the kitten wasn't even familiar with the surroundings of the bedroom I had her in. Then like a dummy (after I have rubbed both with dried cologne from my hands), I bring Oksana into the sanctuary. What was I thinking? I wasn't...just wasn't... It should have been on neutral ground with plenty of room for both to escape and instead I had them in an enclosed space.

The good news is kitty came out. She hissed and growled, Oksana being the big sissy she is hissed and growled too but let this little 13 week old kitten back her into a corner. Kitty never tucked her tail, squinted, or lowered her ears. Oksana did all 3 and hid and looked ready to kill someone. I quickly removed Oksana. It was tramatic for both of them I think, but the kitty will come to me now after some coaxing. She still hides when I come in, but she's eating drinking, playing with toys, etc.

I tried to trade some scents with some towels earlier and place them under each others food bowls, Kitty didn't have a problem with it as far as eating the food, but she's still looking left and right before she comes out of hiding for Oksana. Oksana on the other hand who is the biggest foodie of a cat I've ever owned refused to eat her food or any treats on a towel with kitty's essence on it. Now that's saying someting coming from her! I just hope these two can get along. I'll obviously have to take it slow and let them totally start over.

So I have a question. For all of you who have inadvertently, or made your new cat come out of hiding; what were the results? Did everything turn out ok? I'm just afraid I've done something wrong. I guess the good thing is that she will come to me now after about 10 minutes of calling. Once she does, she's a total purr monster. She absolutely loves attention. I think I got a good one!

 

[bigperm20]

I almost forgot PICS!







And one of Oksana: I know she's a mutt cat, but man does she have a Russian Blue smile

 

[rafm]

She's beautiful. You know, when I was younger and inexperienced, when I brought a new cat home, I plopped them in the middle of the room and that was that. They alll eventually got along, some better than others but, still, no permanent damage. I think your kitties will be fine if you go back to the introduction threads and start over.

Getting a new kitty is so fun and excited but it is also a very nerve-wracking, tension filled time too. Things will sort themselves out.

 

[bigperm20]

Tell me about it. Between her not eating, and the growl & hiss fest I'm beat. I think it took them getting puffed up at each other though, that motivated the kitty to eat her food and search the room. Oksana hasn't been too happy though I've been giving her lots extra treats, and showing her lots of extra attention. She is not her normal self though. Although she is asleep on my lap right now.

 

[bigperm20]

okay, the little kitty is getting friendlier and friendlier. She still hides in the cat carrier, what comes out almost immediately once she figures out it's me in the room. Then she's a total cuddlebug and wants to follow me out the door when I leave.
my other cat on the other hand is still totally pissed, especially when she smells the kitten on me. I still have towels with each other scents on them near where they eat , should I remove them? I keep getting my cat treats, and trying to treat her extra special. Aside from the treats she wants no extra loving. It's like she's telling me get that cat out here! I'm worried, but hoping they will get along eventually, it has only been 2 days.

 

[tjcarst]

It can take a very long time for cats to get along.  I have had mine together for over a year and they just tolerate each other with a few fur flying events occasionally.  No real harm.

Since you have a kitten, I think it will be easier, but it is not going to happen immediately.  Just give them some time.  Keep loving your older kitty and introducing the little kitty, never leaving them alone for now. 
 

 

[txcatmom]

Hang in there.  Your older kitty's world has been turned up side down.  But I bet she will eventually forgive you and enjoy the kitten.  Usually these things work out with time and a careful, loving human to help.

 

[gardenandcats]

I find after a week with the new kitten being in your home. I put up a baby gate that way the new kitten can look out and resident cat can see the kitten...Do this with you nearby in case something goes wrong..

 

[bigperm20]

That sounds ideal but the sanctuary is an upstairs bedroom. I'd have to sit in the middle of the floor to watch her.

 

[bigperm20]

Hang in there.  Your older kitty's world has been turned up side down.  But I bet she will eventually forgive you and enjoy the kitten.  Usually these things work out with time and a careful, loving human to help.

They really aren't that much different in age. I got the cat from a friend of mine's daughter who is going off to college and cannot find an apt on campus that allows pets without a huge deposit. She was actually mistaken on the kitten's age. The kitten is actually 16 weeks old. Oksana is 9 and a half months.

I was playing with the kitten earlier and saw something that made me realize that my friend's daughter may be a few bricks shy of a load... THIS CAT IS A BOY!

Let that sink in for a second... How in the heck could a kitten be mis-sexed from a breeder? I dont know how old she was when she was purchased as the girl is moving right now and the papers and vet records are somewhere in a box. I can tell u she and I both were blown away. She didn't believe me for a sec, But he is definitely a boy. He's even been to the vet 2 times, and they didn't catch it. Unbelievable! One of the vet visits was a few weeks ago and he has a pretty predominant scrotum. She's been calling it Tinkerbell for pete's sake!:what:

 

[missymotus]

Contact the breeder re the kittens sex, I'm sure she'd also like to know that a kitten adopted just 2-4 weeks ago has been rehomed - many breeder contracts state they are to be notified of such an event.. Are you sure it's a pedigree Siamese? The head type, muzzle and ear set is quite different even to an "old style" or Thai.

 

[bigperm20]

I'll get the papers once she's moved and call the breeder.