New Rescue Cat, Very Scared

[Prestopepper]

Hello, me and my husband recently adopted a rescue cat that is around 8 months old. We are having trouble getting him to feel comfortable around us. Everytime he looks at us, he looks frightened, and he either freezes in place if he’s laying down or runs away. I have owned cats before for 13 years and and they have always been welcoming and loving, but I have never owned a rescue cat before that will run everytime they see you. He seems to be scared of almost everything. Whenever he hides I don’t try to force him out or to do anything, I try to give him as much space as possible until he is able to adjust. We have had him for over 2 weeks now. In the beginning, he wouldn’t stop meowing at night, but I understand that he’s in new surroundings with new faces. Now, he meows once in a while at night but not as much as he used to before. His relationship with us has not made much progress within the two weeks. The only progress we’ve made is getting him to play with a laser. In the beginning, he wouldn’t even pay attention to the laser. His eyes would only be fixed on us. Now that he pays attention to the laser, I try to have him play close to me but whenever he gets too close, he realizes I’m there and just runs away. I kneel down and try to let him sniff me sometimes but he seems to not have any interest and, again, runs away. I also try to give him treats but he still gives the same reaction. I feel like I’ve tried everything. He doesn’t even go near us at night when he roams around. He is usually hiding during the day and roams around at night. So we basically barely see him and when we do he immediately runs to hide. This has been going on for more than 2 weeks and I feel like it’s just not going anywhere. I apologize for the long text, but how can I make him feel comfortable enough for us to even pet him? I feel like if we just keep giving him his space, he won’t even try to have a relationship with us or that it will just continue on like this for a long time. I just want our rescue cat to feel loved and know that we would never hurt him.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Try these things;
Low volume classical harp music, or MusicForCats . Com

Try sitting on the floor over a number of days. Have some treats out on the floor a ways away from you. Read aloud to your kitty now and then.

Don't look directly at him, this makes some cats feel intimidated.

Mostly? He'll get comfortable on his own schedule . Relax, don't stress, go about your normal routines, don't focus on him, utilize the music and he'll come around.

He's with you now, safe and loved. You have all the time in the world

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. In keeping with what Furballsmom said, wherever he is hiding (assuming you know where these spots are), sit nearby and talk/read softly to him. If he runs from you to hide, wait until he has a few minutes in his hiding spot and then go sit there to talk/read. Never immediately follow him when runs.

You can also start putting treats or some yummy, smelly food - maybe on a paper plate (for whatever reason, paper plates can sometimes help with getting a cat to eat something) - close to the edge of where ever he is hiding, then sit a bit away while you talk/read, and see if over time he peeks out to grab a treat or some food. Once he does, you can move closer to the plate, and ideally eventually you can hand him a treat.

 

[di and bob]

Don't approach him, let him get used to you. Just go about your normal routine and do like said above, several times just sit for a few minutes and talk to him, and leave treats when you go. Sit and talk to him, but do not approach him. Some cats personalities are just petrified at any change, two weeks is NOT a long time in a cat's world. You have had advancements already, he is playing with the laser and that is great, a breakthrough. His lessening of the meowing is another. As he gets to be more comfortable in his surroundings he will then get more comfortable around you. Do not try to be quiet, but don't do loud sudden noises either. Quiet means sneaking up on to a cat. I know it seems endless right now, but believe me, in a few months time it will change. A scared cat like that eventually developes a very strong bond with their humans, more so then those who spread their love around. He will grow to love you very much, all things worth having are hard to get!
Please research on taming feral cats, there are many good tips there. He is absolutely confused and petrified almost senseless right now, come to us anytime you need someone to talk to, we have been through it many times!

 

[Etarre]

Echoing what others have said, that two weeks is not a long time, and even though it may not seem like it, you're definitely making progress.

Take a look through this forum for other posts on shy cats, as lots of members have shared great stories and advice.

Personally, two weeks after adopting Juniper, we were still trying to coax her out from behind the extra a/c that we had stashed in the back of our closet.

It also helped us to get her a cat tree that was very definitely her space, where we approached her only with warning, and petted her only if she 'allowed' us to (she could hop down and run away if she needed to escape). From there, she could observe us, but wasn't forced to interact, and always had an escape route, which was really important in finding a way to spend time in the same room so she could get used to us while she still felt safe.

Good luck! You're going to be just fine.

 

[ArchyCat]

Do you know his background? He may have been abused by humans. Be patient.
There are many good suggestions on this thread.

Thank you for rescuing this cat. Keep us updated on your progress.

 

[Prestopepper]

Hello everyone, thank you all so much for the advice, I greatly appreciate it. I feel like I am making great (but slow) progress. My rescue cat seems like he is more comfortable around the house and now he starts to explore and walk around more during the day. He also eats a treat out of my hand now without running away. I was finally able to pet him a few times , but he still runs away sometimes. I feel like he is finally warming up to us, very slowly. But I am happy! When we first got our rescue cat, we were told that they got him from a kill shelter. I am so glad that we adopted him when we did. He seems a lot happier now than when we first got him.

 

[FeebysOwner]

This is good news!!! Thanks for updating us! So glad to hear things are improving, even if you would like it to be a little faster.

Give us a pic and a name when you get a chance!

 

[Prestopepper]

This is our 8 month old male rescue cat, Pekoms! We love him dearly and hope to give him a loving home he deserves.

 

[NewKitty2019]

Hello, me and my husband recently adopted a rescue cat that is around 8 months old. We are having trouble getting him to feel comfortable around us. Everytime he looks at us, he looks frightened, and he either freezes in place if he’s laying down or runs away. I have owned cats before for 13 years and and they have always been welcoming and loving, but I have never owned a rescue cat before that will run everytime they see you. He seems to be scared of almost everything. Whenever he hides I don’t try to force him out or to do anything, I try to give him as much space as possible until he is able to adjust. We have had him for over 2 weeks now. In the beginning, he wouldn’t stop meowing at night, but I understand that he’s in new surroundings with new faces. Now, he meows once in a while at night but not as much as he used to before. His relationship with us has not made much progress within the two weeks. The only progress we’ve made is getting him to play with a laser. In the beginning, he wouldn’t even pay attention to the laser. His eyes would only be fixed on us. Now that he pays attention to the laser, I try to have him play close to me but whenever he gets too close, he realizes I’m there and just runs away. I kneel down and try to let him sniff me sometimes but he seems to not have any interest and, again, runs away. I also try to give him treats but he still gives the same reaction. I feel like I’ve tried everything. He doesn’t even go near us at night when he roams around. He is usually hiding during the day and roams around at night. So we basically barely see him and when we do he immediately runs to hide. This has been going on for more than 2 weeks and I feel like it’s just not going anywhere. I apologize for the long text, but how can I make him feel comfortable enough for us to even pet him? I feel like if we just keep giving him his space, he won’t even try to have a relationship with us or that it will just continue on like this for a long time. I just want our rescue cat to feel loved and know that we would never hurt him.

Hello! I just saw your post. How is your kitty doing? We are in exactly the same situation. We adapted a scared rescue cat about 3 weeks ago. In addition to not eating the first 2 weeks he also got sick and we had to catch him to take to a vet. It kind of ruined the little trust we built from start. Now back to gaining his trust again. He started eating, finally, but we cannot touch him or feed from hands. I think I am more stressed than a cat, ha-ha! So worried about scaring him. He is terrified of hands. But now started playing a bit with a string and a fish on the end of it... Please keep sharing your progress and what you tried, what worked for you to make your kitty feel safe. I noticed when I talk to him in a soft voice he gets a bit relaxed. Also, we have been practicing the slow blink with him. It also relaxes him a bit. I work at home and play music with birds sounds for him. He sleeps a lot and looks relaxed during that time... I also try to sit next to him as close as possible for at least 10 min a few times a day, so he can get used to me being around.
I am still trying to figure out how to make a "Mojito cat" out of this Kitty.
Creating the Mojito Cat | PAWS Chicago

 

[Prestopepper]

Hello! I just saw your post. How is your kitty doing? We are in exactly the same situation. We adapted a scared rescue cat about 3 weeks ago. In addition to not eating the first 2 weeks he also got sick and we had to catch him to take to a vet. It kind of ruined the little trust we built from start. Now back to gaining his trust again. He started eating, finally, but we cannot touch him or feed from hands. I think I am more stressed than a cat, ha-ha! So worried about scaring him. He is terrified of hands. But now started playing a bit with a string and a fish on the end of it... Please keep sharing your progress and what you tried, what worked for you to make your kitty feel safe. I noticed when I talk to him in a soft voice he gets a bit relaxed. Also, we have been practicing the slow blink with him. It also relaxes him a bit. I work at home and play music with birds sounds for him. He sleeps a lot and looks relaxed during that time... I also try to sit next to him as close as possible for at least 10 min a few times a day, so he can get used to me being around.
I am still trying to figure out how to make a "Mojito cat" out of this Kitty.
Creating the Mojito Cat | PAWS Chicago

Hello! I hope your kitty gets well soon! My kitty is doing a lot better than before, however he still gets scared sometimes. It took about 1 and a half to 2 months until he finally let me pet him. I found that the best way for me to be able to pet him was whenever I gave him food. Twice a day I feed him wet food (with dry food always available) and whenever I open the can, he immediately comes to the sound of it. I try placing his food kind of near me so while he’s eating I slowly and gently try to pet him. After a while he seemed to get used to it. He seemed to realize that he likes getting pet and now he doesn’t run away as much whenever I try to pet him. I would also play with him a lot. My cat loves playing with the laser pointer, I t’s made him more comfortable around the house. He still hides under our couch most of the day though. The only times I usually pet him is in the mornings and nights when I feed him. Another thing I would sometimes do is pretending that he’s not there, like I would just walk by him and do whatever I’m doing. I think it makes him feel like we’re not trying to do anything to harm him. I watched some YouTube videos on how to get a cat to feel more comfortable and they were helpful. Me and my kitty still aren’t completely there yet but there’s progress.

 

[Prestopepper]

Hello! I just saw your post. How is your kitty doing? We are in exactly the same situation. We adapted a scared rescue cat about 3 weeks ago. In addition to not eating the first 2 weeks he also got sick and we had to catch him to take to a vet. It kind of ruined the little trust we built from start. Now back to gaining his trust again. He started eating, finally, but we cannot touch him or feed from hands. I think I am more stressed than a cat, ha-ha! So worried about scaring him. He is terrified of hands. But now started playing a bit with a string and a fish on the end of it... Please keep sharing your progress and what you tried, what worked for you to make your kitty feel safe. I noticed when I talk to him in a soft voice he gets a bit relaxed. Also, we have been practicing the slow blink with him. It also relaxes him a bit. I work at home and play music with birds sounds for him. He sleeps a lot and looks relaxed during that time... I also try to sit next to him as close as possible for at least 10 min a few times a day, so he can get used to me being around.
I am still trying to figure out how to make a "Mojito cat" out of this Kitty.
Creating the Mojito Cat | PAWS Chicago

Feel free to

Hello! I just saw your post. How is your kitty doing? We are in exactly the same situation. We adapted a scared rescue cat about 3 weeks ago. In addition to not eating the first 2 weeks he also got sick and we had to catch him to take to a vet. It kind of ruined the little trust we built from start. Now back to gaining his trust again. He started eating, finally, but we cannot touch him or feed from hands. I think I am more stressed than a cat, ha-ha! So worried about scaring him. He is terrified of hands. But now started playing a bit with a string and a fish on the end of it... Please keep sharing your progress and what you tried, what worked for you to make your kitty feel safe. I noticed when I talk to him in a soft voice he gets a bit relaxed. Also, we have been practicing the slow blink with him. It also relaxes him a bit. I work at home and play music with birds sounds for him. He sleeps a lot and looks relaxed during that time... I also try to sit next to him as close as possible for at least 10 min a few times a day, so he can get used to me being around.
I am still trying to figure out how to make a "Mojito cat" out of this Kitty.
Creating the Mojito Cat | PAWS Chicago

Also, feel free to share your progress! I wish the best for you and your kitty

 

[doomsdave]

When I got this kitty, he was afraid of me, went into deep hiding.

It took months, but we're buds now, though he's still a bit mental. He sleeps with me, kind of like a miniature furry doppelganger.

Be patient, P Prestopepper and keep us apprized of your progress.

IMG_2084.JPG

• doomsdave
• Feb 28, 2017

 

[RangersMom]

My advice is: sit on the floor near him but dont look at him, look off into another direction. If he approaches just ignore him. If you have eyeglasses or sunglasses, lay them on the floor and let him sniff them. If he does seem calm at some point, look at him and give him an exaggerate BLINK with you eyes. Cats take this as a sign of friendship.

Some feral or rescue cats take a LOT of time to come around, so giving him space is good. make sure he has a place to escape to if he wants to be alone. Good luck

 

[doomsdave]

Here's the first picture I took of Big Boy when he sat in the chair next to mine in my home office. He knew I loved and cared about him, and was finally getting over a bit of his shyness. He's still shy around visitors, going into hiding.

IMG_1588.JPG

• doomsdave
• Dec 8, 2016

Here I put him in my lap. He sat there a while before he bolted . . . .

IMG_1583.JPG

• doomsdave
• Dec 5, 2016

 

[NewKitty2019]

He is getting much better! We play twice a day now and he got very comfortable with me being very close to him. He can sit next to my legs with no fear. I still try not to touch him as I know he was terrified of hands. But I think it will happen soon. This is Richi watching me work at my desk. What a difference in his look now!!!

 

[FeebysOwner]

He is getting much better! We play twice a day now and he got very comfortable with me being very close to him. He can sit next to my legs with no fear. I still try not to touch him as I know he was terrified of hands. But I think it will happen soon. This is Richi watching me work at my desk. What a difference in his look now!!!

He looks good! And, the progress is wonderful! Thanks for the update! I am encouraged, very much so!!!

P Prestopepper - what is happening with you?

 

[misty8723]

In 2005 we adopted a beautiful calico named Cynthia. She was so scared she hid under the bed for a long time after we got her. We would lay beside the bed and talk to her, sing to her, etc. Push treats under the bed. I couldn't tell you how long it took, but she finally did come out and turned into the sweetest, most loving kitty I've ever known. I miss her very much.

I think it sounds like things are progressing with your kitty, and it won't be long before he's out and about and enjoying his new home and new people.