New stray lost in house.

[peachie]

We have just adopted a stray kitten a few days ago.
He is a timid little thing and we barely see him but he has found the litter box and was getting to the stage where he would dart in and out of the room to check us out.

Until last night when disaster struck....
We accidentally left the neighbours cat in the house ( my flatmate assumed I had put it out and vice versa)
We came home to find poo all over the entrance and up the stairs of the house.
Most of it whole bits some smeared. The neighbours cats collar had been ripped off a few things were knocked over and one of them has peed in my bed.
Now we can't find the poor thing anywhere!! We have searched the house.

We have bidets in our bathrooms and I think he may have crawled in the back of one of them Its the ONLY place he could be.I have put food and water right down the back of every bidet so if he is in there he just has to stick his head out to reach it. But it hasn't been touched.

There was no blood or fur anywhere just the poo but I am not sure which cat it came from. I am leaning towards the neighbours cat due to the size of it compared to what the kitten has been leaving in the litter box.

Its been over 24 hours and I don't know what to do.... HELP!!!

 

[hissy]

Kitten may be injured and hiding- very definitely scared and hiding. You would be surprised how small a hole they can hide in. They have no collarbone so they can fit into anything their whiskers touch.

Go into each room individually. Lay down on the floor on your belly. Look around-look carefully air vents, heater ducts, under recliners (even under the stool portion. Now, close your eyes and think about what you see. Divide up the room into grids and start searching. Don't assume that there is only one place for a kitten to hide, especially a terrified small kitty. Just don't stand up if you can help it- it's a kitten's eye view you need. Search everywhere-use a flashlight, after you have searched, use a laser toy and play it around the room with the lights off- if kitty isn't injured and sees the light- she will chase it. if she comes out, don't start after her. Instead, close the door to the room then set her food and water and litter pan in the room and let her be. If you don't see a noticeable injury and she isn't limping or something, just let her alone and let her decompress.Z

 

[catsallaround]

Just a spot I have seen many choose-up above the "cheesecloth" under beds/furniture. They can lay there and getting down and looking under you may not spot them. I would place food in each room and shut doors if set up with a few rooms.

 

[mysterymama]

The day I brought Duchess home from being spayed, she decided to go hide. I looked everywhere for her! Finally, I found her in the silverware drawer!! She had opened the cupboard beneath and crawled up into the drawer.

Leave no place unsearched! Cats hide in amazing places. I've also had cats actually crawl into the couch before!!!

If you don't find him soon, you could try setting a live trap. Most city shelters have live traps that people can rent to trap ferals. If you leave it out at night with some tasty food in it, the kitten just might get hungry enough to come out. You could even rent several and put one in each room.

Good luck! I hope you find your kitten!

 

[peachie]

Follow up... Kitty emerged with out a scratch on him which is good.We have left food all over the house and he has eaten LOADS ! Back to square one though on the timid front.

Another charming development is that he has left little presents in both my flatmate and my beds.... EXACTLY where we sleep. I am talking EVIL precision. I sleep on the right side of the bed and my flatmate in the middle. He is still using the litter though. Does the new cat hate us?

 

[threecatowner]

No, he doesn't hate you, he's just terrified, it sounds like. Sometimes kittens have trouble making it all the way to a litter box...