Question about new cat settling in

[joeyoey]

I adopted a young cat/older kitten last week (the vet thinks she's about a year old) & I'm wondering if some of the experts here can help me figure her out.

She's a VERY sweet cat, seems to enjoy attention, but she also seems to enjoy her "alone time" more than any other cat I've ever had.  Most cats (that I've been around) tend to enjoy being around people.  She seems to like to get some attention, be played with...& then she goes to the bedroom to be by herself under the bed for HOURS at a time.  She doesn't appear to be hiding or scared, she just seems to like to be there.  

I work from home so I thought adopting a cat would be great for her since she's not home alone all day.  Instead, she comes out to eat, get a little attention and to play & then she literally spends 12 hours at a time under the bed sleeping.  It's like if I'm devoting ALL of my attention to her she's here & loving it, as soon as I try to work on the computer or stop looking at her, she's over it & goes back to the bedroom.

So I'm wondering, is there something I'm doing wrong?  Is she still just settling in & getting used to the place (& me)?  It's only been 9 days so I guess it's still soon but I just thought she'd be a little more settled in by now.  I have toys all over the place, a cat "tree" here in the office, a scratching post, & 2 other beds for her to snuggle in during the day (she's free to sleep with me but, again, she sleeps under the bed).

I also should mention she came from somewhat of a "hoarding" situation...a lady that probably had wayyyy too many cats & dogs in one house (she said she was trying to adopt them all out & they all seemed happy & healthy).  So, she went from a REALLY rowdy house full of cats, dogs, rabbits & guinea pigs (& 2 kids) to just me & her.

Can anyone offer any advice or tips in helping her come out of her shell?  I love her to pieces, I just wish I could see more of her & I just worry that her being alone so much isn't great for her.  

Thanks in advance for any help,

Joey

 

[luna tuna]

Hi Joey,
Some cats are more introverted than others, just like people, and want to be alone more often. Cats are also nocturnal, so it's not unusual for her to sleep during the day. She's also probably napping, moving around a bit, then settling to nap again. My kitty does this a lot. Under the bed is also somewhere she can feel protected and safe, not because she's scared necessarily. If she came from a house with a lot of pets, she may be used to hiding under things to get some peace.
There's no real "under the bed" in my room, but Luna likes to sleep in boxes turned on their side, and when I take her to my boyfriend's room she spends most of the time under the bed, just chilling.
Most cats are fine being alone a lot of the time. She does come out for attention and to play, so she's clearly not just terrified. I'd bet she's more active at night. You could try paying attention to where her toys are when you go to bed, then seeing where they are in the morning, but I wouldn't be worried about it not being good for her to be alone.
As for wanting to see more of her, give her time and maybe she'll be out and about more during the day. Nine days isn't a very long time so she may still be adjusting.
I wouldn't be surprised if she's taking advantage of having a quiet house to get the alone time she's needed/wanted since she was in a full, rowdy house before.
I'm assuming she comes out for food? I don't know how you're feeding her (free feeding, measured meals, timed feeding) but as long as she's getting enough to eat, I wouldn't be worried. You may be able to see her more by adjusting her mealtimes.

 

[Ms. Freya]

She could still be settling in (9 days is still fairly new), but it may also be, as Luna tuna suggests, that she's just not as extroverted as other cats. I have three at then moment and our youngest is attached to you wherever you are, but the oldest will wander out on his terms for love and affection. He can be incredibly snuggly, but only when he decides.

Age-wise, it also sounds like she may be in a bit of an "establish my own space" phase of development, where she's getting more confident in her alone time and personal space. You could try setting "playtimes" for her. My brother used to do this with his cat while he was working odd shifts and it worked really well. As soon as playtime rolled around, she'd come running for her daily game.

 

[joeyoey]

Thanks for the replies.  She's actually come out of her shell a little.  

She doesn't spend so much time under the bed now, but she still pretty much ignores me.  She comes running for food but even though I work from home & I'm here all day, she spends the majority of the day in the other room ignoring me.  I've tried playing with her & bonding with her & she seems to enjoy it but once I'm done & go in the other room she stays where she's at.  She still won't sleep in the bed & she's still VERY nervous.  My allergies are acting up & if she does happen to be in the room & I cough or sneeze she runs out of the room & I don't see her for hours.

I keep a little dry food out all day & I feed her 1/2 cat of Nutro in the morning & evening.  I've read that I shouldn't leave food out so that she associates me more with the food.  Is this something I should try?  Take the dry food up & just sit with her as she's eating in the am & pm?

I'm so frustrated & I have to admit, my feelings are a little hurt.  lol

 

[Ms. Freya]

I'm so frustrated & I have to admit, my feelings are a little hurt.  lol

I can understand. We so often wish we could just explain to them that they're safe and we love them.

Our Wendel wouldn't let us touch him for months after we brought him home and our Random spent the first month hissing at us from behind a box.

Associating yourself with feedings is a great idea (that's how we got our Wendel to warm up). You can also try feeding her on a shirt or something you've worn ad not washed so her food is surrounded by your scent. I don't know that I'd sit with her, but at least stay in the area to establish a pattern for her - cats are very routine-oriented and the sooner you become part of her routine, the sooner she'll warm up to you.

 

[r-kins]

Since it's only been 9 days, just give her some more time before worrying. When I was young, we had a cat that hid behind the dryer in the basement for a week after we adopted her and would only creep out to visit if my dad was down there. You could also go read on the bed and see if she comes out. The attention is probably enticing and makes her feel reassured, and then when you do something else she might feel a little more nervous and want to go back to the security of the bed.

Otherwise, like people said, she might just be a solitary kind of cat.