Re: Foster cat hiding/avoidance pattern x 6 weeks

[scott8523]

I know this topic has been addressed a million times, but it's usually from owners/caretakers concerned about their new cat hiding for 48 hours, or a week or two. I'm a former cat owner, first time fosterer. 5-year-old Tessa the cat was adopted in March 2020 but her female owner moved and couldn't take her. I'm told she hid under the bed for a few days but started then started to socialize gradually. I started fostering her about 6 weeks ago. That she immediately went into hiding was no surprise to me. After weeks two and three, I simply decided it was at the upper end of normal. It's now been about 6 weeks. Maybe I'd be less concerned if there was some level of progress. There is none.

First off, she eats and drinks well and uses the litter box. She's fine coming out from under the bed to go in my closet or second bedroom - basically anywhere I'm not. But she avoids me like the plague. I've tried finger foods, speaking w/ to her gently, toys, etc. I've tried not acknowledging her as suggested by some literature. The main problem is the lack of opportunity to interact with her because she hides. My bedframe is basically a hollowed out wooden box-like frame which she accesses from the space between the frame and the wall - space I cannot access easily. I'm disinclined to block the passageway out of concern that she'll regress further.

She spends most of her time under my bed. At one point I thought I was making progress by leaving out treats in the living room (where I spend most my time). She would at least enter the living room to feed while I was present. I think she wised up and just started eating the treats while I was asleep in my bedroom, or just settling for her dry food which I leave by the bed for easy access.

I consider myself a reasonably knowledgeable cat owner but I have no idea what to do here. I feel bad that she spends all day every day in hiding with no interaction or affection. All suggestions welcome.

 

[minish]

I've never met a shy cat but from what you write, I understand that she knows she is taken care of. And she didn't choose remote places, she is hiding under your bed and in your closet. I think these are good signs.
If she knows her name, talking sweet words and singing songs with her name in it will help. My cat minish is not very touchy-feely bur she always turns her ear towards such gestures and melts in her place with pleasure. I also talk about her in third person and she comes to check in soon after.
You can also use food as a leverage. Instead of leaving the treats in the living room, you can put a few at a time with a big fuss she can hear and remove them if she doesn't come. You can also move her plate to a social spot bit by bit and eventually give her food only when you are near (but not very close)
I'm sure she will gain the confidence over time so that she appreciates the benefits of having a caring person on her side other than a provider of food and litter.
Good luck

 

[susanm9006]

From this cat’s perspective she has been picked up and moved away from humans she was comfortable with at least two times. Every time is a little harder and a little scarier. Her understandable response is to stay as far away as possible from humans. So, getting to trust you is going to take some time. Hard to say how much because every cat is different. But she isn’t suffering, she is doing what she needs to do to feel safe.

If she is coming out to eat and use her box she is doing well. I would keep doing what you have been doing, leaving the treats and otherwise ignoring her until she is ready to interact. With my Willow, who also hid for weeks, the first sign of her coming around is when she would actually let me see her as she raced from one hiding place to another, and then she moved on to a slow saunter. Eventually she would sit in the same room as me as long as I didn’t make eye contact and pretended I didn’t see her. Your experience may be different but she will come along if you don’t try to force any interaction.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. All of the above information is good! The one thing I didn't see (excuse me if I missed it) is doing something in between trying to directly interact with her and ignore her. By that I mean, spending time in the room where she hides underneath the bed, with you on the floor near the bed, reading a book, softly but out loud, as if you were talking to her, but not really. I would spend time in that room as much as possible. You can set treats on the floor between her and you, and once she eats those, after a bit you can move the treats closer to you, and so on. If she goes for all of that, you can set treats close to, or in between your fingers with your hand held palm up and see if you can get her to go for those. She needs a lot of exposure to you, without imposing on her, as much as is possible.

You don't know her background, I am guessing, prior to her owner in March 2020. And, I not trying to be mean, but maybe what you were told about her from the previous owner isn't altogether true...

 

[scott8523]

Hi. All of the above information is good! The one thing I didn't see (excuse me if I missed it) is doing something in between trying to directly interact with her and ignore her. By that I mean, spending time in the room where she hides underneath the bed, with you on the floor near the bed, reading a book, softly but out loud, as if you were talking to her, but not really. I would spend time in that room as much as possible. You can set treats on the floor between her and you, and once she eats those, after a bit you can move the treats closer to you, and so on. If she goes for all of that, you can set treats close to, or in between your fingers with your hand held palm up and see if you can get her to go for those. She needs a lot of exposure to you, without imposing on her, as much as is possible.

You don't know her background, I am guessing, prior to her owner in March 2020. And, I not trying to be mean, but maybe what you were told about her from the previous owner isn't altogether true...

Maybe I can make that work. It's easier to work in the living room while I work at home but I should be able to devote some time to the bedroom. As far as her history goes, that info came from the owner and I met with her for the transfer. I'm naturally skeptical but the tears in her eyes told me she loved Tessa, thus indicating at the very least that she didn't spend the whole 9 months in her new home under the bed.

After some digging I found the original post for Tessa, dated 2/20/19, well before she was adopted in or around March 2020: "Tessa is an exotic looking three year old Black Tabby with unusual markings on her face that looks like it was painted. She is a tiny Tiger with almond shaped eyes, long white whiskers and cream colored accents. Tessa was abandoned outside where she lived for a few months before being rescued. Clearly a house Cat, she is loving being indoors with people and is now purring up a storm and making “biscuits.” Tessa loves pets and rubs and will fit right in with a loving family." Poor girl =(

 

[FeebysOwner]

Tessa is so pretty! Thanks for the pics. Keep working with her, and keep us posted!