cat keeps hiding in back of sofa!!

[laura1959]

my friend just adopted a cat from cat protection ,but got it from a lady that had 5 other cats ,her cat is just hidden in the back of her sofa and wont come out ,has anyone got any suggestions please??

[Tinkers]

Hi I think new cat is just a little nervous and needs adjusting to new surroundings sounds fairly normal. I have found that just sitting in the same room quietly doing something like reading and maybe absentmindedly playing with a toy and not making too much direct eye contact or coaxing, cat may just wonder out and want some of the toy action. It'll take some time but once cat knows new owner is lovely and safe and brings food and clean litter and has toys then kitty will start to feel at home.

Good luck to ur friend and let us know how it goes!

[Kay]

the cat hides because it is frightened and doesn't want anyone to come close - this is only a temporary thing, as Tinkers says, but the best thing your friend can do is to totally ignore the cat, which is what it wants at the moment - just put food, water and a litter tray down near the sofa, and leave it be - the worst thing would be to try to eject it from its safe place

[Crewella]

I absolutely agree, just give the cat time to adjust, this is very common.

[laura1959]

I absolutely agree, just give the cat time to adjust, this is very common.

it seems I didn't know many details before ,she has been taken away from being with 5 other cats ,this woman had ,she now has bitten my friend and doesn't still want to come out from the back of the sofa and I mean inside the sofa.

[Crewella]

If your friend has tried to get her out from her hidey hole, then the cat will feel very scared and is likely to fight back, and I don't really blame her. Please tell your friend to leave her be for a few days, as trying to force her to interact is only going to make her feel even more scared and make things worse.

You have to try looking at things from the cat's point of view - her world has turned upside down and she's in a strange house and with strange people, so she's bound to need a little time to get used to her new surroundings and realise that she's safe. You can't explain that to a cat, she needs to see it for herself. The advice that has been given is good, just ignore her and let her come out in her own time. She will. As I said before, this is a very common reaction for cats in a new environment.

Do tell your poor friend to make sure she cleans the bite wound and maybe get it checked out by her GP. Cats do carry a lot of nasty bacteria in their saliva, and better safe than sorry.

[laura1959]

Hi I think new cat is just a little nervous and needs adjusting to new surroundings sounds fairly normal. I have found that just sitting in the same room quietly doing something like reading and maybe absentmindedly playing with a toy and not making too much direct eye contact or coaxing, cat may just wonder out and want some of the toy action. It'll take some time but once cat knows new owner is lovely and safe and brings food and clean litter and has toys then kitty will start to feel at home.

Good luck to ur friend and let us know how it goes!

the cat had to go back it just wouldn't come out and was obviously very frightened after being with 5 other cats the owner came back called in and it came out and sat on her lap. it seems she was advertising on google as being with cat protection and she wasn't with them at all ,cat protection investigating this .

[bobbys girl]

I know it doesn't make much difference now, but Gracie spends many a winter's evening inside the sofa and when you say 'where's Gracie?' her paw shoots out of a gap and waves at you. But don't try to shift her!

[meriad]

it seems she was advertising on google as being with cat protection and she wasn't with them at all ,cat protection investigating this .

How very odd Just hope the cat is OK now

[laura1959]

it seems she was advertising on google as being with cat protection and she wasn't with them at all ,cat protection investigating this .

How very odd Just hope the cat is OK now

yes my friend spoken to the cats owner and she is fine back with other cats should never have been separated,and the woman shouldn't of advertised as being anything to do with cat protection because she wasn't.