Traumatised cat hides

[maisie-mou]

I am currently fostering a 7 year old female. She has hidden under a low coffee table for the 10 days I've had her. She comes out to eat from food placed near her 'cave' and to use the litter tray, also placed close. She comes out at night and explores when we're asleep but won't come out otherwise except to peer at us and retreat.

I am worried that any day now the charity will ask for her back to be returned home and I won't be able to catch her.

I desperately need this girl to come out and be happier while she's with us.

I have fostered many cats and never known one to be this reluctant to make contact.

Help! What can I do?

[Janey]

Hi and welcome. When you say the charity may take her back to her home is she with you temporarily then until she returns to her owners? Most of the foster cats we've had (that's me and my hubby) have been traumatised for some reason or another and have initially hidden in a corner, but we have kept picking them up gently and popping them on our knees every so often to cuddle them. This has worked very well and within a day or two they have been absolutely fine, have you tried doing that? Some people say leave them to come out of their own accord but we have never done that, sometimes the cat will just continue to hide away. We do have a very quiet house though and no other pets and I am sure that helped.

[maisie-mou]

Hi and welcome. When you say the charity may take her back to her home is she with you temporarily then until she returns to her owners? Most of the foster cats we've had (that's me and my hubby) have been traumatised for some reason or another and have initially hidden in a corner, but we have kept picking them up gently and popping them on our knees every so often to cuddle them. This has worked very well and within a day or two they have been absolutely fine, have you tried doing that? Some people say leave them to come out of their own accord but we have never done that, sometimes the cat will just continue to hide away. We do have a very quiet house though and no other pets and I am sure that helped.

Hi Janey
Thank you so much for responding. Yes, the charity I'm a member of is a fostering charity, providing homes for cats whose owners eg. have to go into hospital and need temporary homes for their pet.
The problem with this wee one is that we can't get near her to scoop her up. Sometimes, but rarely, f we crawl along the floor towards her she will approach our hands briefly before scooting back under the table. I've never got close enough to her to scoop her up, or even stroke her.

We too have a quiet home, no kids, no noise etc. and all other foster cats have adapted brilliantly.

This one's owner is elderly and, without betraying confidences, not very well. We don't know how Lady lived before she came to us, but she's still on sachets of kitten food at 7 years old.

Any more advice?

[Janey]

Ok thanks for explaining. Aww poor puss she sounds very frightened bless her and she must missing her home/owner I do feel for her. I fostered for RSPCA and all of the cats were cruelty cases or similar, it can be very difficult. You're probably doing this already but if it were me I would get down on her level and try coaxing her out gently and talking to her softly and matter of fact i.e. have a chat with her, if that makes sense so she doesn't pick up on any stress you may have at her reluctance to come out and starts to gain confidence. I would also try tempting her out with the odd treat - which you know she likes. Sometimes it took both of us to get the cats out from hiding, then one of us would sit them on our knee and stroke them softly, then let the cat get off the knee when they wanted to but keep doing that on and off so the cat learns it's actually ok. Others may be along with some tips but If I can think of anything else I will let you know. Best of luck, it's a lovely thing you are doing.

[Crewella]

I've fostered a couple of very shy cats and also homed an ex-feral cat. It's taken weeks to get them to gain confidence, and I've spent hours on the floor with my hand down the side of chests or reaching behind the sofa! Like Janey, I tend to take a hands-on approach rather than let them come to me, as often they can only learn that it's quite pleasant to be stroked if they actually experience it. If she's not actually hostile and you can reach her under the table, try stroking her where she is, but be very quiet and gentle and take things very slowly. She'll feel a lot safer in her 'cave'.

In practical terms, if you have to give her back before you've made friends, you might have to either trap her in a corner or grab her with a towel, I'm afraid. It might be worth putting the carrier in her room so she gets used to it, and with any she'll start to look upon it as another 'cave'.

Good luck!

[stitchnkitty]

good morning all
Just a bit of suggestion.. Radio possibly when you are away.. so that there is a voice in the room
Getting on the same level is always good. I will lay on the floor with my hand on the kitty (if possible) and watch the tv or just rest after a long day at work..

[maisie-mou]

good morning all
Just a bit of suggestion.. Radio possibly when you are away.. so that there is a voice in the room
Getting on the same level is always good. I will lay on the floor with my hand on the kitty (if possible) and watch the tv or just rest after a long day at work..

Many thanks for your advice, help and support - all of you. I'm very grateful for being supported by sympathetic and experienced fellow cat lovers.

I do get down to her level, and talk in a calm and encouraging voice but because she won't come out I can't make physical contact, which I'm sure would/will be the breakthrough.

We have two sofas at right angles to each other and the coffee table under which she hides fills the gap between the sofas. I was wondering if I should shut off access to this cave?

She has come out over the past two days for about half an hour to sit in a cardboard box I've placed a little way away (what cat can resist a box?!) but still won't come near us and if we approach, at her level or not, she quickly retreats.

Is closing off the cave an option a) now b) in a few days time c) never? What do you think?

Many thanks

[Crewella]

In spite of the fact that this cat will be going home soon, I do think it's worth spending time getting her used to other people - there's always a chance that her elderly owner will get ill again and she'll find herself back in the same situation.

Is it not possible to move either sofa a little to allow you (however awkwardly) to get a hand under the table? If not, you may have to block off access, but you must supply an alternative 'cave' for her where she feels safe, but one where you can reach her ..... and take it slowly. I do much the same as Stitchnkitty - just lay there with my hand on or near the cat in it's hidey hole, just stroking gently (never grabbing at her), so she gets used to you being close and realises you don't pose a threat.

Radio's a good idea, to get her used to unfamiliar voices.

[maisie-mou]

In spite of the fact that this cat will be going home soon, I do think it's worth spending time getting her used to other people - there's always a chance that her elderly owner will get ill again and she'll find herself back in the same situation.

Is it not possible to move either sofa a little to allow you (however awkwardly) to get a hand under the table? If not, you may have to block off access, but you must supply an alternative 'cave' for her where she feels safe, but one where you can reach her ..... and take it slowly. I do much the same as Stitchnkitty - just lay there with my hand on or near the cat in it's hidey hole, just stroking gently (never grabbing at her), so she gets used to you being close and realises you don't pose a threat.

Radio's a good idea, to get her used to unfamiliar voices.

Sorry, I forgot to update you. The cat is unlikely ever to go back to her elderly owner so I must prepare her for rehoming.
My husband and I are retired and have the radio on most of the day, and TV on most evenings so she's well used to voices and gentle comings and goings around the house and to us going out and coming in.

I agree about the alternative cave. There is a cat bed under a table which isn't as low and not as concealing as the coffee table, which is why I thought of blocking off the cave. I am just so scared of doing so in case it sets her back. I am also gradually moving her food and water further away from her cave very few days. She's getting braver about coming out but still spits quite fiercely if a I put a hand anywhere near her.

I've had her 15 days now and I only have her for another month so I must get her socialised or she'll never be adopted!

Thank you for your continued patience with me and this lovely but troubled creature.

[Crewella]

Ah, then yes, you do have to push on.

You might need to drape something over the other table, so that it feels more safe and 'cave' like even if it actually isn't. Don't worry about setting her back - she needs to get used to being touched, and if she's still hissing then, in practical terms, there's not a lot of 'back' to go!

From here, it really is about the amount of time you can spend with her - I took on a new foster cat that's scared and hissy just over a week ago and have been spending a couple of hours every day in her room, reading to her aloud and just lying with my hand near or on her. This one is now purring, though not willing to come out yet, but every cat is different. The idea is for her to get so used to you being near her that she's almost bored - I knew I'd hit a breakthrough with my last timid foster cat when I suddenly heard loud snoring!

Cats love routines as it helps them to feel more in control, so try to do the same things in the same order each time, and try to end on a positive note each time, like giving her her food. It would be lovely to give her the time and space to come round when she wants to, but as you say, you need to prepare her for rehoming .... for her own sake, you do need to push her a bit, I'm afraid.