Advice needed re 10 year old adopted cat

[sanchitacruz]

Hi - we adopted a rescue cat from Battersea 7 weeks ago and she is still living under our spare room bed. We never thought she would still be under the bed. She has ventured out a few times but only during the night when the house is dark and we are all asleep. If she sees us she gets scared and runs under the bed. We have been very patient and the house is very quiet and she is affectionate when we come to her under the bed but i am really concerned that she is still nervous with us and still doesn't want to venture out.
We are having guests over in the next few weeks and want to try and get her out of the spare room and into the main living area but am worried as we did try that the other day but she was clearly upset and wanted to go back to her room so we put her back. I don't want to upset her any more and i am conscious of not forcing her to do anything she doesn't want to do but clearly we made a mistake when we thought the spare room was a good idea. I never thought she would still be there 7 weeks later! Also in July we are away for 2 weeks and getting the house painted. To avoid any further disruption we are having friends come over and feed her and look after her but am worried as we haven't let her out yet as she is still nervous and with the house being painted the windows will have to be open and the workmen might frighten her.
I feel at a loss as to what to do and would really appreciate any advice, thank you.

[Crewella]

It can take some timid cats a long time to feel comfortable in new surroundings. I would spend as much time as possible in her room with her, some of it talking to her and some of it just working on the computer or doing something that's nothing to do with her, just so she gets used to being around you. I read aloud to new cats that are very shy and scared, it helps them to get used to your voice.

She will come round, in her own good time, really she will, but if she's still hiding away when you go away I'd confine her to one room for the time the workmen are there, ideally one that's not being worked on. If that's not possible then it actually might be an idea to change your plans and put her in a cattery - it might actually be less stressful for her than having strange people stomping about in a home where she's not yet feeling completely confident.

BUT, it might not come to that ...... you're doing fine, and I'm sure she appreciates your efforts even if she doesn't show it. It will be so rewarding when she does finally come to trust you, and she will.

[Mrs Kane]

Hey sanchitacruz, I had a lot of the fears you are now experiencing with our cat when we first got her so I did a lot of research and reading to see what I could do if anything like your situation would arise. Here are some of the things I looked into. I hope that they help.

If you have some time (maybe a few hours a day) Then maybe you could spend some time in the same room as her, maybe just sat on a chair in the doorway reading a book or playing with a tablet/laptop/phone? It sounds odd but just you being around would help her a lot in terms of her getting used to your smell and sounds. If you don't use the room a lot it's possible she's finding it hard to associate you with this weird new place she's been placed in.

Maybe taping some looped conversations between you and your significant other and playing it back on a laptop or phone that's charged and out of reach in the spare room might get her used to your voices when you're asleep or out of the house.

I suppose you could incentivise (Is that a word? I'm not sure) her into coming out by placing different treats down near where she sleeps/hides. It's an easy solution if you're around a lot. Find the one that disappears the quickest and slowly move it further and further out of the room and perhaps dot the chosen treat around different rooms so she HAS to investigate. She may be a little fatter by the end but you'll have a more social cat Plus once she's more social you can play with her to edge the fat off a bit

(A word to the wise: please remember where you put the treats and for the love of god don't give her anything smelly and forget where you put it . We learnt that one the hard way with Frizz and prawns. She loved them but was pretty dippy about trying to find them.)

Once you've found the treat she loves most you could always try the "click" (or as I call it "tap") motivation method. When you're putting out the treat find a easily distinguishable sound like a table to nail "tap" sound or a glass to pen "tap" sound... you get the idea. Anything that is not often heard that the cat will hear well. So when you put down the treat make the sound so she has to find it. As I mentioned above, make the treat really easy to find the first maybe 2 or 3 times, after that space out! Put it in the doorway, or hallway. Go further and further so she's more inclined to search for it.

In addition, some easily frightened cats might need extra places to hide. Have you consider bringing home some cardboard boxes and cutting holes in them for her? Perhaps placing one in each room with some extra treats and/or little toys that she is familiar with? When we first got Sofi I made a few in case she was scared of being around us a lot. Like so: http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc13 ... G_0614.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Luckily she was a real explorer from day one so she only really uses the boxes to sleep in.

I hope these suggestions help and good luck getting your little one out of her shell

[Kay]

I'm another owner of a most loving cat who once was petrified of me

I think the secret of bringing her round is to pretend she's not there when you're near her, and see the world from her point of view - timid cats want to blend into the background and go unnoticed, and whenever they are touched or watched or - horror of horrors - confronted in their hiding places where they feel safest, they remain convinced the world is out to get them

once she is used to your presence being nothing to do with her, except to dispense food and treats, she will start to see you as non-threatening -- the change around can be quite sudden too, and meanwhile the process of winning their trust will give you a lot of pleasure

but I do agree about keeping the current safe room untouched if you can so she can use it when there are strangers in the house - my 13 year old still hides under the duvet if anyone other than me is in my house, so your girl is way off being able to cope with strangers

[sanchitacruz]

Thank you - really good advice. LIke the one about treats and cardboard boxes. Weird thing is when a friend came over to see her she is very affectionate and wasn't scared at all. As long as she is under the bed she is fine. Interesting idea re cattery perhaps better than her staying at home - i might see if the friend can take her in rather than a cattery - is that better?
Also she is a short haired cat but currently shedding loads! Bought her two different types of brushes and tons of hair coming off and it's all over the carpet and i just can't keep up with her. Think am developing allergy as didn't realise she would lose soooooo much hair - is this just her winter coat shedding - will it stop soon? i didn't know they shed for weeks and weeks. Am worried it could be because she is upset?

[Mrs Kane]

Hey there,

Indoor cats can shed all year round, it's nothing to worry about. They do shed more in the spring time like most cats because they need to. If you see bare or raw parts on her like the stomach or lower back that's when you should worry, as overlicking is a sign of being upset or afraid of something/someone. Regularly grooming your cat like you have done with brushes and vacuuming hair from your house should minimize the inconvenience of shedding. It is a hassle but you'll get used to it in time. I know it's made me a much better cleaner around the house.

Indoor cats do create more allergies than outdoor ones because they're around an awful lot more so there's a greater chance of a problem. Just make a routine of vacuuming or sweeping once a week and wiping down vital areas of the house once a day with a cotton cloth or an old cotton shirt (IE Kitchen worktops and where you most often find yourself in the day, like your desk or dining table) and you'll be golden. After a decent wipe from a good ol' damp kitchen towel the cotton will catch most of the hair and then you can just bung it in the washing machine for a good rinse if you want to keep reusing it. A lint roller or 2 wouldn't go amiss with fabrics that don't vacuum or sweep well. AKA sofas with difficult fabrics or blankets for example. If you have a dryer then make sure you clean the trap weekly after you've done your stuff, as cat hair can really stuff it up something rotten.

Remember your cat might be afraid of you at the moment, but she'll still try and find your scent sooner or later. Where you reside the most in the house is where you're going to find the most cat fluff.

[sanchitacruz]

Thanks - all very helpful advice. Now i am trying to invest in good lint rollers!

[Mrs Kane]

Good luck in the search