Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hi just need some advice I lost my 15 year old cat 3 weeks ago and as I was so lonely decided to get a new cat. I got her from a rescue centre she is 2 and was found last June in a garage with kittens don't know anything else but that. She has been with an old lady who runs a foster home and she was always on her own despite other cats being in pens nearby. I brought her home yesterday as I didn't want to leave her as it wasn't the cleanest of places and all she has done is hide under the bed and won't come near me she has eaten and used the litter tray bit I'm so worried she won't ever settle or come near me. When I lay on the floor and tap my fingers gently she purrs every so often but that's it is there any hope for us? Really don't want to give her back but also don't want her to be unhappy she was crying all last night

You've only had her a day. She'll need a bit more time to settle down. I'd say the early signs that you report are hopeful rather than otherwise.

I wouldn't worry too much, especially as she is eating and toileting and has purred for you.

Thank you for your kind replies I've only ever had them from kittens and with being heartbroken I wasn't sure I was doing the wrong things

It's very disconcerting to an adult cat to be moved to a new place, and she'll need a few days to realise that this is now her home. Since you're getting purrs from her, you could maybe show her a toy - trail a piece of string along the floor, where she can see it. Or offer her a ****-bit of tasty food like chicken or tuna, and see if she'll come closer to you for that. And talk to her. Go into the room sometimes, say hello, walk out again. Just so she knows that you are around, but not threatening her.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Thank you Mary that makes sense I'll try that. I'll keep you posted thanks again

From one kitten owner to another I was disconcerted when my adopted cat didn't immediately take to me. Having lived around cats that were brought in from kittens through my childhood I expected an immediate response of love. Sadly that didn't happen.

My advice now is to be patient. It may take a week, it may take a month or even 6 months but they will warm up to you. Just give them lots of space of their own and don't push them too hard. After a while they'll seek you out and get used to you. After a few months you won't even know what the fuss was about.

Absolutely - as has been said it will take a little time for her to feel safe in her new environment and to get used to you, but the early signs are good!

Thank you for all your kind responses she is still timid and comes out to see me for a head rub and then runs back under the bed after 5 minutes. I'm abit concerned as her poop is runny and really smells not sure whether it's due to the upset of the move as I'm feeding her what the lady said she fed her. The lady advised me not to take her to the vets for vaccinations till she is really settled and at least a month

Cats when stressed will very often have some sort of toilet trouble. She's probably just needing to adjust to her new environment. If it persists for more than a week or two perhaps a call to the vet is needed but don't be too overcautious just yet. She's likely to do a few weird things in the first few months that you'll likely never see again once she's settled.

Just make sure she has a safe space to call her own for a while that won't be disturbed and before you know it she'll be out of her shell in no time!

Thank you for your advice I'll see how she is in a week

Good luck!

Thank you

Hi everyone Amy is settling more now even though she won't come near me for long. I brought her home with a scruffy basket from the adoption place so I bought her a new one today. Not sure how to handle it as its the only thing she knows from where she was and obv has her smell on so I just throw it away or leave it for a week till she gets use to the smell of her new one? Any advice would be appreciated

Ah. If she likes the scruffy one, I'm afraid you're stuck with it. Cats get very set in their ways and it's impossible to get them to change their minds unless THEY decide they want to.

Personally I'd put the new basket in a secluded place and hope she inspects it/finds it attractive. I wouldn't be tempted to swap the baskets over; that will only unsettle her. You may just be lucky; she might take a liking to the new basket straight away, but, if she prefers scruffy, I'm afraid you're stuck with scruffy...they are awkward little gits!

Thank you for your response I was worried that would be the case I'll see if she goes in the new one if not I'll leave the one she loves

I agree with Lilith, and your response tells me that she's in good hands. I'm sure you'll both be getting along fine soon.

Thank you for all your help

Just leave the old one and the new one out with all her toys and eventually the smell from her old basket will dissipate and she won't care for it anymore. Believe me Sofi came with the oldest scruffiest toys and carrier you can imagine but after nearly a year she doesn't give a hoot about them and they're just sat in her play box in the hall. She's too busy with her new mice and stringy ball nowadays.

Hi Mememe, I too have just taken on a 2 1/2 yr old female cat to, at first she kept her distance, we've had her 3 weeks now and it's only over this last week she's coming to sit on my lap. She also has a sensitive tummy her last vet put her on hills id for the runs. She was a bit loose for the first week and a half and we've put this down to stress, I found another food for her in the canin range which has helped make her poos solid or it could also be coincidence that she's becoming more settled. Keep talking to her and using her name.

Thank you for your response Amy is settling now but still has a funny tummy. What is the name of the food you have in the Canine range? I think I'll give that a try

Sorry Mememe I've just saw your post...the Hills one she was on when I got her was i/d prescription diet, previous vet recommended that one to last owners. She was having very soft motions for the first two weeks of us taking her but I think this may have just been stress. the food I'm swapping her over to is Canin Gastro intestinal both are dry food. Since introducing her to the canin one she's been doing perfect solid motions. Could be she's settled in with us now and her nervous tummy has settled down. I was a bit unsure about keeping her on these foods as the feeding instructions say 2/3 weeks long term they need to see vet every 6 months. My vet said that these foods are designed to give the cat everything they need so to leave her on it until she's totally relaxed and settled In with us, then try and change it if we wished! I'm happy to go with the vets advice, she's settling In and full of beans I give her chicken too as her treat about 1/4 of a chicken breast a day. Both dry foods are available from pet supermarket delivery was slow though!

That's great thank you for your reply