I was given an 8 year old female cat 2 days ago by an elderly woman who was on Hospice and has since passed, I do not know much about the cat except that it lived with the woman and about 13 other cats...since I brought the cat home 2 days ago it has been hiding in a closet. How do I make her more comfortable and get her out of the closet?
2007-01-06 18:45:32 · 12 answers · asked by ? 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
Don't pressure it. Put comfort things near the closet or even in it - like food, water... small litter pan. When the kitty starts coming out... move the pan slowly away to wherever you want it.
Don't move too quickly when you're near her, or shut your door loud or anything like that. Cats are very sensitive to loud noises.
Let her come to you. She will eventually want some company, and will come out. Once she does, lay down on the floor near her, but don't look her in the eye right away. Cats see that as aggression. Reach your hand out and let her smell you... then offer her a small treat.
Don't expect her comfort level to change overnight, as cats just don't work that way. She is sad and scared right now, so she may not be ready to make friends yet, but she will come around.
Good luck and many happy kitty cuddles!.
2007-01-07 00:21:03 · answer #1 · answered by Sloopy 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
She's just scared. Give her a few more days to get used to her new place. Leave the doors open between the closet and her food/litter box, and she should start exploring a bit on her own. I've seen a cat hide under a bed for four days before he was comfortable enough to come out, and even then he followed along the walls for another couple weeks before he'd venture into the middle of a room.
2007-01-06 18:49:29 · answer #2 · answered by Pinhead 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
She's in uncomplicated terms scared. grant her some better days to get used to her new place. circulate away the doors open between the closet and her nutrients/muddle field, and he or she or he would desire to start exploring slightly on her very own. i've got have been given considered a cat hide below a mattress for 4 days till at last now he replace into gentle sufficient to return lower back out, or maybe then he reported alongside the partitions for yet yet another couple weeks till at last now he'd undertaking into the middle of a room.
2016-10-06 13:42:25 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I recently took in a cat that was about to be put to sleep as the owners had taken in a dog that did not get on with the cat. She is around 7 years old and when she came to our house she had to deal with a new home and a new cat. She was very timid and shy for the first few days but eventually came out from behind my computer desk for a few minutes at a time to investigate then ran back for behind it for the safety she felt there. I bought a feliway difuser which puts out pheremones to ease the cats stress, this may help for you. She also did not eat much at first but her hunger wil get the best of her eventually and she will have to come out. I left all doors open in my house and found that she would sneak around everywhere then hide again for the first few days but after day 5 she then started interacting with us and the other cat. Be patient, talk to her but not close in to much on her. Four weeks later she comes when we call, loves naps on my legs and lots of hugs. Good luck to you both
2007-01-06 23:50:02 · answer #4 · answered by Flo p 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I have fostered many cats, and bringing them out of their shell was my specialty...
Pick her up and take her out of the closet. Put her in your bedroom. Leave a litter box, food, and water in the bedroom, in an area she can get to them and still be "hiding". (Such as under the bed for the bowls, and beside the bed for the litter.)
This gives her the option to get used to your smell...your bedding will smell like you, etc.
At night, she may become more brave, and she should start exploring the space. You will be sleeping, so you will be less threatening. She will likely hop onto the bed and check you out while you're asleep.
If she hides under the bed during the day, lay on the bed for a while and talk on the telephone, so she gets used to the sound of your voice. Stay quiet - don't get excited and laugh or yell loudly.
Lay on the floor beside the bed and look at the cat. Talk to her...be soothing with your voice.
She should start to come out of her shell within a few days. It may take quite a while for her to get comfortable at your house if she's been living with this lady for so long.
Be patient - she is really scared!
2007-01-06 19:02:31 · answer #5 · answered by Meg M 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
This cat is fretting for its mates or even for its former owner. Is it at all possible for you to obtain a piece of clothing that had the previous owners scent on it, this will help with the cat.
Give the cat some time to adjust to this move and you will be greatly rewarded when the cat realises that it is safe in its new home and that he/she has a new loving owner.
Good Luck.
2007-01-06 21:23:18 · answer #6 · answered by Kym 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You can't "make" the cat come out of the closet. She will come out when she is confident of her surroundings. Keep putting food and water into her "sanctuary". Clean the bowls before each feeding, letting her know you care. She will eventually come out. When she does, don't try to catch her. Just say "hello", If she has a name, say it. She may stay out for only a few minutes before she retreats to her "home". She will begin to trust you, though, and she will be become you "most loved".
I "adopted" a cat much like yours, she hid under a chair for a month. I draped a cover over the chair, fed and watered her every day, and she came to me and sat on the couch next to me as I was watching TV one night. I didn't try to pet her, I just said, "Hi, I love you". She stayed for about one minute, then retreated to her "safe haven" under the chair. The next night, she came out for a little longer visit. Each night she felt safer with me until she stayed out all day. I named her Little Bit because she had lost part of her tail before I got her.
When I moved, Little Bit was discombobulated by all the activity involved with moving, and disappeared. I can only hope that she found a loving home; someone who loves cats as much as I.
2007-01-06 19:13:43 · answer #7 · answered by Baby Poots 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hi,
Good for you to take in a sad little friend. She sounds in shock and depressed. She is going through a great loss. Just let her be for now. Keep the door the way it is don't open it farther or close it. Keep talking to her periodically. Call her lovingly and patiently. Lay some treats just outside the closet door. Check to see if she has taken them. If she has, next time its time for treats lie them a little further away from the door. It took me 11/2 years to get my kitty to trust me not to leave or get rid of her. Now she is my shadow....that is when the crazy puppy isn't around. Good luck!!
2007-01-06 19:00:26 · answer #8 · answered by Susan s 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Leave food and water out away from the closet and when she does come out , try to leave her alone at first so she knows its ok to come out, but after a little time goes by, slowly try to give her attention, but not to fast cause she is in a new place and scared. But she will eventually come out of it.
2007-01-06 18:50:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't know that you can do anything about her. She's just scared and it will take her a while to get accustomed to the new environment. Try talking reassuringly to her, but don't pressure her to come out. And if you have other animals, introduce them to each other very slowly. Best of luck!
2007-01-06 18:51:47 · answer #10 · answered by shannon 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋