How do I get my cat to come out from under the stove?

Question

I adopted a cat from Petsmart about two weeks ago. She's a year and a half old and described as very docile, but requiring time to get used to new people. She has taken to hiding under the stove and I CANNOT get her to come out. She will come out to use her litter box and eat while I am either sleeping or at work. How can I lure her out? I've tried toys, catnip, table food, everything. She's scared to get near anyone.

Answer 1

Two weeks is a pretty long time. You can get a bottle of Rescue Remedy from the health foods store for about $17. This will help in her emotional adjustment to her new place - ease her fears, erase the trauma of past experiences which make her leery of people.

You simply shake the bottle well and put three to four drops on the fur between her ears - treat as many times a day as you can especially in the AM and before bedtime.

I realise you cannot do this now as you can't reach her. You can put drops in her water and in food if you are using canned. You can also start by putting drops of the RR on a small cloth and putting it under the stove or wherever she is hiding. It will have the same effect. Refresh the cloth with drops as many times a day as you can.

I would definitely get her out from under the stove and confine her to a bedroom or bathroom when you are not home. You will be able to get at her better in those places. You can block off the stove with an old blanket or such. Make sure it is fire-safe and most stoves are vented through the back so it should be safe.

Remember that by using the RR you are helping the CAT. She will most likely come around eventually and it will help her to make the adjustment faster and with less stress.

Another technique from Tellington T-Touch is to use a feather toy (even a swifter soft duster) to stroke the cat gently from a distance. Obviously you have to be careful not to scare her with the thing coming at her and it will work by using it under a bed if that is where she is hiding.

Answer 2

iammegawatt4202 has some great tips. In fact, I had a foster kitten that did the same thing your cat is doing. I only allowed him to do this for a few hours or so. Then I had done similar things that iammegawatt4202 is describing.

Then I forced him out from hiding and shut the door in a room with the two of us. I sat with him on the bed and held him firmly, without hurting him. Every couple of hours I would do this, especially before leaving for work and immediately upon coming home. After a couple of days he realized I wasn't going to hurt him. He became the most affectionate kitten I ever had!

Answer 3

believe it or not i had the same problem with a kitten that wouldn't come out from under the bed. He wouldn't even let you touch him. I was just very patient, unfortunately i had to use some kind of force. I pulled it out from under the bed and showed it that it was okay to be touched and petted. We were just very patient, if it never came to me i would just sit there and talk to it until i made it feel comfortable. Within a week that cat was all over the house and begging for attention. Good Luck!

Answer 4

The best thing to do is this: if you can get kitty out AT ALL then take her , her box, and her food, and a small bed,a nd enclose her in the bathroom... ( and visit her frequently!) let her get used to that small room.. the smell, and the security. With the door closed. And, she will get used to you too.
Then, after a few days, begin leaving the door halfway open. She will venture out, but will know she has this small enclosed safe haven to return to. After a week or so, she will being venturing out and exploring further and further out. but giving her time to adjust and come out on her own, and rather than trying to force her, letting her adjust and rewarding her with love and affection and praise when you do see her works wonders. You never know what a critter has been thru before we get them.... so she just needs to feel safe... and loved.
Good luck, and remember, : close her in, and visit... and a few days later start leaveing door open a little less than halfway, so she has her haven and safety zone. Later when she is acclimated, you can move her box and bed to its permanent locale: but if she is still skittish, I would recomend a new box for a few days while leaving her old box and bed and such in the bathroom, then when you notice leavings in the new box, and she is good with using it, remove the old one from your bathroom...unless that is the perm locale for her stuff, then that is a bonus@!

Answer 5

As soon as she gets used to the household and the related noises, she will come out from under the stove. I had one who hid under our bed for several weeks. He eventually came out and is now in control. She's going to have to do it on her own. Table food isn't a good idea, however, but all those other things are good.

Please try to keep her an indoor kitty.......kitties kept indoors, not allowed out to roam, will live healthier, happier, and much longer lives. I have first hand experience with this, after loosing 2 babies to coyotes.

Answer 6

Over time the cat will come out on her own, until then try turkey baby food to lure her out. Not many cats can resist the stuff. If you catch her out, don't go after her, squat down to her level and try coaxing her to you.

Answer 7

have you moed the stove?... try making noise just to get her out from there and block it off with some rolled up towels. Get some sandwich meat, dont feed her anything else (make sure she's hungry) throw alittle near her and hopefully she will take the bait!... move each piece closer and closer to you... if this doesnt work just give it time... she will get close to you eventually! I hope things work out between you two!

Answer 8

Firstly, find your local rhino hide supplier, and order up an upper body, full-arm set of body armor if you are going to force her out of hiding, cause it ain't gonna be easy to drag her out!!

All humor aside, the other ideas of gradually coaxing her out and "forcing" attention on her are the most appropriate. A shy or abused pet need 2 things, physical and emotional safety. They need to know that they will always have food and love. And some are just too shy to reasonable allow you to show that love, so you may have to "force" it on them gradually. They will come around.

Answer 9

When I brought my cat home from the humane society she did the same thing. I moved what she was under, grabbed her, sat her on the couch with me and petted her. She was skittish at first but then realized I wasn't going to hurt her. Just be gentle with her. She will soon realize she's way better off at your house than in that awful cage at Pet Smart. Good luck.