Is my new cat still not used to us?

Question

My new cat is in the basement all day. She doesn't go out unless it's to eat or drink. When we take her out and hold her on our laps in the Living room, she's okay, she even purrs. She's seven months old and has been spayed. She's been with us since Monday night (we got her from a shelter). Our other cat doesn't have a problem with the new cat, so I don't understand why she's doing this? How can I get her to get used to us?

Answer 1

It's ok sweet pea. Kitty will take time getting used to her new digs. Cats have been known to take up to a whole month getting acclimated to their new home.

They need to "feel" out the joint and figure out the order of things. They need to know where to go to hide, sleep, eat, pee/poo, play, chill, ect.

They also don't want to "tread" on the other cats space.

They are afraid of getting kicked out of their new home for doing the wrong thing. Believe it or not. They are just like adopted kids.
They too tend to be nervous and want so bad to be "accepted" into their new and hopefully forever home.

Cats also can take up to 6 months getting used to one another.

Is there a way to keep her out of the basement? If so that may help her to get "comfortable" a lot quicker than her having her old stand by to resort/escape to.

Bring her up out of the basement everyday and chill with her in a new area for a few days. Move her food into the new room you want her to be comfortable in.

Where ever she sleeps most frequently put a shirt, towel, ect. down by her with the scents of her main caregivers on it and the scent of the other cat too.

It may seem mean to "lock" her out of her basement/comfort zone but if she is refusing to budge for long periods (days into weeks) except for food you may need to gently "push" her into seeing that the rest of her new home is just as safe if not more comfy than the basement. There can't be that many good windows in a basement for a indoor cat to peep out of.

Talk to her alot, feed her personally, put the scents of you and the others on a towel, shirt by her sleeping/resting area, praise her a lot with treats especially praise her for venturing upstairs.

Before you know it her and her sister/brother will be racing around at 4 a.m. like the little maniacs on 4 paws they are!

Patience. After all she came from God knows where to the shelter to your loving home and arms. It is all a period of adjustment for her.

Answer 2

I got a cat the middle of NOVEMBER. She was freshly spayed. It has taken her until about a month ago to be OK with our family. She still won't let the littlest daughter TOUCH her.. as a matter of fact, she don't want anything to do with her. I told the girls (13 and 9) that I think someone that was a kid had been mean to her in the past. My male cat took about a week or so for the 2 of them to work it out. Don't get in a hurry, it will be ok.

Answer 3

She is still trying to get use to you. Try going in the basement and play with her down there. Let her know you are not going to hurt her. The more time you spend with her the more she will trust you and she will soon want to be with you and not in the basement all the time. Be patient, it takes time.

Answer 4

i might say it relies upon on what cat, with which human. i've got in basic terms met one cat who did not like all of us, and she or he ran removed from each and every physique, except that they had nutrition. She'd even stroll good in front of you and pee on the carpet then run away, in simple terms to spite you. yet like I suggested shes been the only one, all the different cats i've got met have a minimum of one individual that they love unconditionally. Its a impressive ingredient.

Answer 5

If she has come from a shelter she just needs time. Keep giving her fuss and attention as she does seem to like it :) Also, give her a space to call her own that she can retreat to when she needs it.

Answer 6

i think since it came frm a shelter i think it could miss its old owner