HELP!! How long does it take for a new cat to become more comfortable in a new environment?!?

Question

Almost 2 weeks ago, I got a 2 year old cat from a female co-worker. Since I got the cat she doesn't seem to wanna be around anyone in my house or my other 9 month old female cat. She cries at night and hides in the kitchen cabinets during the daytime. She only comes out at night when everyone is asleep. I know that she has to get use to her new environment but is there anything that I can do to speed this process up? I have spread her old toys around the house and given her food that she normally eats. It just seems as though she doesn't wanna be around us. She's very scary! When I try taking her out of the cabinet, she cries and runs right back in. Is there anything I can do to comfort her and help her transition into her new home?

Answer 1

Most of the time it takes a couple of weeks, but it varies from cat to cat due to personality differences. Did the person you got her from have her from kittenhood? Was she real attached to her previous owner? These things could be factors. My guess is that the crying at night is her looking for her former owner. Basically she is mourning the loss. It sounds to me like she is terribly upset by the change and just needs more time. Be patient with her, let her decide that you are ok. Offer her treats all her own, even if you have to give them to her where she is hiding at first. While she eats her treat make sure you talk to her softly and pet her if she will let you. Take it at her pace and don't push too hard. Most likely she will eventually seek out companionship. I hope you are in this for the long haul because it sounds like she is one who is very loyal and once she bonds with you she will have a hard time of it if you have to place her again. I wish you all the best, hope kitty comes around soon.

Answer 2

Anytime a pet is forced into a new environment, it’s bound to be stressful. If you add on top of that the thought that a cat is learning not only a new place to live but living with new people as well, that only creates anxiety that it wishes it didn’t have to deal with.


You should bring your new kitten home with you as early in the day as possible. This is so that it can get used to its surroundings somewhat, before nighttime and it’s forced to sleep in the dark in a strange place that it doesn’t trust. And it’s mother isn’t even there! You should keep the introductions of other people to a minimum at first, while it gets used to the home. Take it to the room you’ll expect it to sleep in, and close the doors. Be there with it while it investigates the room as much as it wants. It will sniff around a bit and roll around on the floor--checking out the “back-scratch-ability” of your carpet, and overall grow more accustomed to the new environment. Let it meet its bed and it’s little private part of the world. At this point you should keep to a minimum the amount of times you pick up and handle your pet.

Once it’s more used to it’s locale, you can introduce it to the other family members. One person should serve as the person who makes the introductions. That person should be the main person who carries the cat. You should let each person hold the cat, but when that person is done, he or she should give the cat back to you. You then take it to the next person. If it appears as though one person is in charge, there will be less stress on your cat.


You’ll then need to introduce your new cat to other pets you have in the house. Your pets will have to work out a relationship with one another, but that relationship may take time to develop. Whatever you do--don’t throw your new cat in a room with your other cat or dog and expect them to get along. You need to watch your pets interact, so you can jump in if something unwanted should occur. An older cat or dog may take on a leadership or even “parenthood” role in your home. It will show the new cat the ropes around the house.

Answer 3

We have 2 cats. Butterscotch has been with us for 6 years now. She is a cat that needs and loves attention. About a year ago we got our second cat, a 2 year old black and white beauty from the pound. Her name is Muffin. When she first came into our home she was scared to death. When going from one room to another, she would walk in "slow motion" and always stay against the wall, never daring to venture into the center of a room. She never approached Butterscotch, and we could not pet her. Every time we would reach for her she would run under the couch. At night we would hear her crying. It took over a year of patience, but now we can pick her up, pet her and she now will come to the door with Butterscotch when one of us come home. However she will still not lay on our laps or sleep with us at night. Sometimes she still will cry a little at night, but not very often. Patience and time is the answer. But here are a few tricks that seemed to work for us.
We kept the food and water bowl upstairs. When she got hungry and came out from under our couch this forced her to go through the livingroom, up the stairs, down a hallway and into a bedroom. Even though she would do it in "slow motion" she seemed to get more comfotable walking through the house.
When your cat is hiding in the kitchen cabinets never take her out. She needs to know the cabinets are a safe place for her to stay. This will help her venture out into your house. She needs to know that she can go back to the cabinets when she feels uncomfortable and no one will bother her.
When she does come out, leave her alone. For now, do not try to pet or pick her up. If you are in the same room, walk slowly, no loud noises, talk to her and call her by name. Over time she will feel safe and then contact, on her tems will be made.
The best way we found to get our 2 cats to interact was to walk around dragging a string or shoelace. For cats that is hard to resist. It may not work on the first couple of tries, but be patient.
The crying at night is a tough one. It can break your heart. But as she becomes more comfortable with time, the crying should be less and less.
I almost forgot the shoeboxes. Now we found this by pure dumb luck. But by placing a few boxes around the house that the cat can fit in, this allowed her to have some safe areas she could go to. This helped her come out from under the couch, or in your case out of the cabinet, and do a little more exploring. But treat these as safe areas, leave her alone.
Other then that it just takes time, lots of time. There are no overnight fixes. Your cat is now living with strangers in a strange house. Give her the time she needs.
Good Luck, from 1 cat lover to another.

Answer 4

It is different for every cat. Just relax. Also relax the cat by petting very softly and giving it affection.

Answer 5

I'm going to guess days, weeks is needed. Its kind of like us. I really don't like new homes and such and take about a week or more to get used to such things and so will the cat.

Answer 6

Take your time and be very patient, she was taken from the only home she knew and now has to adjust to another, relax and don't worry, she will adjust when you least expect. Remember.....she's scared.