cat - Cat Hiding please help

CatBanter (http://www.catbanter.com/index.php)

- Cat health & behaviour (http://www.catbanter.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5)

- - Cat Hiding please help (http://www.catbanter.com/showthread.php?t=23976)

On Tue, 01 Feb 2005 18:17:05 GMT, "Mary"
wrote:

wrote in message
roups.com...

The room that she is hiding in has a spare bed and dresser. She sits
underneath the bed all day and night. When she was in the cubby hole
in the basement my hubby would play quietly on his xbox down stairs and
wait for her but she never would come out.

I just wish she was more social and wanting affection. I some times
wonder if her previous owners abused her.

I have 4 cats now. I adopted the first 2 together, and I believe they
were ferrel. They were too younge to be away from the mom cat so I
took them both. Lots of things to over come, but these 2 are still
very sppoky.
Cat5 is the worse. He will hide if any one comes over to visit. I have
found one thing though. Cat 5 use to only want to be near me and is
still my big baby. And Lucifer never wanted me to hold her. Now that
they have been here since 2004, Cat5 willing climbs on my daughters or
husbands lap. Lucifer has become super glued to me if I am resting.
So it seems cats change from year to year, sorta slow and gradual.
I also recommend feliway. I have used it when adding a new cat and it
does help.

Good luck, patience be with you,

Karryl

wrote in message
oups.com...
Back in October 2003 we adopted a torishel cat, Female, 3 years old.
From Oct until Jan 2005 she hid in our recroom in the cubby hole
underneath our mainfloor bathroom. (basically where the ceiling and
wall meet) By a fluke we managed to get her out of there. She came
upstairs to eat and we closed the door to the furnace room where she
had been hiding.

its been 2 weeks and now she constantly hides underneath our spare room
bed. She doesnt come out on her own except to eat and use the litter.
If we try to make contact with her she will run underneath our spare
room dresser. She clearly doesnt want to have any affection or
socialization. We have 1 other cat and he doesnt bug her and the 2 of
them never fight. She just sits underneath the bed all day.

There was an ad in the paper for her and we adopted her. I know it
takes some time for cats to adjust to thier new environment cause I
have adopted many before this, but I have never known a cat to take
almost 4 months to come out from hiding. I am just frusterated that
she wants to be left alone. Any ideas on what I can do?

The symptoms you describe are consistent with feline anxiety disorder, and
the most expedient and effective solution is 0.5mg/kg/day fluoxetine
(Prozac). Your pharmacy can compound this medication in #3 gel caps so that
one cap daily will deliver precisely the prescribed dose. Expect a positive
response within 48 hours, and a much happier and well-adjusted cat within
2-4 weeks; maintenance for at least six months seems to produce the most
robust longer-term results.

From Oct until Jan 2005 she hid in our recroom in the cubby hole
underneath our mainfloor bathroom. (basically where the ceiling and
wall meet) By a fluke we managed to get her out of there. She came
upstairs to eat and we closed the door to the furnace room where she
had been hiding. Its been 2 weeks and now she constantly hides
underneath our spare room bed. She doesnt come out on her own except
to eat and use the litter. If we try to make contact with her she will
run underneath our spare room dresser. She clearly doesnt want to
have any affection or socialization. We have 1 other cat and he
doesnt bug her and the 2 of them never fight. She just sits
underneath the bed all day. There was an ad in the paper for her and
we adopted her. I know it takes some time for cats to adjust to thier
new environment cause I have adopted many before this, but I have
never known a cat to take almost 4 months to come out from hiding. I
am just frusterated that she wants to be left alone. Any ideas on
what I can do?

Try to relax. I know how frustrating it is. And please, please, please
don't even think about prozacing this cat. I've been where you are. My
2nd cat was a terrified semi-feral and even at two years in is still a
bit challenged sometimes at relating to the humans, although she's come
a long way. And she was much faster to come around than a cat my sister
adopted 4 years ago. For what it's worth, they're both total
snugglebugs now, and to look at Clea (my sister's cat), you would never
know that she spent six months in the wall of my sister's apartment and
another six months under the bed. Sometimes it just takes a while. They
operate on cat time, not human time. Try to remember that we really
have no way of knowing what kind of hell they have been through, and on
their own terms, they probably have very good reason to be wary.
Eventually the kitty will see that you are not a threat, this is not a
bad place, and that she can stay and it isn't just another stopover.
But she doesn't know that yet.

It's really hard to deal with a creature that isn't ready to give and
can only take from us, but this is where we have to show the emotional
maturity to wait for the cat to come around, even though it isn't able
yet to meet any of our desires in a "pet". She will come around and
honestly, will be so grateful and happy when she does that you'll
probably love her even more than the others. But until then:

Talk to her, even when she runs away. Say gentle things. She's watching
you even if you can't see her. Make food and treats available to her
regularly, on as set a routine as you can manage, even if she rarely
seems to partake of them. Let her see you petting and playing with the
other cat as often as possible. Try to find something sedentary to do
in the area she's hiding, so you can be present without moving too
much. (My sister's cat would run away
if anybody moved in her vincinity, but would creep out to watch the
humans if she thought they were sleeping). Put blankets and soft towels
with your scent in whatever area she's hiding in so she can get used to
how you smell. And just let her be. She'll find her way.

wrote in message
ups.com...

Try to relax. I know how frustrating it is. And please, please, please
don't even think about prozacing this cat. I've been where you are. My
2nd cat was a terrified semi-feral and even at two years in is still a
bit challenged sometimes at relating to the humans, although she's come
a long way. And she was much faster to come around than a cat my sister
adopted 4 years ago. For what it's worth, they're both total
snugglebugs now, and to look at Clea (my sister's cat), you would never
know that she spent six months in the wall of my sister's apartment and
another six months under the bed. Sometimes it just takes a while. They
operate on cat time, not human time.

What a great way to put it. :) And I agree that drugs should be the
last resort, only if the cat's health or life is in danger.

Try to remember that we really
have no way of knowing what kind of hell they have been through, and on
their own terms, they probably have very good reason to be wary.
Eventually the kitty will see that you are not a threat, this is not a
bad place, and that she can stay and it isn't just another stopover.
But she doesn't know that yet.

It's really hard to deal with a creature that isn't ready to give and
can only take from us, but this is where we have to show the emotional
maturity to wait for the cat to come around, even though it isn't able
yet to meet any of our desires in a "pet". She will come around and
honestly, will be so grateful and happy when she does that you'll
probably love her even more than the others. But until then:

Talk to her, even when she runs away. Say gentle things. She's watching
you even if you can't see her. Make food and treats available to her
regularly, on as set a routine as you can manage, even if she rarely
seems to partake of them. Let her see you petting and playing with the
other cat as often as possible. Try to find something sedentary to do
in the area she's hiding, so you can be present without moving too
much. (My sister's cat would run away
if anybody moved in her vincinity, but would creep out to watch the
humans if she thought they were sleeping). Put blankets and soft towels
with your scent in whatever area she's hiding in so she can get used to
how you smell. And just let her be. She'll find her way.

Tracy, thanks for taking the time to write this. You really know
your scaredycats! ;)

It is clear that this kitty needs a lot of patience and love. I went
through this when I adopted my little Belle a year and a half ago. It was a
long and very gradual process for her to establish trust in me but it was
sooooooo worth it. It is very traumatic for many adult cats to be put in an
unfamiliar environment. Some cats take months or even years to adjust
completely. Please stick with your kitty and don't give up on her.

Here are a few suggestions that worked for me (based on the advise of my
vet).
1. Take a t-shirt or a sweater that you have slept in or exercised in and
put it near where she sleeps. An article of clothing that you have slept in
or exercised in will have your scent on it. This will allow the cat to get
used to your scent. Cats trust what is familiar.
2. Sit for 30 minutes to an hour next to the bed when she is hiding
underneath (but not looking at her or reaching for her) and sing softly or
read aloud in a soft tone. Again this will help her to get used to your
voice and your presence and realize that you are not a treat to her. Never
have more than one person in the room at this time. It is much easier to
get her to trust you first and when she is ready she will gradually get
used to other people.
3. Never force yourself on her. If you try to force her to let you touch
her or pick her up she will not feel safe with you. You will make things
worse if you pick at her or try to rush her. If she comes out when you are
in the room sit on the floor and speak softly to her. Allow her to come to
you and never try to hold her back when she is ready to return to her safe
zone.
4. Until she feels safe to be out in the open exploring the room she's in,
keep the door closed. This will allow her to establish a broader area in
which she feels safe.

The most important thing, as I learned, is that you can't rush the process.
What seems perfectly safe to us can feel very threatening to a cat. If you
have patience your cat will eventually learn to trust - maybe not today,
maybe not next week - it may take a very long time but it is worth it in
the end. Paws up to you for giving this kitty the kindness and patience she
needs.

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

3. Never force yourself on her. If you try to force her to let you touch
her or pick her up she will not feel safe with you. You will make things
worse if you pick at her or try to rush her. If she comes out when you are
in the room sit on the floor and speak softly to her. Allow her to come to
you and never try to hold her back when she is ready to return to her safe
zone.

I think this one is ultra primo important. Just only talk to her, just like
if a friend or child walked into the room "Well, look who's out here sleepy
head. You look so pretty today. " and such, but without approaching can
really really be of benefit to earning trust.

You may have a recently rescued feral or long-abandoned pet. Be very
patient.

Try confining her in a room where she has a hideyhole that you reach (not
to grab her but to offer treats). Or even consider caging her for a
while, until she is used to your hands. I discuss this at length in a
little article posted to the Campus Cats website: Taming the Tiger.

You might also consider adopting another cat to befriend your fraidycat.

Good luck!

www.campuscats.org
Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats

feel free to email me at

wrote in message
ups.com...
[snip]
Try to relax. I know how frustrating it is. And please, please, please
don't even think about prozacing this cat.
[snip]

You can always tell a behavioralist ... you just can't tell them much!