Hiding Cat not eating, drinking, peeing

I just got 2 new cats. One has been hiding in the closet since Sunday
night. I now have her litter box and food and water in there but it's
all untouched.
How worried should I be? Should I close the closet door so that it
feels totally safe for a while?

on Thu, 21 Dec 2006 03:30:07 GMT, wrote:

I just got 2 new cats. One has been hiding in the closet since Sunday
night. I now have her litter box and food and water in there but it's
all untouched.
How worried should I be? Should I close the closet door so that it
feels totally safe for a while?

You should be very worried. Please take the cat who is not eating,
drinking or urinating to the vet right away.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

Lynne wrote:
on Thu, 21 Dec 2006 03:30:07 GMT, wrote:

I just got 2 new cats. One has been hiding in the closet since Sunday
night. I now have her litter box and food and water in there but it's
all untouched.
How worried should I be? Should I close the closet door so that it
feels totally safe for a while?

You should be very worried. Please take the cat who is not eating,
drinking or urinating to the vet right away.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

Seriously? Wow. I know that she's afraid of the other cat. She's
afraid of everything pretty much.

Where did you get these cats? Are they from the same litter? How is the
other cat's attitude towards her? You may have to take back the shy
one if she continues this behaviour. Have you tried bringing her into
the living room and sitting with her while continuing to pet and
reassure her that everything will be alright? My cat was shy when I got
it home but it gradually got accustomed to it's new surroundings and
eventually felt right at home with my other cat. I wouldn't let her
stay in the closet in fact I would keep the door closed. Make sure to
give her special attention to ease her nerves. You can try emailing the
NPR radio show called 'Calling All Pets' with Patricia McConnell. The
address is and the phone number is 800-462-7413.
Mark


wrote:
I just got 2 new cats. One has been hiding in the closet since Sunday
night. I now have her litter box and food and water in there but it's
all untouched.
How worried should I be? Should I close the closet door so that it
feels totally safe for a while?

wrote:
I just got 2 new cats.

I only got two as well.....

One has been hiding in the closet since Sunday
night.

What happened prior to this hiding episode? Usually, this comes after
some kind of fearful occurrence. That is what the primarily concern
should be now. About what we should do in regards to removing it from
kitty's life.

I now have her litter box and food and water in there but it's
all untouched.

You bet. She's probably trying to do the feline equivalent of
committing suicide.

How worried should I be? Should I close the closet door so that it
feels totally safe for a while?

Remove whatever it was that frightened her. Then give her some time. Be
sure to check to make sure she is not getting dehydrated, though. I
always used the rule of thumb where you grab the animal loosely by the
skin of the back and gently twist it and then let go. If it pops back
into shape, the animal is not dehydrated badly. It it slowly attempts
to return to normal, like it was made of salt-water taffy, then your
cat is in trouble. Maybe someone else can confirm the legitimacy of
this technique?
What happened to frighten her so?


IBen Getiner

IBen Getiner wrote:
wrote:
I just got 2 new cats.

I only got two as well.....

One has been hiding in the closet since Sunday
night.

What happened prior to this hiding episode? Usually, this comes after
some kind of fearful occurrence. That is what the primarily concern
should be now. About what we should do in regards to removing it from
kitty's life.

I now have her litter box and food and water in there but it's
all untouched.

You bet. She's probably trying to do the feline equivalent of
committing suicide.

How worried should I be? Should I close the closet door so that it
feels totally safe for a while?

Remove whatever it was that frightened her. Then give her some time. Be
sure to check to make sure she is not getting dehydrated, though. I
always used the rule of thumb where you grab the animal loosely by the
skin of the back and gently twist it and then let go. If it pops back
into shape, the animal is not dehydrated badly. It it slowly attempts
to return to normal, like it was made of salt-water taffy, then your
cat is in trouble. Maybe someone else can confirm the legitimacy of
this technique?
What happened to frighten her so?


IBen Getiner

The two cats were living happily together (the one always being a
hider-I don't know her early life history at all) for over a year and a
half. They are both about 2 and not from the same litter.
I brought the more animated one over here to my apartment first and it
was great. Then I brought her buddy over just an hour later and the
first one was already completely territorial over the
apartment....hissing and growling at the scared one.
I talked to the previous owner and he said she use to hide all the time
but that at night she will sneak out and get food, etc.
It's exhausting trying to figure out what I am doing wrong/right etc.
I do pull her out from under the chest where she hides and sit with her
and talk to her and give her lots of love out here in the living area.
I just hope she's actually drinking water and eating when I don't
notice it.

wrote:
IBen Getiner wrote:
wrote:
I just got 2 new cats.

I only got two as well.....

One has been hiding in the closet since Sunday
night.

What happened prior to this hiding episode? Usually, this comes after
some kind of fearful occurrence. That is what the primarily concern
should be now. About what we should do in regards to removing it from
kitty's life.

I now have her litter box and food and water in there but it's
all untouched.

You bet. She's probably trying to do the feline equivalent of
committing suicide.

How worried should I be? Should I close the closet door so that it
feels totally safe for a while?

Remove whatever it was that frightened her. Then give her some time. Be
sure to check to make sure she is not getting dehydrated, though. I
always used the rule of thumb where you grab the animal loosely by the
skin of the back and gently twist it and then let go. If it pops back
into shape, the animal is not dehydrated badly. It it slowly attempts
to return to normal, like it was made of salt-water taffy, then your
cat is in trouble. Maybe someone else can confirm the legitimacy of
this technique?
What happened to frighten her so?


IBen Getiner

The two cats were living happily together (the one always being a
hider-I don't know her early life history at all) for over a year and a
half. They are both about 2 and not from the same litter.
I brought the more animated one over here to my apartment first and it
was great. Then I brought her buddy over just an hour later and the
first one was already completely territorial over the
apartment....hissing and growling at the scared one.
I talked to the previous owner and he said she use to hide all the time
but that at night she will sneak out and get food, etc.
It's exhausting trying to figure out what I am doing wrong/right etc.
I do pull her out from under the chest where she hides and sit with her
and talk to her and give her lots of love out here in the living area.
I just hope she's actually drinking water and eating when I don't
notice it.

I see... Perhaps you need to confine the more aggressive one to another
room. Or better yet... chastise the aggressive one in front of the
passive one. So she will see what happens to aggressors, and that there
will be a price to be paid for such future behavior. Then they will
both be in hiding and she will not feel so all alone! Another thing you
could do is to allow her special privileges. Let her sleep with you in
your closed bedroom, so she can relax without the constant fear of her
detractor's presence. Don't force her to come out. She will do so in
her own good time. It is quite obvious that she greatly fears the one
who considers her to be hiz territorial rival. She is not one, of
course. But the other does not know this, and will most likely continue
his pattern of tyranny that he has found to be so effective. At least
until he becomes used to this new abode himself, but of course by then,
it may be too late. The problem is, the fearful cat is so very much
afraid of the anger of the other that it will not even come out to eat
and drink. This is what I think. If this is actually the case, one
might try placing the good cat's food and water in a place where IT
feels safe. A place that is off-limits to the fear-inspiring other.
Despite all of the psychological prosing that one can get caught up in,
It is very important to be sure that she is not becoming dehydrated.
Take special care in gauging exactly how much water, food etc. that you
place as an offering vs. how much is left there in the morning. If your
cat is showing signs of dehydration, you should seek professional help
for her immediately. I'm not a professional or anything. It just seemz
like a common sense thing to do to me..


IBen Getiner

IBen Getiner wrote:
wrote:
I just got 2 new cats.

I only got two as well.....

One has been hiding in the closet since Sunday
night.

What happened prior to this hiding episode? Usually, this comes after
some kind of fearful occurrence. That is what the primarily concern
should be now. About what we should do in regards to removing it from
kitty's life.

I now have her litter box and food and water in there but it's
all untouched.

You bet. She's probably trying to do the feline equivalent of
committing suicide.

How worried should I be? Should I close the closet door so that it
feels totally safe for a while?

Remove whatever it was that frightened her. Then give her some time. Be
sure to check to make sure she is not getting dehydrated, though. I
always used the rule of thumb where you grab the animal loosely by the
skin of the back and gently twist it and then let go. If it pops back
into shape, the animal is not dehydrated badly. It it slowly attempts
to return to normal, like it was made of salt-water taffy, then your
cat is in trouble. Maybe someone else can confirm the legitimacy of
this technique?
What happened to frighten her so?


IBen Getiner

FELINE SUICIDE? Would you care to elaborate on this? PLEASE.

wrote:
IBen Getiner wrote:
wrote:
I just got 2 new cats.

I only got two as well.....

One has been hiding in the closet since Sunday
night.

What happened prior to this hiding episode? Usually, this comes after
some kind of fearful occurrence. That is what the primarily concern
should be now. About what we should do in regards to removing it from
kitty's life.

I now have her litter box and food and water in there but it's
all untouched.

You bet. She's probably trying to do the feline equivalent of
committing suicide.

How worried should I be? Should I close the closet door so that it
feels totally safe for a while?

Remove whatever it was that frightened her. Then give her some time. Be
sure to check to make sure she is not getting dehydrated, though. I
always used the rule of thumb where you grab the animal loosely by the
skin of the back and gently twist it and then let go. If it pops back
into shape, the animal is not dehydrated badly. It it slowly attempts
to return to normal, like it was made of salt-water taffy, then your
cat is in trouble. Maybe someone else can confirm the legitimacy of
this technique?
What happened to frighten her so?


IBen Getiner

FELINE SUICIDE? Would you care to elaborate on this? PLEASE.

I am sorry to frighten you so by the use of such a harsh world used in
such looseness. What I am driving at is... the cat sounds to me like
it's shutting down. But in all reality, it is not intentional and iz
probably just the fact that she is afraid to come forth and partake of
food or drink for fear of the other. You can see this in every aspect
of the animal kingdom. The passive ones will hide, and the aggressive
ones will prowl and dominate. I have actually seen instances (with
other species) where the aggressor will attact the passive one
relentlessly simply because the passive one tried to come out to eat. I
know your situation is not that dire, but I use it to make a point. I
hope this clears this up for you...
Also, on the subject of dehydration, when I was a lad, my family had
an outside cat that somehow got into poison. It disappeared for about a
week. We looked and looked, but it was nowhere to be found. Then we
found it under the shed all curled up in a niche. It growled at me,
even though it was technically 'my' cat and I knew it loved me. I
realized that it just wanted to be left alone. We told our vet and he
said that we just had to wait it out. That it might make it or it might
die. Finally, it came out. We rushed it to the vet, and that's where I
learned about the 'twist the skin' technique for checking for
dehydration. The vet showed us by doing this that the cat was indeed
very dehydrated. That skin practically stayed in the exact shape it was
in when the vet twisted it and then let go. He hydrated the cat and
kept it for a couple of days and everything was fine.
Forget the suicide thing. I did not mean that literally. Beware of
dehydration. I mean that literally and this is all I dare say on the
matter. Good luck....


IBen Getiner

IBen Getiner wrote:
wrote:
IBen Getiner wrote:
wrote:
I just got 2 new cats.

I only got two as well.....

One has been hiding in the closet since Sunday
night.

What happened prior to this hiding episode? Usually, this comes after
some kind of fearful occurrence. That is what the primarily concern
should be now. About what we should do in regards to removing it from
kitty's life.

I now have her litter box and food and water in there but it's
all untouched.

You bet. She's probably trying to do the feline equivalent of
committing suicide.

How worried should I be? Should I close the closet door so that it
feels totally safe for a while?

Remove whatever it was that frightened her. Then give her some time. Be
sure to check to make sure she is not getting dehydrated, though. I
always used the rule of thumb where you grab the animal loosely by the
skin of the back and gently twist it and then let go. If it pops back
into shape, the animal is not dehydrated badly. It it slowly attempts
to return to normal, like it was made of salt-water taffy, then your
cat is in trouble. Maybe someone else can confirm the legitimacy of
this technique?
What happened to frighten her so?


IBen Getiner

FELINE SUICIDE? Would you care to elaborate on this? PLEASE.

I am sorry to frighten you so by the use of such a harsh world used in
such looseness. What I am driving at is... the cat sounds to me like
it's shutting down. But in all reality, it is not intentional and iz
probably just the fact that she is afraid to come forth and partake of
food or drink for fear of the other. You can see this in every aspect
of the animal kingdom. The passive ones will hide, and the aggressive
ones will prowl and dominate. I have actually seen instances (with
other species) where the aggressor will attact the passive one
relentlessly simply because the passive one tried to come out to eat. I
know your situation is not that dire, but I use it to make a point. I
hope this clears this up for you...
Also, on the subject of dehydration, when I was a lad, my family had
an outside cat that somehow got into poison. It disappeared for about a
week. We looked and looked, but it was nowhere to be found. Then we
found it under the shed all curled up in a niche. It growled at me,
even though it was technically 'my' cat and I knew it loved me. I
realized that it just wanted to be left alone. We told our vet and he
said that we just had to wait it out. That it might make it or it might
die. Finally, it came out. We rushed it to the vet, and that's where I
learned about the 'twist the skin' technique for checking for
dehydration. The vet showed us by doing this that the cat was indeed
very dehydrated. That skin practically stayed in the exact shape it was
in when the vet twisted it and then let go. He hydrated the cat and
kept it for a couple of days and everything was fine.
Forget the suicide thing. I did not mean that literally. Beware of
dehydration. I mean that literally and this is all I dare say on the
matter. Good luck....


IBen Getiner

Thank you Ben. I have put her in the closet with everything she needs
and I just go in there to pet her. I am shutting the door so she won't
feel threatened by the other cat....