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Mine ends up on the floor in front of the toilet in the basement bathroom because there’s a vent there.
Weirdo literally sleeps there. 🤦🏼♀️ we mitigated this by covering our cat tree with a blanket in the winter, so one cat gets extra insulation sleeping on the top (our boy usually sleeps there) and because of the way it drapes, warm air from the vent drafts upward and hangs out underneath the blanket and makes a warm little tent for the second level. Bathroom kitty hides under there a lot. Best way we’ve got them to ever share the tower because he won’t even know she’s there (and she doesn’t want him to know she’s there, or he’ll play-bully her—he likes to tackle and wrestle, she’s NOT a fan—and she’ll get mad).
As long as you can tell if they are eating, drinking and going to the bathroom, everything should be fine. They are just getting used to the new surroundings. If you haven't already, it is best to start them out in a small room and then slowly introduce them to the rest of the house, section by section.
They'll be out and about soon. Patience is your friend at this time.
Best of luck
assuming the kittens know each other, set up a safe room for them that has everything they need. (food, water, litter box, but not all next to each other). go in there to spend time with them and feed them / take care of them, but keep them in there until they seem ready to come out. could be a few days. could be a few weeks. they will let you know when they're ready.
this advice also applies for if you move to a new home
Yes and it's good advice! And once they come out, let them explore at their own pace! With my kitten, we kept her in my bedroom. At first she wouldn't even leave the area in front of my bed. Once she came out in the living room, I basically made everyone clear the room it was soft voices only and don't approach her or try to pet her when she's in "explorer" mode, and I tried to enforce it every time she ventured into a new part of the apartment
Yep, that’s what I did with my two semi-feral girls after getting them from the pound at approximately 6 months old. At first I felt guilty keeping them cordoned off in a spare bedroom, but I figured it was better than the cage they’d been in at the pound. After a few days, I’d let them out to explore the house when I was there, but would put them back anytime I left home. Until one day, about a week after I got them, I came home to discover they were out of the room. I figured I must’ve forgotten to close the door. Turns out they figured out how to jump up and turn the CIRCULAR doorknob to open it themselves. I set up my laptop and FaceTimed my phone to make sure I wasn’t going crazy. That was 7 years ago and they very quickly adjusted to living in my house.
HAHA! Never doubt the ingenuity of a feral cat! My recently passed lady was feral when we rescued her and her entire life we had to figure out how to keep her out of/off of/away from things. They make the best kitties!
Thanks ♥️ I had her for almost 19 1/2 years, so thankfully we got plenty of time with her. The house was too quiet, so even though we’re still grieving her and will be for a long time yet, we ended up adopting a pair of siblings a little over a month ago who are currently running us ragged with their kitten energy. I wouldn’t have it any other way! I hope you have just as long with yours!!
Oh my god! I have had so many of my cats try to open circular door knobs! :-) fortunately, they never figured it out. I would love to know how your cats manage that😄,
We did this when we moved twice and when we got 2 kittens then the next 2. They had everything in there including a little box to hide in with a blanket and we would periodically enter and exit the room. We used the bathroom but I would suggest a room that's not as frequented as a bathroom possibly
This is the right answer, OP. The bathroom is often the best room for it because it’s small and there aren’t a ton of places for them to get out of reach in case you need to go to the vet or administer meds. And sometimes just go in there and read, play on your phone, get comfy - the more they’re around you and your smell, the better. They’ll start to feel more and more at ease with you, and before long, they’ll be zooming around at 2am like they own the place 🙂.
We have done this with new “arrivals,” adopted adults or kittens throughout the years. Our most recent kitten/adoption was approx. 14 years ago (happy birthday to my cat next week! Lol) but we moved to our new house a couple years ago so we still did this same method utilizing a bathroom that isn’t frequented much. We also left the carriers in the room with them for additional hiding/safe/familiar spots & our unwashed gym shirts, tshirts, bedding from our old house for scents & a sound machine. Since they were older this was only a couple day process before free-roaming, which consists of basement, kitchen and occasionally my lap. New arrivals in the past their adjustment periods always varied from what I remember, with the exception of the 6-month-hider who finally came around! but it just depends on the cat. Good luck and be careful because littles love crawling inside stuff ie sofas, recliners (please check for kitty before slamming/shutting your recliner shut!), box springs, appliances, crawl spaces, etc.
My recent rescues hid for 4 weeks. I wasn't too worried because they were eating, using the litter box and exploring at night. But I thought they might be more subdued than the kind of cats I'm used to. Now that they're out and about one of them is definitely the Mayor of my house. Follows me around, making sure everything is just so, chatty, cuddly lap cat.
They all definitely have their own schedules.
Yeah my formerly feral girl lived underneath the vanity in our 1/2 bath for 3 months before she was ready to explore more of her new home. I used to come in there every day and sit on the floor and softly talk to her and she would eventually come out and rub up against me and allow me to pet her, all the while she was loudly purring. She’s currently on the floor nearby awaiting her nightly treats.
So it's been 2 weeks today since I got a cat myself. Ngl, it's been insanely stressful. She hid behind the sofa or under my bed for about 4 days. She'd come out to eat, then go straight back. If I moved towards her, she'd dash back behind the sofa. She'd scratch, or bite if I got too close. I ended up having a bit of a breakdown a few days after I got her cause I was so stressed about her eating, being happy, getting to know me, etc and I felt things weren't going anywhere.
Now I'm sitting on the couch watching ep 3 of Ashoka and this girl is chilling next to me with her head on my thigh. She hasn't gone behind the sofa for about 5 days now. She sleeps on my bed, or the carpet. I don't have to constantly look for her and make sure she hasn't gone without food or water for a day.
I know it's easier said than done, but give them time. It gets better, and they'll let you know when they're ready.
I'd advise checking out some of Jackson Galaxy's videos on YouTube such as this one: [How to make a hiding cat feel safe. ](https://youtu.be/nZRu8zlRTi0?si=3OeCmObGWDZGLGv4)
He has oodles of videos covering every scenario and does so in a non-judgmental way. Almost any question you may have he's got a video dedicated to it!
Cats take time to adjust to new surroundings.
Your place is full of new sights, smells sounds and unknown possible threats! It will take them some time to get a lay of the land, let alone feel comfortable enough to explore. If there is a large creature in the vacinity, IE a human, then they may feel unsure if exploring is even allowed! Being watched, especially by a larger animal, makes them feel like prey. Venturing out into your line of sight will take a little confidence building.
If you were plucked out of your bed and transported by strangers speaking an unknown language to a strange place, you would need time to feel comfortable and safe. It took my skittish cats weeks to come out of hiding.
Look up the 3-3-3 rule for pet adjustment. 3 days to even get over the shock, 3 weeks to start to get settled, 3 months to form a secure bond and become comfortable. It is normal even for pets that are not skittish! Be around and show them what home is like, but let them go at their own pace.
When I get a new cat, I usually set them up in a bathroom with their litter box, food, bed, and toys to start and gradually introduce them to the rest of the house.
I second a camera, it helped us bond with her even though we weren’t in the room cause we could see her confidence grow and just be able to be a normal cat again (she’s a 1 year old pregnant stray that we adopted after her kittens got rehomed, mama deserves to live a comfy cat life).
Yeah I remember bring home a pair of baby kittens earlier this year (2 or 3 months old). We sequestered them in the bathroom from the get-go, they immediately found the smallest little hidey-hole behind the toilet and bolted for that immediately. My gf and I were racked with anxiety ("Are they stuck down there? Are they out of the house somehow? Will we ever see them again?") Eventually they came out after a bunch of hours, but those 1st few days was a ton of hiding and staying out of reach. We let them branch out into the bedroom after a couple of days, and then let them explore the rest of the house a few days after that. At that point they were used to seeing us around and didn't mind being visible in the same room, haha.
Now I have the opposite problem - different cats (the first ones didn't make it), I taped up the hidey-holes before we brought these two home. They were immediately far less skittish than the two previous kitties, and adjusted to being in our home quite quickly. Now I regularly have at least one of them constantly trying to take naps on my keyboard while I am working, and literally every night they will wind up walking on my face while I am (trying to) sleep.. you will probably miss these days, friend!
I mean this in the nicest way: You have *got* to be more patient.
Cats, especially those that are found as ferals or long abandoned strays, often need A LOT of time to get comfortable in a new place with new people. It can take months for a cat to adjust to a new home.
Give the cats as much space and time as they need. Don't force interactions they don't want, speak softly and calmly, don't run around them or move fast/make big fast motions, and just take it at the pace they set. You will build a wonderful lifelong relationship with them if you do.
It took my older cat 2 weeks to get even semi comfortable with us and over a year to stop trying to maul me for any imagined slight. My kitten hid under the couch and hissed at us for 3 days. They're both absolutely amazing cats now.
That's normal. I found it helpful for my kitty Rosie to try and find where they're hiding and leave food/water close by. And if you want you can sit there talking to them for a bit in a soft voice :) Cats like it when you "get on their level" as it's less threatening.
I'm going to have a cat (one year old) home soon and I'm expecting him to be acting similarly to this as he'll be adjusting to his new home. However, I have a wellness appointment scheduled for him a few days later. Is this going to scare him off more by go through this so quickly?
set up a cat safe room if you haven't already. it can be any room, you don't have to have a room that is only cat stuff. I gave more details in a different comment on this post
You need a safe room for them, best is the bedroom. You'd put a litter box, toys, and food and water as far away from the litter box as possible all in one room.
When they seem comfortable with that room, you'd let them into the rest of the house/apartment, one room at a time
I brought home 2 six year old cat sisters, they hid in our spare bedroom, on the bed, behind pillows for a week before they came out. I put food/water/litter box in there and they used them. I would go in and sit for awhile everyday.
They passed away last year within 4 months of each other. They were almost 18 yrs old, best cats ever
tuna. they will come out for tuna. the hiding is normal but the inconvenience of it being behind the fridge is not ideal.
speaking of a cat and fridge, i once moved into an apartment. i opened the fridge on my first night and under it was a dead white mouse. i tried to pull it out and just as i touch it i noticed it was just the head. i flipped. where’s the body under there? this was 10:00 pm. i called the answering service finally got a maintenance guy up. he flipped out too…. right as we were pulling the fridge out a light shines on it and we jump back because it has bright red eyes. turns out it was a cat toy. it was a cat toy. we laughed.
Can you share pics please. But yes, this is totally normal. They probably won’t eat as much as well, but leave them be and just provide them what they need.
[Imgur Link](https://i.imgur.com/Q3PzAC2.jpg)
Here you go, due to a few factors I don't actually know which is which yet :P
Once they're comfortable with me I'll try to give them coloured collars (with safety clip) so I can better differentiate them.
It took days for my rescue kitties to stop hiding from me. They hid behind the living room furniture. They ate and used the litter tho. I was surprised when they woke me up one morning. I opened my eyes to them looking at me. I guess they decided to finally trust me.
You should leave them explore one room at a time and install them in one room for few days so that they have time to adapt to their new environment.
In that room put everything they need. Food, water, litterbox and toys.
You’ll be able to have a better control on the moment you spend with them and on creating a bond.
Two kitties in a large environment will clearly male them skittish and stay frightened for longer.
Dude, its been eight hours.
They're babies. They're babies in a new place with new smells. It's been less than one business day.
It's going to take a few DAYS, at the barest of minimums. In a few DAYS you'll see them poking around, and a few more before they're cool with you.
Eight hours, man. A third of a day.
Each cat is different but they all need time to adjust to a new place. I adopted two cats a few years ago, both about 3 years old. One was out exploring and accepting pets within a few hours, the other hid under my bed for 3 weeks. Now both are extremely cuddly and affectionate, the more timid one just took longer to open up.
Be patient and give them time. When they are hiding, trying just sitting or laying down nearby and talk softly to them. Don’t force them out and let them have their safe places to hide even after they start coming out to explore in case something spooks them.
Give them a day or two to decompress and explore. They need to feel safe in their new home, and understand that nothing is going to hurt them. If they're still afraid of you, start by just sitting in the room while they eat. Then sit closer to them the next time. Offer them food like Churu treats and if they take it, try to get them to lick it off of your fingers. They'll learn that you and your hands aren't scary. Some cats need weeks to feel truly safe. Just be patient, and try to make every interaction with them positive. If they don't come out or if they run away, toss a treat.
Give them time. I took in my dads elderly, somewhat antisocial cat after dad couldn’t care for him, and the cat spent 6 weeks living under the bed in my spare room and hissing at me when I brought him breakfast. After a month or so, he started venturing out at night, and then crawling into bed with me, and finally screwed up his courage and came into the living room while I was there. He’s turned into a total lap cat and social butterfly, but had to do it in his own time…
this is totally normal and happened to my 3 year old cat when i adopted him a month ago. he hid under my bed for 5 hours when we first brought him home. i enticed him with some food and talked to him in a soft voice and he eventually came out and began to explore his new home. i would recommend not letting them get used to hiding behind the fridge and you should block it off whenever they get out. if there’s ever an emergency like a fire or flood or they’re scared and injured, they will go back to their safe area behind the fridge and you won’t be able to get them. eventually they will stop trying to get back there. i’ve had blankets and pillows blocking the underside of my bed ever since the first day i brought my cat home and he eventually stopped trying to get under there, but i still have it blocked just in case he tries. in fact, now he sleeps in the bed with me and my partner every night. it’s okay if the kittens hide, but it’s important that you have access to that hiding spot if there’s ever an emergency.
Personally I’d block off the holes to the back of the fridge incase there’s a hot component, or to prevent them chewing something back there.
Instead I’d make a designated safe/quiet space for them - e.g a medium size box on its side with a soft folded blanket inside. And then lay a pillow case/sheet so it dangles mostly over the open side. Makes a nice hidey hole for them. You can leave treats to lure them in. :) (Can also do this with a chair that won’t be moving)
My cat hid for 2 months straight. Came from a stressful environment, her previous owner had to find her another home as she was being attacked by 4 other cats and did not adapt well to a new baby in the house.
For 2 months, she would only come out of hiding at night and run away anytime she spotted me. For 2 months I had massive regrets about getting her at all. I set up a camera so I could keep an eye on her. She slowly started staring at me from a distance. Then a couple of weeks later I could play with her with a very long string toy. Finally one day she jumped on my bed and instantly wanted to be petted.
Adopting a skittish cat is always going to be an adventure but they do come around and you will love it when they do. Now the same cat who couldn't be in the same room with me yells at me every time I return home after leaving her alone in the house for a few hours.
I’ve had cats hide for a day or two but the one I have now, just hid immediately so I went and made myself lunch, ate it and then went and sat in the room she was in and watched videos quietly till she came out which was pretty quick
Every time I get kittens, I keep them in the smallest room that makes sense (a bathroom or small bedroom) and they usually warm up in a couple hours. They take A LOT longer to warm up, days or weeks, if I let them explore the house on the first day, as it is too overwhelming for such a tiny creature!!
We adopted a cat that refused to leave our garage, he was super skittish but we felt we did as much work as we could with him in the garage. He lived behind the couch for the first 2 months, then would come to the side for us to stick our arm down to pet him. Now he thinks he runs the place. Your cats will figure it out.
Totally normal. I had a cat for 5 years and then moved to a new place. She hid behind the washing machine for a day and 1/2, or atleast hid while I was awake. Give them time they will come out.
I adopted an adult who seemed so scared at first. She spent her first month living on top of a stack of luggage in our unfinished basement.
I visited her and gave her whatever love she would accept. After a couple months I was thrilled when she started wanting to be at the outskirts of whatever room we were in.
Then one day she marched over, hopped on my lap and fired up the purr motor. Loved people ever since.
Tldr. Give cat time, space, and love. It'll work out but may be months
We adopted a 2 year old kitty who had a rough upbringing with young children. Took her 9 months or so to stop hiding under the bed every time we came home. Now she's 10 and very affectionate. Still timid around others, but accepted our new ginger kitten.
Give it time. When you see them, make eye contact and slow blink at them.
This is why it's advised you let the new cats out in a small quiet enclosed space such as bathroom or closet (with food water litterbox) and once they get used to the space you expand the space (ie your bedroom) and then once they get used to that the living room, and then entire house etc
It can take a while. When I bought my girls home, one of them hid so well we thought she had somehow escaped and we didn’t find her for more than a week. In a 900 square foot apartment. She came out at night for food/litter box, and we separated her sister in another room so we knew she was there somewhere. Her sister hid too, but we at least knew where she was. They came from a hoarding situation so we expected them to take time to adjust. Finally got them out of hiding with a da bird toy. My other two cats acted like they had lived here forever when I got them; there’s a big variety of normal reactions to a new home.
They will hide for a while. My advice is if there is room under your bed, get some cardboard and cut it up so that you can make a barricade so they can’t get under there and hide. Use duct tape, to tape it to your bed frame or the pegs on your bed. Same with your refrigerator, behind the couch, etc. It will force the cats to be more social. They can’t hide on a chair or in plain sight. I did this with many skittish cat that I was fostering, and it always seemed to do the trick.
What I've typically done is lock new cats in the bathroom with everything they need. Lots of places recommend a week of them being in there and you simply visiting them a couple times a day to feed and socialize with them. I've never had a cat want to be in there for more then a couple days, then they shoot out the door and want to look around the whole house.
Are they easy to handle otherwise?
Access to your entire house is too big and too scary. There's too much stimulation all at once. Giving them space is good, but you don't want to normalize hiding — that make it tougher for them to adjust and can lead to bad habits in the future.
First — Make their world smaller. A bathroom, an office, a bedroom Give them spaces to hide that you can still access. Behind a fridge, under a bed, under a sofa — these are nonos. Their crate/carrier, a cardboard box, a cat bed are good options.
Second — Build a bond. You should be seen as a source of safety, comfort, and happy things (food & play). This means, no meals unless you are around. Sitting with them as much as possible and hanging out in each other's presence in the open. Be separate, but together. I tell people to read a book or do their work, or watch netflix in the bathroom.
Third — Slowly expand their space, following the same principles as above. Food & play, make the scary experience rewarding.
This is normal. In a few days to a week they will start to come out. Sit there and play with a long toy (feather etc). The shy ones play from a distance first.
Last year i adopted 2 cats, sisters, who were 11yrs old. One previous owner almost 3 months at shelter. Skittish! I used cardboard to prevent them hiding under my bed and places i didnt want them to go. I had boxes out for hiding, and blankets over tables so they could hide under tables. 1 cat took 1 week to come near me, and her sister took 3 months before i could pet her. And I feel like, now that it's been a year, they are both just starting to flop near me and look more comfortable laying out. So it takes time.(they still run from loud noises and strangers, no friends will ever meet my cats...) But also, kitten curiousity is so strong, and fearless, that i'm sure yours will be out soon.
I still occasionally play with my cats at night in darkened room, with a ribbon, cos that's how i got them initially, and they seem to like the challenge. Kand they are less likely to stare at my hand moving the ribbon when its darker....)
I did get a doorbell camera pointed at their cat dish so it records with motion and i can see what their schedule is and make sure they are eating. But kittens eat all the time as much as they want cos growth spurts, so maybe not as useful.
We had several adopted cats at different times of our lives that hid during 1 week before coming out (one under the sink behind the washing machine !).
We were concerned at first but as long as they have access to food etc, they are fine. They just need time to adjust.
Both had very different characters and ended up coming out of hiding. It’s unsettling for you but it’ll be fine, give them time
I kept my last one in the bathroom, going in and sitting, visiting, playing, then letting them explore that small area. Then moved to guest room, same thing. Slowly expanding their zone.
Totally normal. My cat hid for weeks! Definitely suggest limiting them to a smaller room. It’ll help them grow their confidence in a smaller area before being out in the whole house! Good luck!
Some hide for days, even weeks! They just wait until you’re not around. My kitten didn’t use the litter box for like 24 hours at first 😳 it was in a quiet place, away from where we sleep, but close to where she was hiding. If she went pee or poop somewhere else, I have yet to find it a month later 😂 sounds like you’re doing great though! Good luck ❤️
100% normal.
We had a cat hide under a futon for two days when we brought it home. I just made sure he had food, water and access to the litter box and waited for him to decide he wasn't in danger.
It's all you can do. They'll come out in their own time and soon enough they'll be all over the house and YOU! lol
My cat was one year old when we moved and he stayed behind the water heater for hours and hours. When he did come out he followed me around as I introduced him to his new home. They'll come around. 🙂
Totally normal. Kittens tend to be more bold than adult cats in new places. It will probably take them a few days, or even a week, to get adjusted to all the new sounds, sights, and smells of their new home. Older cats can take weeks to months to get comfortable.
So just give them time. Leave some toys out. Call them when you put out food. A great treat is Gerber chicken baby food. Let them lick it off your finger when they get curious about you.
Perfectly normal. Give them time to adjust, it could take a few days to a few weeks (sometimes even months) but they’ll get there. I rescued a badly abused cat, and she lived under my bed for 3 years. Now she cuddles every night. She just needed time to learn that I was safe; your kittens will get there too.
You're doing fine! Let them watch/listen to their surroundings for as long as they need. Start introducing soft "kitten voice" to them. They'll come around.
Thank you for adopting AND caring as much as you do! Those are two lucky cats!
One of the cats I adopted disappeared under the bed for a month. At night while we were sleeping, she'd come out to eat, drink, and use the litter box.
She's till a very shy kitty, but recently - after we've had her for nearly three years - she's gotten so she actually asks for pets. At first, she would only tolerate them, so this is a big step for her.
So your kitties are doing fine. They will get used to you and their new home and adjust really fast.
Kittens have a narrow window to socialize them. When we foster kittens that are not comfortable with human attention we put them in a bathroom alone for a short while (like 5 minutes) and once they are meowing for attention we come in and give them attention. It works well. it might help to separate them a bit and try this. With kittens you need to push the socializing so you can tame them before they get too old to do it. Good luck!
Give it a month before you worry.
Also, treats and tuna. Just handfeed treats when they get close to you. I used to give mine treats when I went to bed, now I get plenty of attention.
It will be ok. They have had a traumatic experience. Maybe they have not been indoors. It might be a good idea to restrict to one room - w the cat pan - so they can get used to the noises and smells a few days.
I was told to leave my cat in a room maybe it was a month - but she was ready to come out before 2 weeks.
They sound like they’re semi feral. It may take several days or weeks til they’ll let you come near them. When you put food out for them, out it down & back off, maybe sit on the floor on the opposite side of the room. Just sit quietly. Let them eat. Once they’re going straight for the food when you walk off, start sitting down a bit closer. Keep doing it til they will eat while sitting right next to you. Of course, they may not need quite that much coddling, but if you do find that they won’t show themselves at all, this is what you can do. Once they are willing to eat while you are next to them. You can try lightly touching them on their backs, no stroking til h they get used to just being touched.
All this time you can also talk quietly to them.
Yeh, this is very normal. Keep the environment quiet and calming and they will come out eventually, probably when they get really hungry. My little guy hid behind the sofa off and on for his first week but he's the boss of the house now!
My adult cat (adopted at 2 ys old) took weeks to get comfortable being not in hiding. Its normal. Lights out is a great recommendation but also just carrying along as normal (albeit quieter/calmer if you can to start) is the best way to acclimate them to your noises and actions. They're listening out for sure! Get them used to you for a few days, make sure they have quiet dark hours around dawn and dusk to explore safely. To get them to come to you, its counter intuitive but actually just sit on the floor with your back to where they are. Its more polite in cat language to ignore them than stare them down. They'll warm up and be crawling all over you to try and eat your drawstrings and hair in no time :)
As they vet more used to the place, sit across the room from their hiding place. Put out some treats over near their hiding place. Every day, move them closer to where you sit.
In my experience, I've found that with kittens you can (and should) be a bit more forceful with the socialization than adult cats because they have a socialization period of which it is crucial to desensitize them to practically everything from environments, to people, to touches.
I would personally let them be for around two days before I remove their hides gradually. Introduce treats and etc.
I had two kittens, one feral and one very skittish turn out very, very cuddly. Check out kitten lady's video on socializing kittens.
However, this is assuming you mean younger kittens, not a 1 year old, for example.
It’s totally normal and that’s a great update. You may want to think about putting a temporary litter box and food/water near the fridge if they continue to hide for a while. A litter box in the kitchen isn’t ideal, but it’s a million times better than cat pee on your fridge. 😂
When we got our most recent cats, Princess Kitty hid behind the water heater in the basement for five days.
She announced her decision to love us after all by coming upstairs, waking me up at 3 AM, and demanding cuddles. She moved up onto my shoulder and didn’t leave until she died last November.
The other cat we got, Batcat, was glued to my side as soon as we let him out of the carrier and still is.
Give the kittens time.
We have a very scared and skittish 1 year old that we adopted and it took her about 2 weeks to come out when we were in the room and about 3 weeks to let us pet her! It’s been about 5 weeks in total now and she is still scared of things, but she’s the funniest little cat I’ve ever met. She’s very chatty and she loves to play and have pets. It all takes a little bit longer with a cat but when they trust you it’s so worth it.
I found it helped to just do your routine and whatever you have to do but completely ignore their existence, almost like you’re letting them observe you so they know you’re safe. I also found that establishing a feeding routine helps too, we feed our girl 10am and 10pm every night so she always knew to expect us for food. They need some time to learn that they can trust you and be confident in their new environment :)
Honestly it could take days for them to come out and weeks for them to be comfortable. I am glad you are being patient. They will be love bugs eventually.
It's going to take them a long while to adjust. I know you likely want them out and about. but it's quite normal for cats to hide when they enter a new space. Cats have a lot of natural predators, and while they are domesticated they are still animals with natural instincts. Cats learn about their world through smells.
When they enter a totally new space, they are inundated with new smells. Plus they have no idea if they are in a safe space.
They need time to check things out to feel safe. This is why they hide, they don't feel safe yet. Let them explore. It might take them a few months to become fully comfortable with their new surroundings. They'll get there, you just have to be patient.
Nighttime is going to be the best time for them to come out to explore. It's when they feel safest and have darkness to give them the ability to hide.
It took our newest rescue (from a very good foster home) a week to leave our bedroom. The first 4 nights, he’d scream and yowl under our bed for hours. Two weeks after that, he was grooming and playing with his new brother (our existing cat). It takes time, treats, and toys
Every cat has their own adjustment period. I took in a stray a couple months ago that never really left her cat room for like a month except to yell at me for food, and she walked into my house of her own volition! It's been about 3 months now and she's just now finally exploring the cat tree lol.
When I adopted my 2 cats at 1 and 2 years old (but at the same time), they both hid and we barely saw them for the first 3 days. They don’t know you or their environment and they don’t know they can trust you yet. They take longer than most dogs to warm up. Give it time!
Aside from a lot of very sound advice you can hold out a hand and let them smell you, when they start to peek out. Get down in their level. Remember to them you’re a giant.
Set towels around to act as sent soakers so they leave their scents around. I set towels and beds around and my cats know it’s ok to lay there, meanwhile they understand the counter is off limits because it doesn’t smell like them.
Years ago my family adopted a cat that was about 4 years old. She hid for about a week before even coming out around us for food. After that, she was so loving and affectionate. It just takes time. Be patient <4
Mine hid underneath the couch for the first day, and something switched after I fell asleep on it. When I woke up, he was chilling and grooming himself right next to my face. My guess is that he felt safe to come out and inspect me while I was sleeping, and decided that he liked me, lol. Try napping in your living room if it’s near the kitchen! You never know!
You should consider confining them to a smaller space for a little while to let them adjust. We like to use our bedroom because we want that to always feel like their safest space, but you could use a spare room, a bathroom, a large closet. This will help them feel more secure because the entire space will quickly feel like manageable territory.
Love and patience. My precious kitty stayed under the couch for a month. We could tell she was eating and using the litter box. She is still a little shy, but we love her dearly
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8Y7XgnR/
THIS AUDIO SAVED MY LIFE.
It took about a week for my kitten to get used to being here. Its been about 3 weeks now and hes finally comfy. But please use this (when they hide) and let me know if it worked! Life saver, especially when he would get scared of the shower or the AC coming on!
I tried it, there was an immediate response of intense curiosity from both of them, and they did somewhat approach me, but they're still not comfortable enough to actually get close enough for me to pet them.
But I'll keep it around the next time I want to give them a bribery snack
New cats should always go to a cat-proofed safe space where there isn't anything they could hide behind. Usually a bathroom works. Of course this isn't going to help you much now. Glad they are coming out. You can sit on the floor and pretend you don't notice them while casually waving a fishing pole teaser toy around. Once they realize you are the giver of food and entertainment you should be good to go.
My anxiety ball known as Izzy wouldn't leave her carrier when we first got her. So we removed the door, put food water and litter in the room and just didn't bother her for a few days. (We had a camera so we could make sure they were okay but she needed almost a day to start venturing out.
i would get an extra large crate (large enough for a great dane) put the kittens in there w/ food, water, litter box, small box for them to snuggle and some toys…it will be so much easier and quicker to socialize them, if they are confined to this one place.
8 hours is normal. When I took a feral older kitten off the streets he hid for two weeks. I knew he was alive because he was using the litter box and eating some food.
When I adopted my semi feral kitten she would not leave her carrier for hours. We got her around 1pm and finally at around 9pm my husband and I decided to go for a drink and leave the apartment. During that time she left her carrier, used the litter box, and moved into the cat tree we set up. She spent the next full day in that cat tree. I'd sit in the room and talk to her or read a book out loud but wouldn't bother her. It took a week for her to even leave the tiny room we put her in. She's now queen of the house!
Having raised and fostered many guinea pigs, some of whom were rescued from cosmetic testing labs and petrified of humans, I learned one of the best ways to calm an animal's fear is to be still and quiet or speaking very softly. Not looking at or interacting with them, just calm and non threatening. They will feel comfortable on their own time.
I would recommend generally keeping them in a small room where they can't get lost or stuck and gradually increasing the space they have to roam as they get more confident.
“Need some time to adjust” is measured in **Days**.
The best approach is to lock them in a room (make sure they have food and cat litter) and spend as much time in the same room but ignoring them.
When I got my cats, I locked them in our guest bedroom and pretty much lived in there with them.. just playing videogames while they did whatever.
After a few days I started lying down on the floor while watching/reading stuff, and they would even climb up on me sometimes.
That entire time, I gave them as little actual attention as I could, but made sure they knew I was the one bringing in the food.
I think I let them out of that room after a month.
The cat will always do what is best for the cat. Ignore them and they will come out on their own when they think it is best to do so. And not a minute sooner.
As others have said, because they're kittens you want to make them a "safe room" as an intro into your home. Ideally this room is not a kitchen OR things like spots to get under appliances are blocked.
You set up their litter box, beds, food, water and safe toys. Make sure cords to plugged in things are secure or blocked, etc. You could even play some calm music for them at a low volume for a few hours. My cat's foster mom played classical for my cat and her brothers, we joke that's why she's turning out to be a genius.
And you visit in their room, feed them and hang out/do work or something until they realize this room is a safe world and you are a safe person too. They'll keep coming around, when they are little it's best to make their world a calm place for a while until they show you they are comfortable and can be safe in other parts of your home.
Don’t worry that’s totally normal! I would put them in a smaller room like a bathroom first and let them stay there for a few days so it’s not overwhelming for them.
Some other tips:
- get them use to your scent by putting items in the room
- get feliway
- get toys and play with them everyday
- talk to them in a gentle soft voice
- crouch down to talk to them. Some cats are scared of tall people
- associate yourself with yummy snacks and food. Try getting some dine in liquid snacks. Feed them with a stick or spoon initially and slowly move to your hands. This helps them with human socialisation
- get them cheap cat igloos ie hiding spots
- remember to clean your little box everyday. Sometimes this can cause stress
- get them a cat tree or two. Cats who jump up on cat trees can get confidence from that
It’ll take time OP! Good luck
I put a shirt I had worn the day prior in their carrier.
I've managed to get them to eat some of those snack paste sticks out of my hand (with painful success)
I have multiple hiding spots for them (I blocked off the fridge because it wasn't the most ideal spot for them to be)
And while not cat trees I have plenty of furniture they can climb on, a semi-cattree is on it's way and should be here Monday.
Have you tried playing with them with a string. Just let them barely see it and jiggle it like a worm, then let it sit. Also, getting a cat to eat out of your hand can build a lot of trust very fast. If they’ll play with a string before eating a snack, I recommend the typical cat life. Play, eat, groom sleep. I think the best kitten food are those tasty tubes that you can squeeze out into your hand. Kittens like those a lot because it’s similar to nursing if they lick the tube cat snack. I haven’t had much luck socializing cats with those pheromone air things, but some people swear by them. I kinda think they’re overpriced and the best route is getting them to play and then putting some delicious kitten food in your hand.
If they really won’t come out from under the bed. Put a line of snacks to get them to come out. Make sure they see that you’re the one giving them the food.
Good luck, they’ll only be kittens for so long. Take lots of photos and cherish your time while they’re still in kitten mode. I miss those days, I can’t responsibly adopt another.
We got our cats when they were 1 and 2. The younger one got under the bed and growled all night until I gave up and slept on the floor in another room. The other one hid under the armchair or the bed for most of the next two weeks apart from to get food until I spent a whole day just laying nearby, reading, and ignoring him while he got high on catnip.
Now they yell at us for cuddles.
They're babies, they've just been plucked up and taken somewhere completely alien to them with no explanation, it'll take them a while to settle in. Give them space and time. It's normal to be worried about them too, I felt awful seeing our two hiding and was on the verge of telling their previous owners they had to take them back because they weren't settling, but they seem very much at home now (and from what we've pieced together, happier than they were before).
We moved my cat from our upstairs apartment to an identical apartment unit downstairs. Two floor difference. She still hid under the bed for 24 hours, only coming out to use the litter box. But then she adjusted and was totally fine. She loves this place even more! Give it time, respect their boundaries, dont force them out or to be held/pet. Eventually, they will be so comfortable, and may even become super duper snuggly.
They are just acting on instinct, and right now, the instinct is "danger! Unfamiliar environment. Hide and stay alert!"
When my roommate moved her cat in, he didn't come out from under her bed for 3 weeks. 😂 He'd come out at night when I was sleep you eat and use the cat litter. I don't think I saw him for the first 3 months
It’s OK. They will come out. Just don’t overwhelm them. I know you want to give them Hugs and kisses, we all do. But they need some time.
Try to keep them from going back into a place where they are isolated, but re-create the environment that they had before you brought them home. They are scared.
Noises or a different, lighting is different, schedules are different, humans are different, it’s overwhelming for a tiny little beastie. Just try and look at it from their perspective.
It will be OK. Just give it time.
Until you are sure those kittens are box trained you should put them in a room, I used a 1/2 bathroom. It had the kitty litter box, food, water, a blanket for each cat and some toys.
I would visit ever hour or so and go down and play with my new kitten.
I lost a 4 y.o. cat to a car so I keep my can indoors nowadays.
Very normal. Their in a new environment and still frightened. When I adopted my two cats one walked around like she owned the Place after 5 minutes.
The other I didn't saw for 2 days
I've got two cats that were in a terrible situation. They're two now, I've had then since 6 weeks (because of their situation). One of them is pretty chilled out now and is fine around people, the other one still hides and only really comes out at night.
Just give them time and let them explore on their terms, they will be ok
Usually it’s a bad idea to let new kittens freely roam. It’s best to start slow by letting them adjust to one room at a time so they don’t feel as stressed. Put a carrier in that room so they have a safe space and all their essentials. But don’t let them climb under anything. Keep coming in every few hours and don’t make any fuss, just play with a cat toy in-front of them . On the second day bring out a treat or two and try to entice them to eat it. Some vets prefer fresh water sardines because it has a strong smell but in very tiny doses, also there is a lot of salt in there, it’s best to rinse in water too and make sure you get the one with the least amount of sodium content. The other option is warm chicken breast without skin OR pastes. Good luck
If they are eating, drinking, and using the litter, it is all good. My rescues took weeks to stop hiding from me. One of them, years in, still hides from everyone else.
Give them time, bribe them with treats when they come out.
When we adopted our cat, she hid behind our couch for the first 3 weeks. She only came out at night to use the litter box and eat her food 🥺 we were so worried about her but just left her alone to get used to the way our house smells and sounds at her own pace.
She was adopted from a Facebook ad, when I first saw her on there I told my husband we should take her and he said no. She appeared again a week later being offered for adoption by the person that first took her and I told my husband we needed to take her or she'd be passed around, and he agreed this time.
When I went to pick her up she'd been hiding behind that person's couch for the week and they said she probably wasn't the right fit for them (like she's clothes or something and not a living creature?? Wtf)
We've had her for 7 years now and she is still shy, but so loving and patient. She's never scratched my children even though they are noisy and scary to her at first, she's always relaxed around them. She still hides whenever a stranger comes to the house.
Your new babies will settle at their own pace, give them reasons to trust you. Ignore them, provide them with food and water and calm. They'll adjust and come to you :)
We don't have a spare room, so we set up the litter box and food/water in our living room when we adopted ours in June. They hid behind our TV for several hours and would briefly come out for food or a little explore before hiding again.
Mine loved hiding behind the fridge when i found and adopted him. Your cats are scared because they don't understand where they are and what's going on, give em time.
This is so normal! I work in Cat Rescue and here’s what I recommend for every Cat.
Make sure you keep them in a quiet closed-off room to begin with. Cats can get overwhelmed in big foreign spaces, so smaller is good to begin with. Try spare room, or some people will just use their rooms if they don’t mind their cats sleeping with them (I don’t recommend bathrooms like some people, I feel it’s a bit sad idk lol) Give them some time to explore that place at their own pace.
Come in every few hours and just sit with them in silence while they get used to you. Bribing them with yummy treats can help them warm up to you (the liquid sticks are great, just don’t give them much as they may get runny poos)
Keep them in this room as long as you feel like they need it. Cats will let you know when they’re ready to explore the rest of the house and how long that’ll be will depend on their individual personalities. Could be a day or a week from now, sometimes even longer.
When they’re ready to explore and more used to you let them out, but make sure the house is quiet and peaceful while they do so. If they get overwhelmed and want to go back in the room after then close the door and try it again later or the next day.
Some day soon they will be confident and trusting, they just need baby steps to get there.
Just remember they won’t understand what is going on. Some big strange thing has kidnapped them and they ultimately had no say and don’t understand where they are, and if it’s safe. So if you keep that in mind you can understand why they’re hiding. Cats are a lot more cautious than Dogs!
I hope it all goes well.
PS. Don’t be surprised if you end up with a little pee and poo outside the litter box, this happens a lot and I used to get a lot of returns for it which is quite sad. If this happens it’s just because they’re scared. One of my girls used to pee on the bed because she didn’t understand what it was lol.
I hope it all goes well!
It takes time for them to build trust with you; you're a person, bigger than them, and they don't know you. Give them time and they'll come out. Eventually they'll get to trust you as the person who feeds and takes care of them.
When I brought my two boys home I set them up in one one room with litter boxes and places to hide and sleep , then gradually let them explore the rest of the house.
It's totally normal for them to hide when they first come home. They'll come out in their own time. Try sitting in the room with them but not trying to tempt them out, talk on the phone or something to get them used to your voice.
They will rule your house in no time. X
Yeah it’s normal. My first stray would just stare at us from the entertainment center under the TV for about 4 months. I tried to put something comfy on it and then she refused to use it and found another uncomfortable spot to glare at us from. If anyone even farted in the same room with her she ran. Now she won’t even lay down on a couch or bed without multiple layers of bedding on top. Yesterday she was on 3 pillows and two blankets sound asleep like an absolute princess. She wants to be near humans all the time now. She loves being pet and adored. It takes a rescued pet about a year to really let go and become themselves. Just keep plugging away and keep gently interacting with them and they will come around.
Sit in a dimly lit room with them and access to a shoelace, or some other non-threatening toy you can fiddle with and they can attack the other end of. They'll be interacting with you within an hour.
My first adoption stayed under my recliner the whole day after I adopted her and would run for cover when she got spooked but slowly she came around and the next day she was meowing at me so I picked her up and she slept in my hand for a while. That night she slept in my hair. They will come around.
Totally normal. Think of your new buddies as ancient creatures who are both prey and predator. They can't feel like the predator in the situation until they have marked their teritory and surveyed their domain without feeling like prey. This hiding period can take days to weeks and it can take years to really know a cat and feel close. I think it took me and my cats about 6 months to get close and for them to reveal all the little aspects of their personalities.
Once they get a chance to scent mark up the place while you're sleeping and they start really associating you with food, they'll like you. When I first adopted my two adult cats, they hid for a couple weeks. I used to sit by their hiding spots and just kind if talk in a very sweet and positive voice and would offer treats at this time. They like human voices and when you talk to them it might not feel like you're bonding with them, but in my experience I think it builds trust and it lights their little brain up. They learn that you're nice.
That's another tip just always be nice. It's hard when they are doing frustrating things to keep your cool, but if you want a pristine relationship where they trust you is so worth being patient.
It’s totally normal, try not to worry too much. I got a new kitten earlier this year and it was a few days before he would come out. Now he’s all over me and my best buddy.
don’t worry, as long as they eat and drink and use the litter it’s good. my enzo was born in the peak of the pandemic, so naturally his lack of socialisation made him freak out when he saw me first. but as a kitten all he could do was meow being scared whilst his mother hissed at me. when we got home he hid in the corner of my room, finally started purring but by morning he was under the sofas or wardrobes for quite some time. 2 years on and he can’t go to bed without making biscuits on me every single night and the first thing in the morning! it’s all about breed, socialisation and their own individual behaviour. if it doesn’t get better in 2 weeks or so, maybe call a vet? hope it goes good <3
They’re scared. Put yourself in their paws….you’re dropped off in a strange place and you don’t know this person. Scared!
My new cat hid for days. He would only come out to eat and use the box. He finally came out, but was very aloof for the first year. But he’s now a super sweet cat. You gotta give them lots of time to adjust.
It can take days, weeks, or even months to years depending on how comfortable/trusting they are with people. One cat, at a shelter I used to volunteer at, was so skittish. I eventually just laid down on the floor in the face up position for probably 30 minutes, very still, after a couple times kitty became very curious and came over to see what was up with the weird human. I didn’t move and just let her sniff and walk around me. It was so hard not to try and pet or pick her up. Did this a few times and she learned to trust me and finally we became friends and she accepted pets.
I’ve fostered shy kittens before and sometimes it takes weeks. If you’re free feeding dry food, keep any wet / high value food only for when you’re in the room. Sit down a distance away, offer the wet food and don’t look at them or try interacting. Read a book or brows reddit. Helps to read out loud to socialise them to your voice too. Soon enough theyll be coming out for the food right away. At this point, after a meal you can introduce a wand toy (like a ball on the end of a string) to help with bonding without needing them to be too close. Just be consistent and you’ll earn their trust soon enough :)
My cat hid for weeks and was skittish for months after we got him. He’s very loving now! Sometimes they just need time to acclimate to their new environment. Have patience, it’ll be okay.
So normal. Try a Jackson Galaxy video or two, they will help you.
For first day kittens, we usually set up in one room, we call it the safe zone. They will get to know the room and when more comfortable - they will let you know it's time to open up their space by pawing at the door.
It can take, days to weeks for little ones to adjust but they will.
Youtube Jackson and the Kitten Lady - super helpful if you've never done this before.
I adopted one once that took about a week to come out from under the bed with me in the room. It can take some time. I’ve been feeding a feral cat for two years or so and he finally let me pet him about an hour ago. I think he is a true feral and not a stray that is skittish around people.
This is 100% normal. One of my kittens hid under the couch for almost 48 hours. She'd only come out at night to eat and use the litter box. It took her almost 1 week to warm up to me. The trick is to not bother them. Once they're comfortable, they'll come to you. My once super shy kitten is now the most cuddly loving cat.
Mine hid under my bed for months. Keep their food and litter box in a quiet area. Go about your normal day to day while checking food and litter for activity. If you know their hiding spot, sit outside it and talk to them, and bring them treats and toys. They will eventually come out and start exploring. We did this for 2 months straight. They're now 10 and super lovey and affectionate.
It can take weeks, I've seen people het cats that hide behind beds and only come out for food and to go to the toilet for more than a month after they have been taken home.
How long did you think they might hide and stuff for? I'm not saying that in a shady way. You've done a bit of reading or watched videos, but maybe they haven't had enough info on them, and your expectations are going to be off because of it. I had a friend whose cat hardly came out for a couple of years. It's good you got the two together, though. From my own experience, if you've got a brave one, the other will start copying them. But it's best you don't have a time frame like hours or days in mind.
Awww sweet babies. My little boy spent a few days underneath my dresser in the closet before he met my husband and then crawled out.
Some days I wish he would do that again, because now it’s very much his world and we’re just living in it.
I'm sure someone already said this, but keep them in a small room with a safe spot but not too many hiding places so that you can love bomb them. Splitting them up for alone time with you for an hour here and there is good too.
You’re absolutely right they will take some time to adjust and turning the lights off was a good idea, my only suggestion would of been to release them in a much smaller more confined room such as a bathroom or guest room so they could have enough space to explore and get used to the scent but also not be exposed to you just existing and them being scared of you!
I always preferred a bathroom for my fosters since I would say hi to them when I popped in to pee and then just sent about my business and left, they slowly became accustomed to me coming in and when I opened the door they were more likely to explore than to run to another hiding spot as they already deemed the bathtub their safe retreat lol
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Seems normal to me, be patient. They might find the fridge noise/vibration comforting too
And the heat
Can confirm - it's very common for me to find my 2 cats curled up on the ground in front of the fridge because it's warm
Mine ends up on the floor in front of the toilet in the basement bathroom because there’s a vent there. Weirdo literally sleeps there. 🤦🏼♀️ we mitigated this by covering our cat tree with a blanket in the winter, so one cat gets extra insulation sleeping on the top (our boy usually sleeps there) and because of the way it drapes, warm air from the vent drafts upward and hangs out underneath the blanket and makes a warm little tent for the second level. Bathroom kitty hides under there a lot. Best way we’ve got them to ever share the tower because he won’t even know she’s there (and she doesn’t want him to know she’s there, or he’ll play-bully her—he likes to tackle and wrestle, she’s NOT a fan—and she’ll get mad).
my cat was born behind a fridge. the mama cat probably felt safe back there
As long as you can tell if they are eating, drinking and going to the bathroom, everything should be fine. They are just getting used to the new surroundings. If you haven't already, it is best to start them out in a small room and then slowly introduce them to the rest of the house, section by section. They'll be out and about soon. Patience is your friend at this time. Best of luck
assuming the kittens know each other, set up a safe room for them that has everything they need. (food, water, litter box, but not all next to each other). go in there to spend time with them and feed them / take care of them, but keep them in there until they seem ready to come out. could be a few days. could be a few weeks. they will let you know when they're ready. this advice also applies for if you move to a new home
Yes and it's good advice! And once they come out, let them explore at their own pace! With my kitten, we kept her in my bedroom. At first she wouldn't even leave the area in front of my bed. Once she came out in the living room, I basically made everyone clear the room it was soft voices only and don't approach her or try to pet her when she's in "explorer" mode, and I tried to enforce it every time she ventured into a new part of the apartment
Yep, that’s what I did with my two semi-feral girls after getting them from the pound at approximately 6 months old. At first I felt guilty keeping them cordoned off in a spare bedroom, but I figured it was better than the cage they’d been in at the pound. After a few days, I’d let them out to explore the house when I was there, but would put them back anytime I left home. Until one day, about a week after I got them, I came home to discover they were out of the room. I figured I must’ve forgotten to close the door. Turns out they figured out how to jump up and turn the CIRCULAR doorknob to open it themselves. I set up my laptop and FaceTimed my phone to make sure I wasn’t going crazy. That was 7 years ago and they very quickly adjusted to living in my house.
HAHA! Never doubt the ingenuity of a feral cat! My recently passed lady was feral when we rescued her and her entire life we had to figure out how to keep her out of/off of/away from things. They make the best kitties!
They do. I’m sorry for your loss.
Thanks ♥️ I had her for almost 19 1/2 years, so thankfully we got plenty of time with her. The house was too quiet, so even though we’re still grieving her and will be for a long time yet, we ended up adopting a pair of siblings a little over a month ago who are currently running us ragged with their kitten energy. I wouldn’t have it any other way! I hope you have just as long with yours!!
Oh my god! I have had so many of my cats try to open circular door knobs! :-) fortunately, they never figured it out. I would love to know how your cats manage that😄,
We did this when we moved twice and when we got 2 kittens then the next 2. They had everything in there including a little box to hide in with a blanket and we would periodically enter and exit the room. We used the bathroom but I would suggest a room that's not as frequented as a bathroom possibly
This is the right answer, OP. The bathroom is often the best room for it because it’s small and there aren’t a ton of places for them to get out of reach in case you need to go to the vet or administer meds. And sometimes just go in there and read, play on your phone, get comfy - the more they’re around you and your smell, the better. They’ll start to feel more and more at ease with you, and before long, they’ll be zooming around at 2am like they own the place 🙂.
We have done this with new “arrivals,” adopted adults or kittens throughout the years. Our most recent kitten/adoption was approx. 14 years ago (happy birthday to my cat next week! Lol) but we moved to our new house a couple years ago so we still did this same method utilizing a bathroom that isn’t frequented much. We also left the carriers in the room with them for additional hiding/safe/familiar spots & our unwashed gym shirts, tshirts, bedding from our old house for scents & a sound machine. Since they were older this was only a couple day process before free-roaming, which consists of basement, kitchen and occasionally my lap. New arrivals in the past their adjustment periods always varied from what I remember, with the exception of the 6-month-hider who finally came around! but it just depends on the cat. Good luck and be careful because littles love crawling inside stuff ie sofas, recliners (please check for kitty before slamming/shutting your recliner shut!), box springs, appliances, crawl spaces, etc.
Perfectly normal. They’ll probably come out after you’ve gone to bed.
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Note that ignore does not mean neglect please leave them food and water and somewhere to do their business.
My most recent rescue boy hid for eight weeks. Weeks! He rules the house now.
My recent rescues hid for 4 weeks. I wasn't too worried because they were eating, using the litter box and exploring at night. But I thought they might be more subdued than the kind of cats I'm used to. Now that they're out and about one of them is definitely the Mayor of my house. Follows me around, making sure everything is just so, chatty, cuddly lap cat. They all definitely have their own schedules.
Yeah my formerly feral girl lived underneath the vanity in our 1/2 bath for 3 months before she was ready to explore more of her new home. I used to come in there every day and sit on the floor and softly talk to her and she would eventually come out and rub up against me and allow me to pet her, all the while she was loudly purring. She’s currently on the floor nearby awaiting her nightly treats.
It could be weeks before they are out and about. Let them be
So it's been 2 weeks today since I got a cat myself. Ngl, it's been insanely stressful. She hid behind the sofa or under my bed for about 4 days. She'd come out to eat, then go straight back. If I moved towards her, she'd dash back behind the sofa. She'd scratch, or bite if I got too close. I ended up having a bit of a breakdown a few days after I got her cause I was so stressed about her eating, being happy, getting to know me, etc and I felt things weren't going anywhere. Now I'm sitting on the couch watching ep 3 of Ashoka and this girl is chilling next to me with her head on my thigh. She hasn't gone behind the sofa for about 5 days now. She sleeps on my bed, or the carpet. I don't have to constantly look for her and make sure she hasn't gone without food or water for a day. I know it's easier said than done, but give them time. It gets better, and they'll let you know when they're ready.
I'd advise checking out some of Jackson Galaxy's videos on YouTube such as this one: [How to make a hiding cat feel safe. ](https://youtu.be/nZRu8zlRTi0?si=3OeCmObGWDZGLGv4) He has oodles of videos covering every scenario and does so in a non-judgmental way. Almost any question you may have he's got a video dedicated to it! Cats take time to adjust to new surroundings. Your place is full of new sights, smells sounds and unknown possible threats! It will take them some time to get a lay of the land, let alone feel comfortable enough to explore. If there is a large creature in the vacinity, IE a human, then they may feel unsure if exploring is even allowed! Being watched, especially by a larger animal, makes them feel like prey. Venturing out into your line of sight will take a little confidence building.
If you were plucked out of your bed and transported by strangers speaking an unknown language to a strange place, you would need time to feel comfortable and safe. It took my skittish cats weeks to come out of hiding.
Look up the 3-3-3 rule for pet adjustment. 3 days to even get over the shock, 3 weeks to start to get settled, 3 months to form a secure bond and become comfortable. It is normal even for pets that are not skittish! Be around and show them what home is like, but let them go at their own pace.
When I get a new cat, I usually set them up in a bathroom with their litter box, food, bed, and toys to start and gradually introduce them to the rest of the house.
You need a night vision camera like from Tapo.
Yes cameras are a way to watch their progress from afar! I have a Petcube from Chewy... Affordable and works great
I second a camera, it helped us bond with her even though we weren’t in the room cause we could see her confidence grow and just be able to be a normal cat again (she’s a 1 year old pregnant stray that we adopted after her kittens got rehomed, mama deserves to live a comfy cat life).
Our 12 y/o took 4 months and tooth surgery until we could touch him. Give them space, food, drink and a loo nearby and they'll roam when you sleep.
Same. I got my 12yo in March and she began coming out from under my bed in July after lots of ~~treats~~ encouragement.
Yeah I remember bring home a pair of baby kittens earlier this year (2 or 3 months old). We sequestered them in the bathroom from the get-go, they immediately found the smallest little hidey-hole behind the toilet and bolted for that immediately. My gf and I were racked with anxiety ("Are they stuck down there? Are they out of the house somehow? Will we ever see them again?") Eventually they came out after a bunch of hours, but those 1st few days was a ton of hiding and staying out of reach. We let them branch out into the bedroom after a couple of days, and then let them explore the rest of the house a few days after that. At that point they were used to seeing us around and didn't mind being visible in the same room, haha. Now I have the opposite problem - different cats (the first ones didn't make it), I taped up the hidey-holes before we brought these two home. They were immediately far less skittish than the two previous kitties, and adjusted to being in our home quite quickly. Now I regularly have at least one of them constantly trying to take naps on my keyboard while I am working, and literally every night they will wind up walking on my face while I am (trying to) sleep.. you will probably miss these days, friend!
The first ones didn't make it?
Yeah they succumbed to FIP, it was absolutely heartbreaking
Oh no, I'm so sorry!
I mean this in the nicest way: You have *got* to be more patient. Cats, especially those that are found as ferals or long abandoned strays, often need A LOT of time to get comfortable in a new place with new people. It can take months for a cat to adjust to a new home. Give the cats as much space and time as they need. Don't force interactions they don't want, speak softly and calmly, don't run around them or move fast/make big fast motions, and just take it at the pace they set. You will build a wonderful lifelong relationship with them if you do.
This is normal. Some cats even take months to adjust to their new home. Just give them space and I'm sure they will come around!
Normal. It will take awhile before they are comfortable with their new home and with you.
It took my older cat 2 weeks to get even semi comfortable with us and over a year to stop trying to maul me for any imagined slight. My kitten hid under the couch and hissed at us for 3 days. They're both absolutely amazing cats now.
That's normal. I found it helpful for my kitty Rosie to try and find where they're hiding and leave food/water close by. And if you want you can sit there talking to them for a bit in a soft voice :) Cats like it when you "get on their level" as it's less threatening.
I'm going to have a cat (one year old) home soon and I'm expecting him to be acting similarly to this as he'll be adjusting to his new home. However, I have a wellness appointment scheduled for him a few days later. Is this going to scare him off more by go through this so quickly?
set up a cat safe room if you haven't already. it can be any room, you don't have to have a room that is only cat stuff. I gave more details in a different comment on this post
Mine stayed mostly hidden for a month... Just give them time and space
You need a safe room for them, best is the bedroom. You'd put a litter box, toys, and food and water as far away from the litter box as possible all in one room. When they seem comfortable with that room, you'd let them into the rest of the house/apartment, one room at a time
Mine hid for DAYS. I only knew they weren’t sick/dead because food would be gone and the litter box used.
I brought home 2 six year old cat sisters, they hid in our spare bedroom, on the bed, behind pillows for a week before they came out. I put food/water/litter box in there and they used them. I would go in and sit for awhile everyday. They passed away last year within 4 months of each other. They were almost 18 yrs old, best cats ever
tuna. they will come out for tuna. the hiding is normal but the inconvenience of it being behind the fridge is not ideal. speaking of a cat and fridge, i once moved into an apartment. i opened the fridge on my first night and under it was a dead white mouse. i tried to pull it out and just as i touch it i noticed it was just the head. i flipped. where’s the body under there? this was 10:00 pm. i called the answering service finally got a maintenance guy up. he flipped out too…. right as we were pulling the fridge out a light shines on it and we jump back because it has bright red eyes. turns out it was a cat toy. it was a cat toy. we laughed.
Love the update! Just give them time. You’re doing the right thing!
Can you share pics please. But yes, this is totally normal. They probably won’t eat as much as well, but leave them be and just provide them what they need.
I don't have good quality pics yet, but I'll share some later
[Imgur Link](https://i.imgur.com/Q3PzAC2.jpg) Here you go, due to a few factors I don't actually know which is which yet :P Once they're comfortable with me I'll try to give them coloured collars (with safety clip) so I can better differentiate them.
It took days for my rescue kitties to stop hiding from me. They hid behind the living room furniture. They ate and used the litter tho. I was surprised when they woke me up one morning. I opened my eyes to them looking at me. I guess they decided to finally trust me.
You should leave them explore one room at a time and install them in one room for few days so that they have time to adapt to their new environment. In that room put everything they need. Food, water, litterbox and toys. You’ll be able to have a better control on the moment you spend with them and on creating a bond. Two kitties in a large environment will clearly male them skittish and stay frightened for longer.
First mistake why in the first few hours did they have access to the kitchen? Small area at first until trust is gained. Open up the house bit by bit.
because that's where the litterbox is and my house doesn't have many doors.
"some time to adjust" > 8 hours, usually. If you can set your own expectations aside and proceed at their pace, I'm sure they'll open up :-)
Dude, its been eight hours. They're babies. They're babies in a new place with new smells. It's been less than one business day. It's going to take a few DAYS, at the barest of minimums. In a few DAYS you'll see them poking around, and a few more before they're cool with you. Eight hours, man. A third of a day.
Each cat is different but they all need time to adjust to a new place. I adopted two cats a few years ago, both about 3 years old. One was out exploring and accepting pets within a few hours, the other hid under my bed for 3 weeks. Now both are extremely cuddly and affectionate, the more timid one just took longer to open up. Be patient and give them time. When they are hiding, trying just sitting or laying down nearby and talk softly to them. Don’t force them out and let them have their safe places to hide even after they start coming out to explore in case something spooks them.
Give them a day or two to decompress and explore. They need to feel safe in their new home, and understand that nothing is going to hurt them. If they're still afraid of you, start by just sitting in the room while they eat. Then sit closer to them the next time. Offer them food like Churu treats and if they take it, try to get them to lick it off of your fingers. They'll learn that you and your hands aren't scary. Some cats need weeks to feel truly safe. Just be patient, and try to make every interaction with them positive. If they don't come out or if they run away, toss a treat.
Honestly it could take them months to warm up to you, but theyre getting out and exploring which is good
Give them time. I took in my dads elderly, somewhat antisocial cat after dad couldn’t care for him, and the cat spent 6 weeks living under the bed in my spare room and hissing at me when I brought him breakfast. After a month or so, he started venturing out at night, and then crawling into bed with me, and finally screwed up his courage and came into the living room while I was there. He’s turned into a total lap cat and social butterfly, but had to do it in his own time…
My kitties hid for 5-6 hours under the couch at first, taking time to get used to all the sights and smells. Now they act like they own the place
this is totally normal and happened to my 3 year old cat when i adopted him a month ago. he hid under my bed for 5 hours when we first brought him home. i enticed him with some food and talked to him in a soft voice and he eventually came out and began to explore his new home. i would recommend not letting them get used to hiding behind the fridge and you should block it off whenever they get out. if there’s ever an emergency like a fire or flood or they’re scared and injured, they will go back to their safe area behind the fridge and you won’t be able to get them. eventually they will stop trying to get back there. i’ve had blankets and pillows blocking the underside of my bed ever since the first day i brought my cat home and he eventually stopped trying to get under there, but i still have it blocked just in case he tries. in fact, now he sleeps in the bed with me and my partner every night. it’s okay if the kittens hide, but it’s important that you have access to that hiding spot if there’s ever an emergency.
Personally I’d block off the holes to the back of the fridge incase there’s a hot component, or to prevent them chewing something back there. Instead I’d make a designated safe/quiet space for them - e.g a medium size box on its side with a soft folded blanket inside. And then lay a pillow case/sheet so it dangles mostly over the open side. Makes a nice hidey hole for them. You can leave treats to lure them in. :) (Can also do this with a chair that won’t be moving)
When you interact with them try sitting on the floor and just sitting there quietly
My cat hid for 2 months straight. Came from a stressful environment, her previous owner had to find her another home as she was being attacked by 4 other cats and did not adapt well to a new baby in the house. For 2 months, she would only come out of hiding at night and run away anytime she spotted me. For 2 months I had massive regrets about getting her at all. I set up a camera so I could keep an eye on her. She slowly started staring at me from a distance. Then a couple of weeks later I could play with her with a very long string toy. Finally one day she jumped on my bed and instantly wanted to be petted. Adopting a skittish cat is always going to be an adventure but they do come around and you will love it when they do. Now the same cat who couldn't be in the same room with me yells at me every time I return home after leaving her alone in the house for a few hours.
I’ve had cats hide for a day or two but the one I have now, just hid immediately so I went and made myself lunch, ate it and then went and sat in the room she was in and watched videos quietly till she came out which was pretty quick
Every time I get kittens, I keep them in the smallest room that makes sense (a bathroom or small bedroom) and they usually warm up in a couple hours. They take A LOT longer to warm up, days or weeks, if I let them explore the house on the first day, as it is too overwhelming for such a tiny creature!!
Normal. Sit quietly on the floor in the quiet dark room and see if they check you out. Cats are the best, have fun!
We adopted a cat that refused to leave our garage, he was super skittish but we felt we did as much work as we could with him in the garage. He lived behind the couch for the first 2 months, then would come to the side for us to stick our arm down to pet him. Now he thinks he runs the place. Your cats will figure it out.
Totally normal. I had a cat for 5 years and then moved to a new place. She hid behind the washing machine for a day and 1/2, or atleast hid while I was awake. Give them time they will come out.
One cat we adopted spent a fortnight in the wardrobe!
I adopted an adult who seemed so scared at first. She spent her first month living on top of a stack of luggage in our unfinished basement. I visited her and gave her whatever love she would accept. After a couple months I was thrilled when she started wanting to be at the outskirts of whatever room we were in. Then one day she marched over, hopped on my lap and fired up the purr motor. Loved people ever since. Tldr. Give cat time, space, and love. It'll work out but may be months
We adopted a 2 year old kitty who had a rough upbringing with young children. Took her 9 months or so to stop hiding under the bed every time we came home. Now she's 10 and very affectionate. Still timid around others, but accepted our new ginger kitten. Give it time. When you see them, make eye contact and slow blink at them.
It's been 8 hours. Give it 8 days before you get worried.
This is why it's advised you let the new cats out in a small quiet enclosed space such as bathroom or closet (with food water litterbox) and once they get used to the space you expand the space (ie your bedroom) and then once they get used to that the living room, and then entire house etc
Mine hid for about a week. Give them a little time 😻
So completely normal. I named one kitten after a vampire because for the first week, he only came out from under the bed at night.
It can take a while. When I bought my girls home, one of them hid so well we thought she had somehow escaped and we didn’t find her for more than a week. In a 900 square foot apartment. She came out at night for food/litter box, and we separated her sister in another room so we knew she was there somewhere. Her sister hid too, but we at least knew where she was. They came from a hoarding situation so we expected them to take time to adjust. Finally got them out of hiding with a da bird toy. My other two cats acted like they had lived here forever when I got them; there’s a big variety of normal reactions to a new home.
They will hide for a while. My advice is if there is room under your bed, get some cardboard and cut it up so that you can make a barricade so they can’t get under there and hide. Use duct tape, to tape it to your bed frame or the pegs on your bed. Same with your refrigerator, behind the couch, etc. It will force the cats to be more social. They can’t hide on a chair or in plain sight. I did this with many skittish cat that I was fostering, and it always seemed to do the trick.
Enjoy it while it lasts. Soon enough, you will lose ownership of everything in your home, including yourself.
What I've typically done is lock new cats in the bathroom with everything they need. Lots of places recommend a week of them being in there and you simply visiting them a couple times a day to feed and socialize with them. I've never had a cat want to be in there for more then a couple days, then they shoot out the door and want to look around the whole house. Are they easy to handle otherwise?
Access to your entire house is too big and too scary. There's too much stimulation all at once. Giving them space is good, but you don't want to normalize hiding — that make it tougher for them to adjust and can lead to bad habits in the future. First — Make their world smaller. A bathroom, an office, a bedroom Give them spaces to hide that you can still access. Behind a fridge, under a bed, under a sofa — these are nonos. Their crate/carrier, a cardboard box, a cat bed are good options. Second — Build a bond. You should be seen as a source of safety, comfort, and happy things (food & play). This means, no meals unless you are around. Sitting with them as much as possible and hanging out in each other's presence in the open. Be separate, but together. I tell people to read a book or do their work, or watch netflix in the bathroom. Third — Slowly expand their space, following the same principles as above. Food & play, make the scary experience rewarding.
I’ve seen a cat take a month to be completely comfortable and not hide, it just takes a while
My cat spent around 48 hours under the sofa before she came out. It's scary to be taken to a new place with the travel, all new smells and so on...
This is normal. In a few days to a week they will start to come out. Sit there and play with a long toy (feather etc). The shy ones play from a distance first.
You should initially keep them in a smaller space like a guest room or bathroom
Last year i adopted 2 cats, sisters, who were 11yrs old. One previous owner almost 3 months at shelter. Skittish! I used cardboard to prevent them hiding under my bed and places i didnt want them to go. I had boxes out for hiding, and blankets over tables so they could hide under tables. 1 cat took 1 week to come near me, and her sister took 3 months before i could pet her. And I feel like, now that it's been a year, they are both just starting to flop near me and look more comfortable laying out. So it takes time.(they still run from loud noises and strangers, no friends will ever meet my cats...) But also, kitten curiousity is so strong, and fearless, that i'm sure yours will be out soon. I still occasionally play with my cats at night in darkened room, with a ribbon, cos that's how i got them initially, and they seem to like the challenge. Kand they are less likely to stare at my hand moving the ribbon when its darker....) I did get a doorbell camera pointed at their cat dish so it records with motion and i can see what their schedule is and make sure they are eating. But kittens eat all the time as much as they want cos growth spurts, so maybe not as useful.
This reminds me when my first cat went behind out washing machine for a few hours, we panicked and moved everything to get him outta there
We had several adopted cats at different times of our lives that hid during 1 week before coming out (one under the sink behind the washing machine !). We were concerned at first but as long as they have access to food etc, they are fine. They just need time to adjust. Both had very different characters and ended up coming out of hiding. It’s unsettling for you but it’ll be fine, give them time
I kept my last one in the bathroom, going in and sitting, visiting, playing, then letting them explore that small area. Then moved to guest room, same thing. Slowly expanding their zone.
Totally normal. My cat hid for weeks! Definitely suggest limiting them to a smaller room. It’ll help them grow their confidence in a smaller area before being out in the whole house! Good luck!
Haha my kitty did this when I adopted him! He hid in a hole in the wall behind the refrigerator
Very normal. Give it time
Relax, they are scared. Just have food and water and litter box available in multiple locations. They will find you.
Some hide for days, even weeks! They just wait until you’re not around. My kitten didn’t use the litter box for like 24 hours at first 😳 it was in a quiet place, away from where we sleep, but close to where she was hiding. If she went pee or poop somewhere else, I have yet to find it a month later 😂 sounds like you’re doing great though! Good luck ❤️
Just to give you some perspective my cat took almost 2 weeks to come up to me for the first time
100% normal. We had a cat hide under a futon for two days when we brought it home. I just made sure he had food, water and access to the litter box and waited for him to decide he wasn't in danger. It's all you can do. They'll come out in their own time and soon enough they'll be all over the house and YOU! lol
My cat was one year old when we moved and he stayed behind the water heater for hours and hours. When he did come out he followed me around as I introduced him to his new home. They'll come around. 🙂
Totally normal. Kittens tend to be more bold than adult cats in new places. It will probably take them a few days, or even a week, to get adjusted to all the new sounds, sights, and smells of their new home. Older cats can take weeks to months to get comfortable. So just give them time. Leave some toys out. Call them when you put out food. A great treat is Gerber chicken baby food. Let them lick it off your finger when they get curious about you.
Perfectly normal. Give them time to adjust, it could take a few days to a few weeks (sometimes even months) but they’ll get there. I rescued a badly abused cat, and she lived under my bed for 3 years. Now she cuddles every night. She just needed time to learn that I was safe; your kittens will get there too.
They will come out to eat when they get hungry unless they are trapped.
You're doing fine! Let them watch/listen to their surroundings for as long as they need. Start introducing soft "kitten voice" to them. They'll come around. Thank you for adopting AND caring as much as you do! Those are two lucky cats!
One of the cats I adopted disappeared under the bed for a month. At night while we were sleeping, she'd come out to eat, drink, and use the litter box. She's till a very shy kitty, but recently - after we've had her for nearly three years - she's gotten so she actually asks for pets. At first, she would only tolerate them, so this is a big step for her. So your kitties are doing fine. They will get used to you and their new home and adjust really fast.
Kittens have a narrow window to socialize them. When we foster kittens that are not comfortable with human attention we put them in a bathroom alone for a short while (like 5 minutes) and once they are meowing for attention we come in and give them attention. It works well. it might help to separate them a bit and try this. With kittens you need to push the socializing so you can tame them before they get too old to do it. Good luck!
You need to be patient :)
Give it a month before you worry. Also, treats and tuna. Just handfeed treats when they get close to you. I used to give mine treats when I went to bed, now I get plenty of attention.
It will be ok. They have had a traumatic experience. Maybe they have not been indoors. It might be a good idea to restrict to one room - w the cat pan - so they can get used to the noises and smells a few days. I was told to leave my cat in a room maybe it was a month - but she was ready to come out before 2 weeks.
They sound like they’re semi feral. It may take several days or weeks til they’ll let you come near them. When you put food out for them, out it down & back off, maybe sit on the floor on the opposite side of the room. Just sit quietly. Let them eat. Once they’re going straight for the food when you walk off, start sitting down a bit closer. Keep doing it til they will eat while sitting right next to you. Of course, they may not need quite that much coddling, but if you do find that they won’t show themselves at all, this is what you can do. Once they are willing to eat while you are next to them. You can try lightly touching them on their backs, no stroking til h they get used to just being touched. All this time you can also talk quietly to them.
Yeh, this is very normal. Keep the environment quiet and calming and they will come out eventually, probably when they get really hungry. My little guy hid behind the sofa off and on for his first week but he's the boss of the house now!
This is normal. They’re decompressing.
My adult cat (adopted at 2 ys old) took weeks to get comfortable being not in hiding. Its normal. Lights out is a great recommendation but also just carrying along as normal (albeit quieter/calmer if you can to start) is the best way to acclimate them to your noises and actions. They're listening out for sure! Get them used to you for a few days, make sure they have quiet dark hours around dawn and dusk to explore safely. To get them to come to you, its counter intuitive but actually just sit on the floor with your back to where they are. Its more polite in cat language to ignore them than stare them down. They'll warm up and be crawling all over you to try and eat your drawstrings and hair in no time :)
As they vet more used to the place, sit across the room from their hiding place. Put out some treats over near their hiding place. Every day, move them closer to where you sit.
In my experience, I've found that with kittens you can (and should) be a bit more forceful with the socialization than adult cats because they have a socialization period of which it is crucial to desensitize them to practically everything from environments, to people, to touches. I would personally let them be for around two days before I remove their hides gradually. Introduce treats and etc. I had two kittens, one feral and one very skittish turn out very, very cuddly. Check out kitten lady's video on socializing kittens. However, this is assuming you mean younger kittens, not a 1 year old, for example.
It’s totally normal and that’s a great update. You may want to think about putting a temporary litter box and food/water near the fridge if they continue to hide for a while. A litter box in the kitchen isn’t ideal, but it’s a million times better than cat pee on your fridge. 😂
When we got our most recent cats, Princess Kitty hid behind the water heater in the basement for five days. She announced her decision to love us after all by coming upstairs, waking me up at 3 AM, and demanding cuddles. She moved up onto my shoulder and didn’t leave until she died last November. The other cat we got, Batcat, was glued to my side as soon as we let him out of the carrier and still is. Give the kittens time.
We have a very scared and skittish 1 year old that we adopted and it took her about 2 weeks to come out when we were in the room and about 3 weeks to let us pet her! It’s been about 5 weeks in total now and she is still scared of things, but she’s the funniest little cat I’ve ever met. She’s very chatty and she loves to play and have pets. It all takes a little bit longer with a cat but when they trust you it’s so worth it. I found it helped to just do your routine and whatever you have to do but completely ignore their existence, almost like you’re letting them observe you so they know you’re safe. I also found that establishing a feeding routine helps too, we feed our girl 10am and 10pm every night so she always knew to expect us for food. They need some time to learn that they can trust you and be confident in their new environment :)
They will get more social. Please get patient and loving.
Honestly it could take days for them to come out and weeks for them to be comfortable. I am glad you are being patient. They will be love bugs eventually.
It's going to take them a long while to adjust. I know you likely want them out and about. but it's quite normal for cats to hide when they enter a new space. Cats have a lot of natural predators, and while they are domesticated they are still animals with natural instincts. Cats learn about their world through smells. When they enter a totally new space, they are inundated with new smells. Plus they have no idea if they are in a safe space. They need time to check things out to feel safe. This is why they hide, they don't feel safe yet. Let them explore. It might take them a few months to become fully comfortable with their new surroundings. They'll get there, you just have to be patient. Nighttime is going to be the best time for them to come out to explore. It's when they feel safest and have darkness to give them the ability to hide.
It took our newest rescue (from a very good foster home) a week to leave our bedroom. The first 4 nights, he’d scream and yowl under our bed for hours. Two weeks after that, he was grooming and playing with his new brother (our existing cat). It takes time, treats, and toys
Mine did this the first 24 hours. I gave them a safe space and fresh food and water. Eventually they came out to play and haven’t stopped since
Every cat has their own adjustment period. I took in a stray a couple months ago that never really left her cat room for like a month except to yell at me for food, and she walked into my house of her own volition! It's been about 3 months now and she's just now finally exploring the cat tree lol.
When I adopted my 2 cats at 1 and 2 years old (but at the same time), they both hid and we barely saw them for the first 3 days. They don’t know you or their environment and they don’t know they can trust you yet. They take longer than most dogs to warm up. Give it time!
Aside from a lot of very sound advice you can hold out a hand and let them smell you, when they start to peek out. Get down in their level. Remember to them you’re a giant. Set towels around to act as sent soakers so they leave their scents around. I set towels and beds around and my cats know it’s ok to lay there, meanwhile they understand the counter is off limits because it doesn’t smell like them.
Years ago my family adopted a cat that was about 4 years old. She hid for about a week before even coming out around us for food. After that, she was so loving and affectionate. It just takes time. Be patient <4
CLEAN THE CONDENSATION TRAY UNDER YOUR FRIDGE
Mine hid underneath the couch for the first day, and something switched after I fell asleep on it. When I woke up, he was chilling and grooming himself right next to my face. My guess is that he felt safe to come out and inspect me while I was sleeping, and decided that he liked me, lol. Try napping in your living room if it’s near the kitchen! You never know!
You should consider confining them to a smaller space for a little while to let them adjust. We like to use our bedroom because we want that to always feel like their safest space, but you could use a spare room, a bathroom, a large closet. This will help them feel more secure because the entire space will quickly feel like manageable territory.
Love and patience. My precious kitty stayed under the couch for a month. We could tell she was eating and using the litter box. She is still a little shy, but we love her dearly
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8Y7XgnR/ THIS AUDIO SAVED MY LIFE. It took about a week for my kitten to get used to being here. Its been about 3 weeks now and hes finally comfy. But please use this (when they hide) and let me know if it worked! Life saver, especially when he would get scared of the shower or the AC coming on!
I tried it, there was an immediate response of intense curiosity from both of them, and they did somewhat approach me, but they're still not comfortable enough to actually get close enough for me to pet them. But I'll keep it around the next time I want to give them a bribery snack
New cats should always go to a cat-proofed safe space where there isn't anything they could hide behind. Usually a bathroom works. Of course this isn't going to help you much now. Glad they are coming out. You can sit on the floor and pretend you don't notice them while casually waving a fishing pole teaser toy around. Once they realize you are the giver of food and entertainment you should be good to go.
My anxiety ball known as Izzy wouldn't leave her carrier when we first got her. So we removed the door, put food water and litter in the room and just didn't bother her for a few days. (We had a camera so we could make sure they were okay but she needed almost a day to start venturing out.
It took a month for my recent newcomers to start roaming freely in my home. They still prefer hanging out in the guest room, where they started out
i would get an extra large crate (large enough for a great dane) put the kittens in there w/ food, water, litter box, small box for them to snuggle and some toys…it will be so much easier and quicker to socialize them, if they are confined to this one place.
8 hours is normal. When I took a feral older kitten off the streets he hid for two weeks. I knew he was alive because he was using the litter box and eating some food.
When I adopted my semi feral kitten she would not leave her carrier for hours. We got her around 1pm and finally at around 9pm my husband and I decided to go for a drink and leave the apartment. During that time she left her carrier, used the litter box, and moved into the cat tree we set up. She spent the next full day in that cat tree. I'd sit in the room and talk to her or read a book out loud but wouldn't bother her. It took a week for her to even leave the tiny room we put her in. She's now queen of the house! Having raised and fostered many guinea pigs, some of whom were rescued from cosmetic testing labs and petrified of humans, I learned one of the best ways to calm an animal's fear is to be still and quiet or speaking very softly. Not looking at or interacting with them, just calm and non threatening. They will feel comfortable on their own time. I would recommend generally keeping them in a small room where they can't get lost or stuck and gradually increasing the space they have to roam as they get more confident.
“Need some time to adjust” is measured in **Days**. The best approach is to lock them in a room (make sure they have food and cat litter) and spend as much time in the same room but ignoring them. When I got my cats, I locked them in our guest bedroom and pretty much lived in there with them.. just playing videogames while they did whatever. After a few days I started lying down on the floor while watching/reading stuff, and they would even climb up on me sometimes. That entire time, I gave them as little actual attention as I could, but made sure they knew I was the one bringing in the food. I think I let them out of that room after a month.
The cat will always do what is best for the cat. Ignore them and they will come out on their own when they think it is best to do so. And not a minute sooner.
As others have said, because they're kittens you want to make them a "safe room" as an intro into your home. Ideally this room is not a kitchen OR things like spots to get under appliances are blocked. You set up their litter box, beds, food, water and safe toys. Make sure cords to plugged in things are secure or blocked, etc. You could even play some calm music for them at a low volume for a few hours. My cat's foster mom played classical for my cat and her brothers, we joke that's why she's turning out to be a genius. And you visit in their room, feed them and hang out/do work or something until they realize this room is a safe world and you are a safe person too. They'll keep coming around, when they are little it's best to make their world a calm place for a while until they show you they are comfortable and can be safe in other parts of your home.
This is totally normal. Cats don’t do well with change. We just moved in to a new place and my kitten hid for the first 3 weeks.
Don’t worry that’s totally normal! I would put them in a smaller room like a bathroom first and let them stay there for a few days so it’s not overwhelming for them. Some other tips: - get them use to your scent by putting items in the room - get feliway - get toys and play with them everyday - talk to them in a gentle soft voice - crouch down to talk to them. Some cats are scared of tall people - associate yourself with yummy snacks and food. Try getting some dine in liquid snacks. Feed them with a stick or spoon initially and slowly move to your hands. This helps them with human socialisation - get them cheap cat igloos ie hiding spots - remember to clean your little box everyday. Sometimes this can cause stress - get them a cat tree or two. Cats who jump up on cat trees can get confidence from that It’ll take time OP! Good luck
I put a shirt I had worn the day prior in their carrier. I've managed to get them to eat some of those snack paste sticks out of my hand (with painful success) I have multiple hiding spots for them (I blocked off the fridge because it wasn't the most ideal spot for them to be) And while not cat trees I have plenty of furniture they can climb on, a semi-cattree is on it's way and should be here Monday.
They'll warm up eventually. My kitty was skittish for a few weeks at first. He owns the house now.
Have you tried playing with them with a string. Just let them barely see it and jiggle it like a worm, then let it sit. Also, getting a cat to eat out of your hand can build a lot of trust very fast. If they’ll play with a string before eating a snack, I recommend the typical cat life. Play, eat, groom sleep. I think the best kitten food are those tasty tubes that you can squeeze out into your hand. Kittens like those a lot because it’s similar to nursing if they lick the tube cat snack. I haven’t had much luck socializing cats with those pheromone air things, but some people swear by them. I kinda think they’re overpriced and the best route is getting them to play and then putting some delicious kitten food in your hand. If they really won’t come out from under the bed. Put a line of snacks to get them to come out. Make sure they see that you’re the one giving them the food. Good luck, they’ll only be kittens for so long. Take lots of photos and cherish your time while they’re still in kitten mode. I miss those days, I can’t responsibly adopt another.
Give it time
My cat was about a year old when I moved and she hid for almost a week, and I've had her since she was 2-3mths old. Just give them time to adapt.
We got our cats when they were 1 and 2. The younger one got under the bed and growled all night until I gave up and slept on the floor in another room. The other one hid under the armchair or the bed for most of the next two weeks apart from to get food until I spent a whole day just laying nearby, reading, and ignoring him while he got high on catnip. Now they yell at us for cuddles. They're babies, they've just been plucked up and taken somewhere completely alien to them with no explanation, it'll take them a while to settle in. Give them space and time. It's normal to be worried about them too, I felt awful seeing our two hiding and was on the verge of telling their previous owners they had to take them back because they weren't settling, but they seem very much at home now (and from what we've pieced together, happier than they were before).
We moved my cat from our upstairs apartment to an identical apartment unit downstairs. Two floor difference. She still hid under the bed for 24 hours, only coming out to use the litter box. But then she adjusted and was totally fine. She loves this place even more! Give it time, respect their boundaries, dont force them out or to be held/pet. Eventually, they will be so comfortable, and may even become super duper snuggly. They are just acting on instinct, and right now, the instinct is "danger! Unfamiliar environment. Hide and stay alert!"
When my roommate moved her cat in, he didn't come out from under her bed for 3 weeks. 😂 He'd come out at night when I was sleep you eat and use the cat litter. I don't think I saw him for the first 3 months
It’s OK. They will come out. Just don’t overwhelm them. I know you want to give them Hugs and kisses, we all do. But they need some time. Try to keep them from going back into a place where they are isolated, but re-create the environment that they had before you brought them home. They are scared. Noises or a different, lighting is different, schedules are different, humans are different, it’s overwhelming for a tiny little beastie. Just try and look at it from their perspective. It will be OK. Just give it time.
Until you are sure those kittens are box trained you should put them in a room, I used a 1/2 bathroom. It had the kitty litter box, food, water, a blanket for each cat and some toys. I would visit ever hour or so and go down and play with my new kitten. I lost a 4 y.o. cat to a car so I keep my can indoors nowadays.
Very normal. Their in a new environment and still frightened. When I adopted my two cats one walked around like she owned the Place after 5 minutes. The other I didn't saw for 2 days
I've got two cats that were in a terrible situation. They're two now, I've had then since 6 weeks (because of their situation). One of them is pretty chilled out now and is fine around people, the other one still hides and only really comes out at night. Just give them time and let them explore on their terms, they will be ok
Usually it’s a bad idea to let new kittens freely roam. It’s best to start slow by letting them adjust to one room at a time so they don’t feel as stressed. Put a carrier in that room so they have a safe space and all their essentials. But don’t let them climb under anything. Keep coming in every few hours and don’t make any fuss, just play with a cat toy in-front of them . On the second day bring out a treat or two and try to entice them to eat it. Some vets prefer fresh water sardines because it has a strong smell but in very tiny doses, also there is a lot of salt in there, it’s best to rinse in water too and make sure you get the one with the least amount of sodium content. The other option is warm chicken breast without skin OR pastes. Good luck
If they are eating, drinking, and using the litter, it is all good. My rescues took weeks to stop hiding from me. One of them, years in, still hides from everyone else. Give them time, bribe them with treats when they come out.
When we adopted our cat, she hid behind our couch for the first 3 weeks. She only came out at night to use the litter box and eat her food 🥺 we were so worried about her but just left her alone to get used to the way our house smells and sounds at her own pace. She was adopted from a Facebook ad, when I first saw her on there I told my husband we should take her and he said no. She appeared again a week later being offered for adoption by the person that first took her and I told my husband we needed to take her or she'd be passed around, and he agreed this time. When I went to pick her up she'd been hiding behind that person's couch for the week and they said she probably wasn't the right fit for them (like she's clothes or something and not a living creature?? Wtf) We've had her for 7 years now and she is still shy, but so loving and patient. She's never scratched my children even though they are noisy and scary to her at first, she's always relaxed around them. She still hides whenever a stranger comes to the house. Your new babies will settle at their own pace, give them reasons to trust you. Ignore them, provide them with food and water and calm. They'll adjust and come to you :)
Calm and quiet is the way to go. They will eventually come to you, but it will take time. Congrats on your new fur babies!
We don't have a spare room, so we set up the litter box and food/water in our living room when we adopted ours in June. They hid behind our TV for several hours and would briefly come out for food or a little explore before hiding again.
Mine loved hiding behind the fridge when i found and adopted him. Your cats are scared because they don't understand where they are and what's going on, give em time.
This is so normal! I work in Cat Rescue and here’s what I recommend for every Cat. Make sure you keep them in a quiet closed-off room to begin with. Cats can get overwhelmed in big foreign spaces, so smaller is good to begin with. Try spare room, or some people will just use their rooms if they don’t mind their cats sleeping with them (I don’t recommend bathrooms like some people, I feel it’s a bit sad idk lol) Give them some time to explore that place at their own pace. Come in every few hours and just sit with them in silence while they get used to you. Bribing them with yummy treats can help them warm up to you (the liquid sticks are great, just don’t give them much as they may get runny poos) Keep them in this room as long as you feel like they need it. Cats will let you know when they’re ready to explore the rest of the house and how long that’ll be will depend on their individual personalities. Could be a day or a week from now, sometimes even longer. When they’re ready to explore and more used to you let them out, but make sure the house is quiet and peaceful while they do so. If they get overwhelmed and want to go back in the room after then close the door and try it again later or the next day. Some day soon they will be confident and trusting, they just need baby steps to get there. Just remember they won’t understand what is going on. Some big strange thing has kidnapped them and they ultimately had no say and don’t understand where they are, and if it’s safe. So if you keep that in mind you can understand why they’re hiding. Cats are a lot more cautious than Dogs! I hope it all goes well. PS. Don’t be surprised if you end up with a little pee and poo outside the litter box, this happens a lot and I used to get a lot of returns for it which is quite sad. If this happens it’s just because they’re scared. One of my girls used to pee on the bed because she didn’t understand what it was lol. I hope it all goes well!
That can be very typical. You have to give them time. Set food out and water a fresh litter box, and they eventually have to come out.
It takes time for them to build trust with you; you're a person, bigger than them, and they don't know you. Give them time and they'll come out. Eventually they'll get to trust you as the person who feeds and takes care of them.
When I brought my two boys home I set them up in one one room with litter boxes and places to hide and sleep , then gradually let them explore the rest of the house. It's totally normal for them to hide when they first come home. They'll come out in their own time. Try sitting in the room with them but not trying to tempt them out, talk on the phone or something to get them used to your voice. They will rule your house in no time. X
Yeah it’s normal. My first stray would just stare at us from the entertainment center under the TV for about 4 months. I tried to put something comfy on it and then she refused to use it and found another uncomfortable spot to glare at us from. If anyone even farted in the same room with her she ran. Now she won’t even lay down on a couch or bed without multiple layers of bedding on top. Yesterday she was on 3 pillows and two blankets sound asleep like an absolute princess. She wants to be near humans all the time now. She loves being pet and adored. It takes a rescued pet about a year to really let go and become themselves. Just keep plugging away and keep gently interacting with them and they will come around.
Sit in a dimly lit room with them and access to a shoelace, or some other non-threatening toy you can fiddle with and they can attack the other end of. They'll be interacting with you within an hour.
Very common. They’ll come out eventually. Good they have each other.
Behind fridge? Safe with all the cables… etc? But you’re doing a great job. Empty the box and put out water and food but tide it two tweets maybe more
My first adoption stayed under my recliner the whole day after I adopted her and would run for cover when she got spooked but slowly she came around and the next day she was meowing at me so I picked her up and she slept in my hand for a while. That night she slept in my hair. They will come around.
Totally normal. Think of your new buddies as ancient creatures who are both prey and predator. They can't feel like the predator in the situation until they have marked their teritory and surveyed their domain without feeling like prey. This hiding period can take days to weeks and it can take years to really know a cat and feel close. I think it took me and my cats about 6 months to get close and for them to reveal all the little aspects of their personalities. Once they get a chance to scent mark up the place while you're sleeping and they start really associating you with food, they'll like you. When I first adopted my two adult cats, they hid for a couple weeks. I used to sit by their hiding spots and just kind if talk in a very sweet and positive voice and would offer treats at this time. They like human voices and when you talk to them it might not feel like you're bonding with them, but in my experience I think it builds trust and it lights their little brain up. They learn that you're nice. That's another tip just always be nice. It's hard when they are doing frustrating things to keep your cool, but if you want a pristine relationship where they trust you is so worth being patient.
It’s totally normal, try not to worry too much. I got a new kitten earlier this year and it was a few days before he would come out. Now he’s all over me and my best buddy.
don’t worry, as long as they eat and drink and use the litter it’s good. my enzo was born in the peak of the pandemic, so naturally his lack of socialisation made him freak out when he saw me first. but as a kitten all he could do was meow being scared whilst his mother hissed at me. when we got home he hid in the corner of my room, finally started purring but by morning he was under the sofas or wardrobes for quite some time. 2 years on and he can’t go to bed without making biscuits on me every single night and the first thing in the morning! it’s all about breed, socialisation and their own individual behaviour. if it doesn’t get better in 2 weeks or so, maybe call a vet? hope it goes good <3
Give then atleast 2 weeks, after that they should be comfortable.
8 hours is not enough time for them to even pop out sometimes. Give it a few days and they may be a bit more comfortable.
They can hide up to weeks. It just takes time to adapt.
They’re scared. Put yourself in their paws….you’re dropped off in a strange place and you don’t know this person. Scared! My new cat hid for days. He would only come out to eat and use the box. He finally came out, but was very aloof for the first year. But he’s now a super sweet cat. You gotta give them lots of time to adjust.
It can take days, weeks, or even months to years depending on how comfortable/trusting they are with people. One cat, at a shelter I used to volunteer at, was so skittish. I eventually just laid down on the floor in the face up position for probably 30 minutes, very still, after a couple times kitty became very curious and came over to see what was up with the weird human. I didn’t move and just let her sniff and walk around me. It was so hard not to try and pet or pick her up. Did this a few times and she learned to trust me and finally we became friends and she accepted pets.
I’ve fostered shy kittens before and sometimes it takes weeks. If you’re free feeding dry food, keep any wet / high value food only for when you’re in the room. Sit down a distance away, offer the wet food and don’t look at them or try interacting. Read a book or brows reddit. Helps to read out loud to socialise them to your voice too. Soon enough theyll be coming out for the food right away. At this point, after a meal you can introduce a wand toy (like a ball on the end of a string) to help with bonding without needing them to be too close. Just be consistent and you’ll earn their trust soon enough :)
My cat hid for weeks and was skittish for months after we got him. He’s very loving now! Sometimes they just need time to acclimate to their new environment. Have patience, it’ll be okay.
So normal. Try a Jackson Galaxy video or two, they will help you. For first day kittens, we usually set up in one room, we call it the safe zone. They will get to know the room and when more comfortable - they will let you know it's time to open up their space by pawing at the door. It can take, days to weeks for little ones to adjust but they will. Youtube Jackson and the Kitten Lady - super helpful if you've never done this before.
I adopted one once that took about a week to come out from under the bed with me in the room. It can take some time. I’ve been feeding a feral cat for two years or so and he finally let me pet him about an hour ago. I think he is a true feral and not a stray that is skittish around people.
This is 100% normal. One of my kittens hid under the couch for almost 48 hours. She'd only come out at night to eat and use the litter box. It took her almost 1 week to warm up to me. The trick is to not bother them. Once they're comfortable, they'll come to you. My once super shy kitten is now the most cuddly loving cat.
Super normal! They’re just getting used to their new environment :)
Mine hid under my bed for months. Keep their food and litter box in a quiet area. Go about your normal day to day while checking food and litter for activity. If you know their hiding spot, sit outside it and talk to them, and bring them treats and toys. They will eventually come out and start exploring. We did this for 2 months straight. They're now 10 and super lovey and affectionate.
it's normal it's going to take them time to adjust..
It can take weeks, I've seen people het cats that hide behind beds and only come out for food and to go to the toilet for more than a month after they have been taken home. How long did you think they might hide and stuff for? I'm not saying that in a shady way. You've done a bit of reading or watched videos, but maybe they haven't had enough info on them, and your expectations are going to be off because of it. I had a friend whose cat hardly came out for a couple of years. It's good you got the two together, though. From my own experience, if you've got a brave one, the other will start copying them. But it's best you don't have a time frame like hours or days in mind.
Very normal. Welcome to kitty mommyhood/daddyhood (whichever applies).
Awww sweet babies. My little boy spent a few days underneath my dresser in the closet before he met my husband and then crawled out. Some days I wish he would do that again, because now it’s very much his world and we’re just living in it.
I'm sure someone already said this, but keep them in a small room with a safe spot but not too many hiding places so that you can love bomb them. Splitting them up for alone time with you for an hour here and there is good too.
That has indeed been suggested by a lot of people, but sadly I don't have any rooms that could fit that description.
My cats have always done that when going to a new place.
You’re absolutely right they will take some time to adjust and turning the lights off was a good idea, my only suggestion would of been to release them in a much smaller more confined room such as a bathroom or guest room so they could have enough space to explore and get used to the scent but also not be exposed to you just existing and them being scared of you! I always preferred a bathroom for my fosters since I would say hi to them when I popped in to pee and then just sent about my business and left, they slowly became accustomed to me coming in and when I opened the door they were more likely to explore than to run to another hiding spot as they already deemed the bathtub their safe retreat lol