Mom just adopted a cat... but it is hiding...
 

My 87-year-old Mom just adopted a 3-yo kitty from the SPCA yesterday. We made the mistake of letting her out in the basement (where the litter box will be located) rather than setting her up in a small room upstairs to become used to her surroundings.

Yes, that was definitely a big mistake. While we were blocking off the sump hole so that she wouldn't be able to accidentally fall into it, she disappeared somewhere in the cellar and has not been seen since.

Mom puttered around down there all afternoon, but did not see or hear the cat at all. She (Mom) is pretty upset. She really wants a cat to keep her company, as her previous kitty died this past spring.

Is this hiding normal? We're worried about the new kitty, because she was just spayed, too, and we're supposed to be keeping an eye on the incision.

Ideas? Advice?

She probably will hide for a while. Make sure there is some food set out for her. Eventually she will get hungry and come out to eat. Give her time. She probably will come around. I rescued a very small kitten once that had come to work with a coworker via the engine compartment of his truck. He was a mess. I took him to the vet for an exam and shots and then brought him home and put him in a room. The 2nd day, we opened the door to the room so he could come out if he wanted and the other cats could start sniffing him out. I had 3 other cats at the time. He eventually started coming out to just play with the other cats. He would run if a human approached him. It took almost a year before I was able to pet him and once he figured out how good it felt, he couldn't get enough of the belly rubs!

Being as this is an older cat, it may take a while before she is comfortable. She just came from a shelter and had surgery. Lots of changes in her world. Make sure you have her litter box up and running. This way you will be able to see if she comes out of hiding when you or your mother aren't around. (and cats are clean, they don't like to go to the bathroom in their environment) Give her some time to adjust.

As for keeping an eye on her incision, cats do a very good job of caring for themselves. They don't tend to cause pain or harm to themselves. And cats have an incredible ability to heal themselves. Their bodies will fight off many infections that would take a dog or human down. I'm assuming she has the type of stitches that dissolve on their own.

(FYI, I just recently finished my schooling last month for my Associates Degree in Registered Vet Technology. Maybe I did learn something after all!!)

poor kitty is afraid, just think how you would feel if you lost your home, had your belly messed with n it hurts, please do search for this baby and help mom.. show it love
look in the tinest of places where its dark...good luck

We always had cats growing up new cats will do just that they will find a safe place where they are hidden until they realize they are safe they could stay in there a couple of days. Leave some food and water/milk out for them they will eventually wander out to eat and scope the place out. It normally doesn't last more than a week or two when they want some affection they will come out.

Poor baby. I put my fur baby in a big dog pen. When we let her out, she ran under tbe dresser. She came afound. I thnk its just natural to jide and ck you out from a distance. Have you mom speak in a soft voice and call her name. I just kept saying zoey over and over again. In a few days she was answering. She wwuldnt meow till she was a out 9 mos. Old. Now...shell carry on a conversation. Bezt of luck, keep us posted.

When I first got my cat, he was 2 years old and he did hide for a few days. He hid under my waterbed. I talked to him when I was in the room, but I left him alone, I didn't try to force him out. After a couple of days I saw him peeking out at me, I think he was curious. So I opened a can of tuna and fed him tiny bits, gave him lots of petting. He warmed up pretty quick after that. He was such a good cat - he was so affectionate he was more like a dog.

Leave this baby some food, water, a soft bed in a covered/hidden/'secure' place, and leave the door to upstairs open during the day in case she wants to investigate. I'll bet you'll find that she eats. If you will try canned/wet food instead of just dry (wet has more protein, which cats need), you will also be better able to tell if she is eating it.

Good luck with this poor traumatized little one.

Jan in VA

I am with Sheila. We adopted a traumatized cat several years back. She spent about ten days hiding under my bed, only slinking out to eat and use the litter box. A little at a time, her curiosity got the best of her, and she started exploring. Tell your mom to go slow, and she will have a best friend for many years!

I have two feral cats, kept them in a wire open cage with eveything they needed for a while. Closed the door to clean cage and litter box. I let them get use to me and that room before I let them go anywhere else. I had too many hiding places. I hope your Mom's cat will be the companion she wants.

I agree with setting out the food and water. It's a good way to see if she's still down there and you could set up some upstairs as well just in case the small thing did get out of the basement. If the food and water disappears in either place you'll know if and where she's at, or at least the area and you'll know she's ok because she's eating.

Cats sleep a lot during the day and come out at night, that's when she will go exploring. If possible maybe mom can stay up and put out a plate of canned food, that will get the kitty moving. Then she might be able to speak to the cat so she will get used to her voice and start building trust. Cats won't eat what they can't smell so the stinkier the food the better. Also, look up, cats like to climb. When I adopted my cat he somehow was able to get on top on my kitchen cabinets and hid in the space between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling.

also set up a radio on low where the cat can hear it. It won't feel so alone with voices to hear and will be more used to someone talking to it when it does come out of hiding.

Please let us know when the kitty comes out of hiding. I hope everything is ok.

poor frightened kitty. We have a "found" calico that is what I call a "tree cat" as opposed to a "bush cat"....she managed to find the one spot in the finished basement that had an opening into the drop ceiling just large enough for her to squeeze thru and there she was for several hours before we could coax her out.....so yes, besides lurking in dark corners (which she also did) look up......leaving out smelly wet food is a good idea, she will eventually come out and join your mom..........just have mom go down there daily and "talk" to the basement........also have her (mom) talk out loud occasionally upstairs in the living areas, kitty will hear the familiar voice and venture out..........

My daughter adopted a very old cat from the local shelter, she did the same thing but eventually claimed the house as her own much to the dismay of the two other cats my daughter has...lol...

Hi, dont worry to much if you don't see her for a few days. Checking the litter box and food are good ideas to make sure she is still moving around down there. She will probably come out on her own when she gets more comfortable. We have one we used to call the closet kitty, that is where she hid for the first 5 months when she came here. She is lots better now. The incision should be fine if she is staying dry and warm, and is eating and drinking ok. If all of this does not work then call the shelter and see if someone there can give you some help. Most of the people that work at them are helpful and they are going to want both the cat and your mom happy. You might have your mom just sit quietly instead of wandering around down there, she might be scaring the cat.
Vet. tech and pet owner for longer than I want to think about

The kitty did start to come out yesterday. Her food dish was empty, and the litter box had been used. I was able to tempt her to come out with more dry food, which she ate out of my hand. Ravenously! She was so hungry that I was able to even get her to come upstairs for a bit. She investigated, then retreated to the basement.

I think that she is afraid of the sound of my Mom moving around upstairs, and I think she is also afraid of her walker. I suggested that Mom go downstairs every couple of hours and add just a little bit of food to kitty's dish, so that she gets to associate Mom and the walker both with food.

Things are improving!

I"m so glad she appeared. We had plumbers in the house recently and one of my three cats is extremely timid. She crawled up under the stairs to the basement and stayed there for about 3 to 4 hours after than had gone.

you might gradually move the litter box and her food up the steps, leaving the upstairs door open. i doubt if she'll get into mischief as she is older. She will "own" the whole house before you know it.

We adopted one cat from the SPCA and when we brought her home, she kept hiding in the recliner. There was a piece of fabric that hung down like a sling (probably kept the recliner from going all the way back). After a week, she would come out and was fine. However, she did still like to hide there if she was upset.

Yeah! She will come around.

Glad things are looking up.

milk is is not a part of a cat's diet. usually they are lactose intollerant.

We adopted Pearl 1 yr ago when she was 6 mo. I was dissapointed at first because she was not to be seen. Second day when we came back from work she was nowhere, well she was inside the arm of a sofa bed. It took us hours to take her out and ended up puttin two pillows to block the entrance to her cave. They are still there! LOL.
She would walk aroun and at the minimal noise she would run to hide, inside a closet, under the beds, you name it.
She changed with sometime, she is still shy but at night she woul jump to the bed to play, and at 3-4 am she would walk on my belly or my side looking for some petting. Funny, she owns the house now!

I stopped by today and the little kitty now spends most of her time upstairs, hoping for more food. She even sat on my lap for quite a while. So all is going extremely well now.

Seems her ambition is to become an obese kitty, judging by how much food she eats! Mom is not going to have to limit her rations!

Glad it worked out (it usually does with cats). Sometimes the least likely end up being the closest, or most entertaining.

Rush8888 is correct that cats (and dogs) are lactose intolerant. You don't have to buy special dog/cat milk, we just buy lactose free milk (the UHT kind) meant for people. Works out cheaper than the pet brands.