Rescue cats hiding/sleeping all day and playing all night when everyone is in bed?!

[JamForTea]

They won't stay like this will they?! We've only had them a week admittedly. One is braver and a bit more sociable but we've barely seen the other!!

[RoosterCogburn]

One of my rescues hid for about a month. She decided to set up camp in the spare room.
She'd been badly mistreated so we just left her alone and carried on with our normal routine.
We put her food and litter tray in there. At night we'd hear her running round the house. She's even get onto the bed and peer at us.
Gradually she go bolder, she'd peep into the living room in the evening and sit on a chair under the kitchen table watching us.
Now she thinks she owns the house!
Gve it time and I'm sure they'll be more sociable.

[JamForTea]

Thanks! I'm hoping that will be the case. The fosterer said she'd be shy but was actually more affectionate than the braver girl once she trusts. I'm just afraid our household is so much different to what she's used to that she'll never come out of her shell! Maybe I should put some food up in the bedroom because I'm pretty sure she's only eating at night.

[RoosterCogburn]

The other night when RoosterCat was running around the house - she likes to ambush us on the stairs through the banisters and she steals things and carried them off - DH said wistfully "remember the happy days when we only heard her at night"
Hopefully, given time that'll be you!

[thecatneuterer]

That's really normal. Give it a month and you won't believe they were ever that shy.

[Daimgirl]

Girlcat (now little old lady cat) was the same also a rescue.

Now rules the house with a rod of iron. (see my other thread where she is trying to freak me out)

She's about half the size of Boycat (same age, different parents) she always gets first choice of food/treats etc.


We just let her dictate the pace for the first 3-4 months.

She does have food issues so we leave dry food down all the time. Neither of them over eat unless we let the food tray go empty, then she panics and eats till she pukes.

She is now a loveable nightmare, very affectionate, total lap cat.

I think once they realise that you'r not going to abuse them and are a source of food/treats and petting you'll be fine

[givemushypeasachance]

I got my boys last summer and one was particularly shy/timid - he hid down the side of some shelves and would only come out if he thought I wasn't looking. When he got a bit more bold he'd still dart away if I walked towards him, and he'd cringe if I tried to touch him - only took treats if I put them on the floor. It took two months of perseverance, playing with fishing rod toys while pretending not to look at him and offering of cooked chicken from my hand before he finally trusted me enough to let me stroke him. Then it was like a dam broke and he was all purry and ankle-rubbing and pestering for attention! Give it time, they'll eventually be won around with a bit of patience and some tasty treats.