Help needed with cat hiding

[thisonebreath]

Hello,
I'm currently fostering two cats who's owners had to move as their rented accommodation was being sold and the only place they could find wouldn't accept pets.

They've been with me since Thursday night. One of them managed to get under the bath last night and won't come out. I could see him last night with a torch but can't now. I can't tempt him out - I've tried cat food, tuna and ham. What should I do?? Leave him for a bit? I don't want to have to take the bath panel off if I don't have to as it'll need breaking the seal and I may need to break the bath panel as well.

Any advice very gratefully received! I've left a bowl of tuna and ham at the entrance.

Leave him. If he got in he'll get out. The tuna will help

He'll come out eventually! Best of luck :)

Thank you. I really hope it works soon. I tried with tuna and ham last night to no avail. He's been under there over 12 hours now unless he snuck out overnight. 😔

He can definitely get out as the other cat also ran under there but she was tempted out by tuna and ham. She's currently upstairs.

Definetly leave him. We did the same and the cat hid for the first few days. We rang the vet just to check if it was OK to leave them be and it's a very normal reaction to a change. Leave - they'll surface eventually.

Good on you for fostering two cats in need! The cat will probably come out when no-one’s around. If you notice that the food is being eaten, maybe try moving the bowl a little further from the bath each time.

Take the food away when you’re not there?

My cat responds to favourite, catnip toys, jungly bells and the sound of a dreamiest packet opening.

Is there any chance the owners could come and help, their presence might tempt him out.

Ooh I'll definitely try catnip. Owners may be able to come over, I'll give it another day first to see if he comes out.

Just leave him. I had a rescue cat that spent three weeks under a sideboard. I left a litter tray, food and water nearby and he'd sneak out when nobody was there.

He came round eventually and settled in fine.

Please let them hide. If you try and get him out he'll be more stressed. Our cat hid for a month when we got him. I didn't see him at all. Now he's very much at home. He'll come out when he's ready.

Just leave him, he’ll come out when he’s ready. I’m used to invisible foster cats, they all come out in the end. Make sure there is food, water and a litter tray available, he’ll probably sneak out at night.

Thank you everyone. I've left food and water and the litter tray nearby and will stop poking my head under to check him.

Oh bless him, he'll come out, cats love hiding.
One tip with the litter tray, once it's in a position don't move it around, cats are very particular with litter trays and it can throw them off if it's moved constantly.
Hope he comes out soon.

Good luck, one of my recently adopted kittens was feral from a cat colony, he took weeks to get used to me, and now he's amazing and really happy - good luck!

I second leaving him. One of my four moggies is from a feral colony and she spent the first 3 months of her life here hiding under the stairs except for going to the litterbox. But she'd gradually stop hissing, then allow a small pet while she was there, and eventually she came out more and more and now roams the house with the others. She'll never be a sociable lap cat, but she loves to chase the red dot, play with the catnip toys and cuddle up with the others. Some cats are just very reserved.

Did he come out in the end, OP?

Hello, I've just seen this. Yes he did. 😊 They are such lovely cats. Thank you again everyone.