Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Urgent help! New kitten under sofa for over 12 hours

9 replies

MindySimmons · 02/09/2010 07:53

Help! Picked up our new siberian kitten and since getting him home last night, I managed to show him where his food is andvlitter tray but since leaving his carry box we've managed some cuddles but he's now spent all night under the sofa, crying until 4am and still hasn't come out. So no food, water or toilet for over 12 hours.

What do I do?

OP posts:
SecretNutellaFix · 02/09/2010 08:07

I would stop trying to get him out- he's probably terrified.

FWIW, when I brrought my kittens home 7 years ago one got underneath the kitchen cupboards and it took 2 hours to dismantle them to allow him to get out.

Do you have any rod type toys for him, maybe entice him out in a couple of hours if he hasn;t emerged?

Northernlurker · 02/09/2010 08:13

Oh dear - he sounds scared and wanting his mum. Maybe keep the house as quiet as you can and leave some food not very far away from the sofa - that may tempt him out - but he's only a baby and he needs to get used to you all

ThatDamnDog · 02/09/2010 08:15

Poor thing. If you can, leave food, water and litter close to the sofa and shut the door so nobody goes into the room for a few hours. He's just terrified, giving him space and peace and quiet is all you can do. Coaxing and poking at him isn't likely to help.

ethelina · 02/09/2010 08:18

Try enclosing the area just in front of the sofa with cardboard boxes etc, so he can only see a small area ahead. Kittens are usually scared of wide open spaces in unfamiliar territory so it might just make him feel happier about venturing out. Leave some food and then back off. He will come out eventually.

Attenborough · 02/09/2010 08:24

Don't worry! It's really really normal. The poor wee thing is just a bit scared but he'll come round. If you have DC, leave him under there until you get them to school / up for a nap as he won't cope with them while he's feeling like this.

First thing to do is to stick a bowl of food and a bowl of water under there - being hungry will only make him even more scared. Then, when the house is quiet, lie on the floor near the sofa. Don't stick your arms under it, just lie where he can see you and if he's looking at you, make some very slow blinks at him - slower the better. That's the cat equivalent of a smile.

Be patient, and he will venture out. When he does, don't stroke him directly, but try holding your hand out in a fist, and he'll probably head-but it and then smell you. Let him get used to your smell again, then you can stroke him very gently.

If I were you, I'd then start the rehoming again from scratch. Put him in a small, quiet room with water, food and his litter tray and visit him in there being very calm and quiet when you do. It'll only take a few hours, IME, perhaps a few days at most before he's bouncing and brave and desperate to get out from that room to explore, and then you can let him learn about the house at his own pace.

If he's crying for his mum overnight, he probably needs something to sleep with. Ideally, he could sleep near you (I put a dining chair by my bed so I can do vague stroking in my sleep overnight) but if that won't work, get him a furry hot water bottle and make it slightly warm before you go to bed.

You should also want to consider a Feliway diffuser - not cheap to buy but they last for ages and are very effective. Most cat shelters / catteries / breeders use them for stressed or anxious cats. We foster cats and kittens and wouldn't dream of not using one for a kitten like this.

SecretNutellaFix · 02/09/2010 18:08

How is he this evening?

tulpe · 02/09/2010 21:36

do hope he is feeling better and more sociable this evening :)

If it's any consolation, one of our cats was like this when he arrived home.

larahusky · 02/09/2010 22:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ilovesprouts · 13/09/2010 20:02

i once got a farm cat ,would not come anywhere near for a few days ,but now she wont leavre me alone ,just give the cat time she will come round leave her food and water where she can get it:)

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread