Very timid kitten

[myroomisatip]

I am really worried about her.

We got boy kitten day before xmas eve and decided to have his little sister the day after.

The little male is doing really well, but the female just hides constantly, trembles, will not interact with her brother and is barely eating. I am really worried about her. I would like to get her checked out but I fear a visit to the vet with just further traumatise her.

Anyone have any experience or suggestions please?

TIA

Give her time, put food, water and litter close to her, in a nice quiet area, consider a feliway diffuser too. Gradually move the food, water and litter a little further away so she will hopefully start exploring a slightly wider area.

I wouldn't take her to the vets unless at least two weeks of the above, with a feliway thingy going doesn't have any effect

Thanks Lubey.

Yes, we are doing all of that. It is lovely to see them snuggle up together, she hides behind her brother :)

What is 'Feliway' and where would I get some? A pet store?

Let her set her own pace, myroom - for a good few days yet at any rate. Put her in a quiet spot of her own with, food water and litter (put down some nice tasty chopped up cooked chicken or something late at night so that it's still fresh if she comes to it in the early hours) and let her get used to the changed environment.

Resist the temptation to go hauling her out to check her. You'll be able to judge by the food and litter tray if she's eating and pooing/peeing.

Do you know what sort of environment she came from? eg if she was in a quiet house with no DCs and you have the opposite, say?

Sorry - crossed post.

Well that's good then. Just don't expect her to be the same character as her Bro. As I mentioned, let her make the running.

Feliway is a pheromone thing that is meant to calm them. Available as a spray and a diffuser. Try pet shops, vets and on line. Some cats are just like this. They do tend to settle but she might never be as easy going as the brother. On the upside I have a cat like this. She's way better now aged 2.5 than she was at 12 weeks when I got her. She's also in love with me only and is my special friend. Yes I know I'm a weird cat lady.

Feliway doesnt work on my cat. I buy zylkene tablets instead but if they are sensitive to milk then it gives them a runny tummy.

She will come around eventually, we had a pair of kittens and the timid female ended up being top cat.

It just takes a while sometimes.

i have fostered kittens for a rescue and some of them have been feral born or timid and i found that when i was sitting quietly doing nothing the best thing to do with the timid ones was, pick them up confidently ,at first they arent keen, hold them to me quite firmly, whisper to them and reasure them that no harm will come to them, a bit like a baby whos upset, and i find that once they realise that you are not going to harm them they come to you, leaving them on thier own in another room reinforces the humans are something to avoid

Sorry, issey - I didn't mean to imply that you actually shut them in another place. I always leave doors open so that they can explore and sit and watch from a corner; or come out when things get quiet. I think you have to go with the cat's nature though.

We got two rescue cats a couple of years ago and with one of them it took 6 months before she let us give her the tiniest touch. She still freaks with being picked up but has just spent 30 mins leaning against me on the sofa and having her chest rubbed.
Time, a quiet environment and lots of patience. It feels fantastic once they trust you!

A couple of things occurred to me.

Do a lot of talking all the time even if you feel daft - talk to her all the time as if she was right beside you and use her name a lot in a definite way. If you see her come into the room, or sitting at the top of the stairs or something, just call her name to her but don't advance on her - let her come to you at the call if she wants. (She will, eventually.)

Also - the more rigid a household schedule you can manage the better. (They like routine in my experience.) It doesn't need to be forever - just when she's feeling antsy.