New Kitten in hiding!

[eachpeachbarebum]

Hi. I don't know why I'm posting really because I know I need to wait for him to come out in his own time but I'm finding it tough and hate the thought of going to bed with him hiding and scared.
We picked up our new kitten tonight.he is confined to the kitchen with food, bed, litter tray and a couple of toys.
It's been 5 hrs since we got him.he stayed in his carrier under the kitchen table and let me stroke him a little bit. Then my husband went to check on him, he hissed (kitten not husband!) And is now somewhere under our run of kitchen cupboards having got through loose kickback. We didn't see him do this it's just a process of elimination that there is nowhere else he can be.
I know I should have foreseen this, I hold my hands up so please don't flame me.
I don't want to take other kickbacks off to find him and cause him further stress. I'm trying to tell myself that it's fine that he can hide and feel secure until ready to come out but the waiting is hard.
I also just read a forum talking about a bonding room that should not be a room people are in and out of. I thought it best to start him where all his things are going to be and to be around people. I've read another recent thread about kitten settling but would appreciate some advice/ reassurance.

Kickboards not kickbacks.

Sorry forgot to ask best to leave kitchen light on or switch off?

Thanks sugar.no no chicken but do have some ham which he'd probably turn his nose up at! I have turned lights off and come upstairs but don't think I'll be getting much sleep! It's too tempting to keep popping down to check.
His wet food is still out in his bowl and I've sprinkled a cardboard scratcher thing with some catnip. Clutching at straws.

Oh bless him.
No words of wisdom but the first time I looked after DC's grown but tiny and shy cat he spent 8 hours hidden behind a washer/dryer that was too heavy to move and he was ok in the end.

Thanks both of you. I feel a bit better now . It's just a bit unnervingly quiet. I'd like to just here a meow to show he was still with us! Guess that defeats the effort of hiding though.
I'm going to get some sleep now so reassured am I now! Sugar I'll expect more of the same for a couple of days then.
Enrique I will now check he's not behind/in my washing machine before I put a load on.

Ok please calm me down.i really expected some food to have been eaten by this morning.there is no sign or sound from him.the kickboards won't budge. I am trying to keep upbeat for the dc but mind is going in silly directions! Do tried to remove kickboards before going to work and we are both concerned that there is no sound if life at all.could it be that stealthy?!
I am getting really worried. Any advice, experience or reassurance please?!

Do not do, though I might try asking do for help too!

Do! !sorry.

Bloody auto correct . I'm not even going to try again.

Oh dear how worrying.
Are you at home today Peach?

Stay calm. Kitten may not be used to feeding at night.

When our cat was ill the vet recomended Hi Life fod as it smells quite strong, also warming it a little to release more tempting aromas. Or you could try tuna in springwater, a lot of cats go mad for that.

Other than that I'd give your local cat rescue people a ring for advice.

I'll check back later.

Ps they do sleep a lot

Thanks so much Enrique.
Someone suggested I play a youtube clip of cats and kittens. This resulted in lots of meowing from under the cupboards do I am much happier!
I do think it may be a bit cruel to let him think other cays are around though. I spent 20 minutes sitting on the floor having a meowing chat with him. He went quiet when I started moving round and boiled the kettle. I just didn't think this through properly.
I am going to keep going in and spending time with him. Not sure whether to get him out somehow and block up the gap but am leaning towards sticking with it and letting him hide out as long as he wants.
On the plus side I'm avoiding washing up, putting the washing machine on and cooking.
I will update later if Ok. It's nice to be able to share. He is so cute and I can't wait for him to be comfortable with us.

Mine lived behind the fridge at first as well. Eventually came out tempted by smelly food - then went back. Lived like that for about a week.

She'll come round, you've just got a shy one.

My purposely selected 'nice quiet and shy' kitten is a ball of manic meowing mayhem these days.

The active, ball of fluff is a stately gentleman by comparison.

It's such a worry because you think you've done something awful, but when you hear that it's not that uncommon then I think it helps a bit. Above all, don't get wound up too much.

Keep Peachkitten company and talk in a soft voice as well as kitten noises. Perhaps some dried treats might help? Just a few in one of those metal feeding dishes make a very distinctive noise when you rattle the bowl?

Above all it sounds like a huge helping of patience is the order of the day Don't forget as well as shy kittens can be quite curious (eventually)

Hi.not sure why but I keep clicking on posts and then it disappears, same as the cat!
Anyway whoknew you made me smile and I said in my disappearing post I will prepare for the long game but can happily say that he has now emerged! He chose dinner time to come out and as I didn't want to approach him our tea burnt on the stove. But I'm so happy.he hid again but he has eaten tuna prepared just as you said Enrique, thank you. He has also had some wet food and I've put more tuna down.
I know it will be slow but am much happier now he's eaten.
He peeped round the door at me and he looked so gorgeous! He had a glint in his eye so I reckon he'll be causing mischief here soon
Thanks for reassuring me. I've realised today that I'm less patient than I thought!

Well, I can go to bed now with one less thing to worry about Young Peachkitten has been on my mind all day, which is a little bit silly because I do know from experience that they can hide away for hours and hours and not come to any harm.

Sorry your dinner got spoilt Peach. Small price to pay really. It's a gradual settling in which seems to take for ever, but is no time at all really in the scheme of things. Tuna is frowned on in some quarters but I have to say, as an occasional treat, ours never leave a morsel. It's the only food 100% guaranteed to be cleaned up.

Dare I ask what about a litter tray?

Please keep updating because he sounds an absolute delight really

Aha sorry Enrique. Little peach kitten is making his mark everywhere. I'm sitting in the kitchen with him now . He's really wary but has been washing himself and is now sitting with his paws tucked under him.think he's going to sleep so must feel fairly relaxed.saying that when I stood up to refill his dish he hissed impressively at me! Dh is confined to living room. Peach kit hides if he or dc appear.
He's also been trying to chase a fly off his food bowl.tried to leave him to do some work in next room but swear is was shouting at me to go in to him!
I won't make a habit of the tuna but it's worth it to get him out.
As for litter tray it's in the room and is exactly the same as he's been used to but I have a feeling I'll be needing to take the kickboards off to check for little deposits! The I don't care where he does it for now.
Sugar, thanks too for checking back. He's edging nearer as I type.almost an arm's length away . I'm falling in love with him he's so cute.
When he's settled I may try and post a pic just to properly bore you all.
Think I'm going to like hanging out at the litter tray

Without pictures I am going to ignore you.

will see what I can do. He's acting so weird. Lying down with eyes closed then suddenly standing up and meowing like he's shouting at me! He's edging closer though. Can't see me going to bed anytime soon! As soon as he's in mood for photos ill be onto it who knows.

Oh YY to a pic or two.

I just thought of something else that seems to work like a charm here.
In my experience the cat really does sit on the mat. They're drawn to them.
We lost one cat and eventually found him asleep in the bathroom, guess where? on the mat. Another one always goes and lies on sheets of newspaper (bizarre) We put his bowls on a double sheet because he can be a bit messy throwing food out. When I clean the floor I throw out the paper and have caught him several times sitting on it on the patio. Bless.

The other thing I find guaranteed to attract them is empty cardboard boxes to explore.
But as with anything you have to put them out and then totally ignore them. These things have to be found for themselves.

By the way don't worry for the next day or even two about the deposits, just make sure he has access to plenty of fresh water. They can go without food or using the litter tray for solids while they adjust to the new routine (obviously not for ridiculously long periods, just perhaps a bit longer than you might think)

When I started fostering and took in rescues the vet told me that so long as a cat's dry and has water they can survive longer than you'd expect. Out of the normal circumstances I mean.

Am sure you're going to be fine together.

Thanks for all these pearls.please keep them coming.i can do mats for him ( mentally going through house on mat hunt!)
I was onto the cardboard box idea and have one casually left in the next room he'll meet after the kitchen.
I've left him now and come up to bed.tis hard and guess that's why so many end up in bedrooms but it was a condition of getting him that we wouldn't. ..dh has been in with him and peach kitten actually talked to him and stood his ground.
Turned out to be a good day largely helped by you all.thank you
Enrique that must be hard work but rewarding to foster. Guess you must have been through this umpteen times. Was going to ask about your cat family but guess it's always changing.
I normally lurk /hide under cupboards but this board is lovely.starting to feel right at home myself

Hello Peach

My 6 month old kitten is teething, so I'm up at silly O'clock. however, he's now speeding about the house, investigating anything that could be knocked over, off his little cat-face on Metacam.

Re. tempting him out with food - cats go mental for chicken. So a warm chicken breast left to waft it's deliciousness around the kitchen can work wonders. As others have said, tuna in spring water (as opposed to brine because cats can't tolerate much salt) is another tempter.

But mostly, I wanted to say just carry on doing what you're doing because you sound like a lovely cat guardian. When he ventures out to say hello, have something delicious ready to feed him. That will help gain his trust.

I must admit, I did melt a bit when you posted that you let your dinner burn so as not to upset him.

Welcome to the loveliness of being owned by a cat!

I recall Firstcat hiding behind the piano for two days - no-one could coax him out apart from me and even I wasn't always successful.

Great that he's reappeared - just remember that this is as tough for him as it is for you.

Looking forward to the pics.