New cat showing no sign of wanting to come out of hiding...

[GatoradeMeBitch]

For five days she has been hidden in the downstairs bathroom. There's a litter tray in there, a bed for her, and food and water. I think she dashes for cover at the first sign of someone walking towards the door. I haven't even really seen her face! She eats her food, no problem, but she has crapped in her bed twice though she pees in the litter tray so she knows what it's for. I think she did it because the bed is covered so she feels safer. When I leave the door ajar she seems very frightened and I'll see her wedged in the furthest corner under the shelves, so I'm shutting the door for now.

She will eventually come out and say hello won't she??

My cat did this when we moved. Hid under the duvet for 5 days. Slowly but surely she came out, but still liked to dive back under for comfort at any perceived threat.

It's important she has a little small, dark, safe place while she gets her bearings. Does she let you stroke her or give her a chin rub when she's hiding?

Where did you get her from?.

Oh, sorry I thought I mentioned it! She's a foster, my seventh. Two of the others needed to hide away for 2/3 days, but at five days I'm a bit concerned she may be starting to settle into a daily routine. She was a stray.

I can't really reach her to stroke her. She's chosen her spot well. She's under a shelving unit, which then has a small wheelout trolley in front of it. I haven't moved that yet because I don't want her to feel under siege. So, I can see her under there, but she only reacts by shutting her eyes at me if you know what I mean by that, that purposeful eye shutting that they do! She won't come forward even when I hold a treat out to her.

Do you know her history,Gatorade ? And what sort of household do you have? (eg size of house, DCs, other pets, visitors, working routines etc etc.)

Sorry - X post.

What are you (and any other family) doing while she sits in her tent?

Well she's smiling at you with the slow blink so that's encouraging do you do the slow blink back? Have you tried winking at her.. mine comes with purpose right into my face when I wink at her. I'd love to know what I'm saying.

I had a rescue kitten years ago who had been badly treated. He stayed under the sofa for nearly 2 weeks.

I used to sit on the floor where he could see me in the evenings and trust slowly grew.

He turned out to be the most awesome cat ever and lived a long happy weird life.

I'll try lying on the floor and winking at her, why not?

There's only DS here. He crouches down to chat to her when he's in the bathroom, I can hear him, but he hasn't had any success yet either.

I'll see how she goes for a few more days then, I don't want to push her before she's ready to deal with people.

I actually haven't slow blinked back, how thick am I? I can't see her too well, the light's quite dim in there, so she may not see it if I do. I'll give it a go though!

That's lovely BeCool Yes, I think this lady might be a long term project. I'm still covered in scratches from my last boisterous house guest, so shy and quiet is fine with me if it's fine with her!

If she can see you to smile at you she'll see you smile back. Slow blinking is good. . It's the intense stare through stress even if you do the slow blink that isnt.

I think she'll come round. Just spend time with her and maybe tickle her prey thing with feathers on the end of a wand in the next week?

As I've posted before, Seniorboy went into hiding for - Oh - 3-4 weeks when my mother died and he came to this house. He was a seemingly frail older cat even then and was strongly bonded to my Mum so was realistically expected to go into a despond and pop his clogs as Siamese can do in extreme circumstances.

We just left him to it and got on with life, only knowing he was still alive because his tray was being used and left-out ham bits (his last meals (Huh!)) were consistently going missing from the kitchen in the early hours. We never found his hiding place. (It's a big old house.)

After the 3-4 weeks, he'd clearly acquainted himself with the new household routine and sounds and was likely becoming bored with his tent. He suddenly appeared in the daytime and re-bonded with me. That was 6 happy years ago and he's still going.

I'd give her another tray if you can (she may not like pooing and peeing in the same one) maybe putting a bit of soil on the top if she's been a stray and used to using flowerbeds etc. (Just for her comfort.) Maybe also a radio or consistent other sound producer on low volume. Then get on with your own life.

Oh - and I'd leave the door to her place open/ajar if you can guarantee safety and containment in the rest of the house. She might well want to do some recces when you're all asleep and knowing that she can get out might actually help her.

It took our two (not strays, but not used to human contact) weeks (about 4 of them) before we had any proof that they were still in the house other than food going and litter tray being used. I was seriously questioning if we had done the right thing in getting them. That was about 9 months ago. Sadly we lost one (he was run over) but his sister is a gorgeous loving playful cat now and loves having people around.

Do you have a covered litter tray she could have?

Oh yes - and when they did first emerge it was in the dead of night - they would play chase up and down the stairs at 3am and would have disappeared again by the time we got up!

Good idea to leave the door open at night, I'll do that, then she can have access to the kitchen and living room.

OK, I feel better about this now. I'll have to get a book on cat behaviour, seven foster cats along and I still feel thrown when anything new happens!

I will ask my area welfare officer for a covered tray. I did have one, but my cat hated it and knocked the door off.

Worth a try. Good luck to you all.