Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

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

Original poster

Just adopted a cat... But no sign of her!

56 replies

Ringsming · 08/08/2015 16:25

So today we went to the shelter and fell in love with a little 1 1/2 yr old female and brought her home. Of course she immediately disappeared into the darkest corner of the house. We are beginning to get a bit concerned though because there's no sign of her at all!

Tell me this is normal....

OP posts:
Original poster
Ringsming · 09/08/2015 22:38

Sorry I mean just outside the litter box. She's moved now to the sofa in our main room. Though she's also peeing I think... Hmm.

Tips on removing catpee from sofas?

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 09/08/2015 23:43

Ouch - I mean good that she's come out of hiding but not so good that she's not using her tray to pee. Did the shelter give you any idea what litter she had been using when she was with them and what her peeing and pooing behaviour was like during her time with them?

You're being commendably calm about it. Smile

chemenger · 10/08/2015 15:55

You need Simple Solution spray for the pee, you can get it in Pets at home, in my extensive experience it removes the smell and the stain well. If she doesn't sort out using her tray quickly you might need to have a few more around the house until she settles.

chemenger · 10/08/2015 15:57

Our last adult rescue cat took a month to come out of hiding and 10 years to be in any way nice to us (she's a bit senile now and seems to have forgotten that she hates us). Every other cat I have had has been fine in a week or so.

msrisotto · 10/08/2015 16:05

Yeah Simple Solution is good, or you can make your own with 1 part bio washing powder/liquid and 9 parts water.

www.cinqueportsvets.co.uk/information/info_cats_cleaning-up-urine.html

msrisotto · 10/08/2015 16:06

I found that my cat knew where she wanted to pee, and I just had to put a litter tray there accordingly! Might not be in the best location in your opinion, but she only cares about her opinion....

Original poster
Ringsming · 11/08/2015 10:05

hi thanks for the great tips chemenger and msrisotto!

So .. update. We're now on Day 4. she has moved to pooing in the plant pot. We have put the litter try next to the plant pot. She must have made quite an effort to dig a little hole and contort herself !!

However we haven't managed to find her latest hiding place! she's definitely eating well. And starts talking to the moon around midnight.

I suspect she is more of an outside cat and might have been quite wild before. Though the cat I grew up with was quite like this so doesn't feel too weird to me.

Thinking about hanging around where we think she's hiding with some kind of irresistible cat snacks so we can start some interactions! We're also going to try Feliway to see if it calms her down a bit.

OP posts:
chemenger · 11/08/2015 10:12

Dreamies are the ultimate cat bribe. They are the equivalent in human terms of crack cocaine wrapped in chocolate.

RabbitsarenotHares · 11/08/2015 11:09

Might it be an idea to put some soil into the litter tray along with the litter? If she's used to being outside it would seem more like what she is used to. You could then gradually up the litter:soil ratio.

cozietoesie · 11/08/2015 11:43

I was just going to say that - a thin layer of soil over the litter until she uses it/seems comfortable with the location of her tray. (Then gradually revert to full litter - I wouldn't have/keep full soil because in a tray it can go to little more than hard mud.)

Original poster
Ringsming · 11/08/2015 17:04

ha! I actually sprinkled a bit of soil over this morning cozie and rabbits. But it's a good point, maybe we should actually increase the amount.

No dreamies where I'm located (not in the UK) but we picked up some Whiskers temptations today.. Lets see if we can tempt her out...

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 11/08/2015 17:25

This household would not figure on Dreamies' sales charts I'm afraid. Seniorboy won't touch them. (I thought it was his teeth that were the issue - he only has his fangs etc and one back one left - but he has 4 Vet's Kitchen Treats each night and eats those very happily indeed.)

cozietoesie · 11/08/2015 17:27

PS - what was in the plant pot eg was it soil soil or more that barky/peaty stuff?

Original poster
Ringsming · 12/08/2015 11:39

hey big news! She used the litter tray / soil mix last night and didn't yowl, so obviously that was her way of telling us she wasn't happy with the toilet arrangements.

She's also eating well.

On the other hand we have no idea where she's hiding at the moment. Have looked extensively but no clue at all! So it's hard to start the charm offensive with treats etc

OP posts:
givemushypeasachance · 12/08/2015 13:09

Could one of you stay behind when the other(s) go up to bed, sat very still and quiet in a darkened room? You might get a sighting then! Failing that - motion activated night vision camera? Wink

SailorBobsGrog · 12/08/2015 13:47

It took us a year to figure out girl cats first hiding place (under a book shelf).

She 14 now and trying to sit on my hand as I type..........but still likes having little hiding holes. I think its a superiority thing, she likes to see OH stress about where she is, and occasionally her and old boy cat have a falling out so she likes a sulk too

cozietoesie · 12/08/2015 14:36

Excellent news, OP.

As long as you're satisfied she hasn't escaped outside and she's still eating/drinking/using her tray - even if it's when you're not around - I think you can relax now. She'll come out and socialize when she's ready. (Probably sooner if you ignore her!)

Smile
Original poster
Ringsming · 13/08/2015 15:31

well indeed cozie. last night we had a sighting - we were watching TV and she streaked past us at high speed!

litter tray used again and still good eating.. well we'll see. Give it a few days I suppose!

Cheers

OP posts:
hesterton · 13/08/2015 15:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MokunMokun · 13/08/2015 15:55

It was months after we got one of our rescue cats before he showed himself. I would sometimes wake up at night and find him watching me though. It's been 6 months now and he's ok. He's still nervous of DS and the toddler but he likes DD who's 4 and lets her pet him. It's such a weird feeling though as they eat and poo but it's like having a pet ghost. I hope your cat settles in soon though.

nearlyhellokitty · 11/10/2015 16:15

Hello! This is the op.
A small update that 2 months later she's finally coming to me and dp for attention though extremely skittish !
Suspect it will take longer with the dkids.
Though she's also yowling a lot at night - any ideas why they do this!

thecatneuterer · 11/10/2015 16:40

I love the new user name:) Well that is good progress. In a few more months she'll be completely chilled out I'm sure.

I can't help you with the yowling thing. One of my recent additions yowls intermittently for seemingly no good reason too.

cozietoesie · 11/10/2015 17:16

If it was one of my own Siamese boys, I would assume either that they were announcing an evacuation/wanted their litter tray cleaned immediately or that they'd inadvertently got themselves away from their sleeping place ie my bed. Remind me - does she have just the one tray?

Good progress, though. Smile She's clearly a sensitive sort.

nearlyhellokitty · 11/10/2015 18:42

hello cozie
there is only one tray, to be honest the aim is to let her outside when she's ready. maybe it wasn't clean enough for her!

nearlyhellokitty · 11/10/2015 18:45

and here she is

Swipe left for the next trending thread