Our new cat from shelter is very nervous - what can I do?

[Skinnyjeansandaloosetop]

We got him yesterday- he’s been in a cat shelter for 5 months. He’s approx 3 years old. We don’t know his history, only that he came into the cat shelter unable to move his back legs. There was no fracture or spinal issue and with intense physio he is back to normal movement. The vet concluded he had had some sort of trauma to his back legs but we don’t know what. Anyway, that’s all I know about him. He came to us yesterday and only came out his hiding place last night (when we were all asleep) to eat/use his litter tray. He hasn’t emerged today- he must be starving! How can I make him feel more at ease? Just time? Would a plug in help? Should I try and coax him out? Any advice much appreciated!

He'll take a little while to adjust. He may hide for a week or so. Leave some tasty treats within his reach and shut the door so he's quiet and not feeling overwhelmed. He'll come out when he's ready.

Where is his hiding spot? If its in the main room of he house keep that room as quiet and free from foot traffic as possible. Get some very smelly irresistible food and put a small amount of it where he can get to it without really coming too far into the room and the more confident he is the more it can be moved into the open.

He’s in the cupboard under that stairs. I’ve put his food and water in there now. It’s a small space so I’m not keen to put his litter tray in there too. I’ll put a few treats in the cupboard too and leave him to it for now. Many thanks !

Do you have a spare room somewhere?
We adopted a very scared young cat years ago from a shelter. He had had very little human contact, and had then been stuck in the shelter for months too.
It was a really long process getting him to feel comfortable and secure - much longer than I'd anticipated.
We put him in a spare bedroom with bedding, litter tray and food and water. Went in every so often, to feed him and change litter. Then moved on to sitting on the floor and reading a book and talking to him. We rarely saw him to start with. After a couple of weeks we left the door open in the evening and he gradually came out of the room and started exploring. Then one evening he came down stairs and prowled around the sitting room.
He was extremely skittish and nervous for well over a year.
He is currently head butting me as it's food time, sleeps on our bed, bosses our 3 mutts around, and races around the house like a loon even though he's about 14 now!
He is still a little nervous at times, and if you meet him outside he runs off, but considering the start he had in life he's done really well.

Hopefully your boy won't take as long as ours to adjust but do be prepared for a long haul.

One of mine hid for a week. Once I realised where she was and that she was safe I left her too it. She came out one day after dark, and basically took over the house. I kept reminding myself that a cat will never make its self uncomfortable. So leave him to come out when he's ready

This is very reassuring. I’ll leave him to it and ensure others do to. Fingers crossed in a few days he’ll feel comfortable enough to come out of his own accord.

We moved house and our two cats hid behind the sofa for days.

Managed to venture into room2 by week 2

Give home space - pop in and talk to him every now and then

Google Jackson Galaxy on YouTube.