Rescue cat hiding - is this normal?

[Kudukudu]

We brought our 5 year old rescue cat home yesterday and he's barely emerged from behind the sofa since! At the rescue centre he was friendly and affectionate. Just hoping for some reassurance that this is normal behaviour. He's confined to one room at the moment (kitchen/diner) and has eaten and used his litter box. We're in and out of the room, chatting to him, but it's a quiet household so no great hurly-burly to scare him. Our previous cat (RIP) was a stray who we adopted overseas and was the most confident, sociable cat on the planet - never known to hide away anywhere, so I'm not used to this. Is there anything I should do to help the new arrival settle, or just leave him in peace?

Perfectly normal. Our rescue his under a duvet for the first week.

100% normal - I didn't even see mine for days.

Now, 3 years down the line? I'm expecting an imperious squeak from behind me because I've been on the PC for 20 minutes instead of keeping Girlcat company/belly rubbing. Boycat is currently asleep, but will be down demanding his cuddles shortly - he's only had TWO sessions snuggled up on the bed so far today

Yes it's normal. There is a plug in called Feliway that you can get which is good to reduce stress in cats. Let your cat hide as much as he wants to and eventually his confidence will build up.

Very normal. We had sisters one was fine, other hid for two weeks. She is timid now with guests etc but just let them come in own time

Perfectly normal. He'll be timid for a few days but in a few weeks he'll be behaving like a stroppy teenager.

Thank you all for the reassurance. Here he is, during a brief appearance at breakfast. He doesn't look the nervous type!

One of mine hid for a week under the kitchen cupboards. Fortunately I'd been ore warned she would do it. Her sister was not impressed when she came out and totally took over!

Omg he's is gorgeous!

What a beautiful boy. Yes totally normal. Mine did for a week or so and is now glued to me.

He's magnificent!

Look at those giant paws

Beautiful cat. What big feet - does he have extra toes?

Gorgeous! But yes, what fat feet he has! ❤️

And one curled feetsie!

Thank you for the compliments! I don't think he has extra toes - but without moving the sofa I can't check! I think the paw effect is partly due to the angle of the photo - but he does have gorgeous socks...

As pp say, perfectly normal. The more you ignore him the more indignantly curious he will become, too, in a "why on earth are my staff not falling at my feet?" way!

He's a handsome chap, very regal. He'll have you wrapped round his (not so) little paw soon.

OMG he is so handsome

Cats are funny things, they don't like change very much.

Last time we moved house our cat hid in our bed for a week. We'd had her about 5 years. Never seen her in bed before or since.

Beautiful, what a beautiful boy x

My friends cat hid for 10 days
Mine jumped out the carrier into my lap and hasn't moved since
They're all so different

We got two cats in May.
Female was up on the dining room chair the same evening. Male cat hid under a corner table , with all the cables to keep him safe from us , in his eyes . Then he moved to under the sofa, only coming out to eat.

He's still a bit Air Stealing , but has rallied and chases round with his sister .
Time , routine, food . He's checking you out .

And he is a gorgeous boy

Ashycat hid in the spare room under the futon for a fortnight. She only came out while I was at work. then she strolled in one night while I was having dinner with an "I can come in here now" look on her face.