Insights please to newly adopted adult cat behaviours

[Naranjo]

I'd appreciate any insights to my cat's behaviour as she is confusing me a bit.

She's 4 and very nervous and shy, she is a re-home but was originally from a shelter (as a kitten I think), and has just spent another month in a shelter.

I've had her 6 days. She was largely behind the washing machine the first 3 days, and is now behind there during most of the day but comes out regularly to graze.

Around twilight she comes out properly and is very restless. She meows a lot, prowls around the living room but generally runs away if I get too close or try and walk past her. On the other hand a few times she has come weirdly close of her own accord - jumping up by my face on the couch or coming and staring at me from a couple of feet away. She has sniffed my hand about 3 times but is repulsed by it (I've got felliway sprayed on them now ready for next time. My hand soap is not fragranced and I don't use hand cream).

The meowing and getting suddenly close to me seems to build to a pitch before her using her litter box.

I guess my main question is - does this seem normal behaviour (within the bounds of all her behaviour is probably disordered at the moment) or could she be constipated and asking for help?? She doesn't eat the wet food the shelter says she likes, so I have just been giving her dry. She drinks a lot of water too, and is pooing every day. I am going to get her some wet food soon as well.

Extra info - she's always been a house cat, so isn't crying to go outside.

That all seems pretty normal. She is getting used to you and her surroundings.
I've had several rescues and it's taken them weeks to be settled and probably several months before I suddenly think ahh, yes they are feeling at home now and have established their ownership of me!
Well done of your new addition and welcome to the servitude now expected of you!

Mine always meows and gets lively just before using the litter box.
Mine was rescued at 4years. He say on the bed a lot in first few months.
Now he is my little shadow and cuddles up to me at every opportunity. He loves being a house cat as I think he needs to feel safe and secure all the time. In time she will surely become less nervous and probably end up sleeping on your head at night like mine!

It hasn't been a week yet. You're doing well to have seen her at all. It's all fine. In a few weeks from now she'll be a different cat.

Normal cat behaviour.

Does she have free run of the whole house? I’ve read that they should be kept to a small area to start with so that they don’t feel overwhelmed.

Have you got any catnip toys or just loose to sprinkle around on a rug or something? My nervous cat loved it. I bought a set of catnip balls that she rubs her face on and licks!

Thanks for all your reassurance! She doesn't have run of the house yet, but it is quite a big area downstairs - open plan kitchen/diner/living room. She doesn't really come in the living room bit yet, or at least not while I'm in the room, as it cuts her off from running back to the safety of the washing machine.

I've done her a little area under the stairs (not closed off) with 2 igloos, scratching post, catnip toys, and a shelf to climb on. She does realise this is her area and gravitates to it a lot.

I've tried interesting her with fishing rod toys (from a distance) but she looked overwhelmed so stopped that for now.

That's good to know that 'getting lively' before the litter box is normal! It was the prowling/meowing/sudden boldness that was concerning me most so that's reassuring. She's a lot calmer post-litter tray, wanders around, settles down in igloo or on rug at a distance to stare at me.

She's definitely come a long way in a few days, though tomorrow I have to switch the washing machine on...so not sure how she will cope with that given it's her safe spot.

A suggestion - put classical music on whilst you are busy doing other things in room.

Have found with our cats (rescues) that the music helps to chill them out.

Our rescue kitten after a few days of me sat working in room with the music playing eventually climbed up and curled up on my lap. I talked to her quietly throughout this time but didn’t attempt to pick her up to allow her time and space to check me out.

Also a plug in spray like Feliways may help too.

@Purrcats

A suggestion - put classical music on whilst you are busy doing other things in room.

Have found with our cats (rescues) that the music helps to chill them out.

Our rescue kitten after a few days of me sat working in room with the music playing eventually climbed up and curled up on my lap. I talked to her quietly throughout this time but didn’t attempt to pick her up to allow her time and space to check me out.

Also a plug in spray like Feliways may help too.

Thanks - I've been use cat calming playlists on Spotify. Then got a bit bored with them so put my own music on, nothing too aggressive. I think she does like a bit of background music.

I put the washing machine on this morning -she was fine with that. The tumble drier though was completely unacceptable, lots of yowling at me until I turned it off. I'll give her a break from it for a few more days but not forever!

Sounds fairly normal to me too. All of my cats get a bit restless and spooked in the evening. They set each other off too! Luckily mine then have their mad moments chasing and pouncing on each other rather than me.

Agree with some calming music.

It’s all pretty normal behaviour, especially as she is getting settled.

About the liveliness before using litter tray, you know how cats often try to get in bathroom if you are in there? I read it’s because they are trying to protect you when you are at your most up stable/

Ours will lie across threshold outside the door to “guard” us. Realised he likes the favour returned and so he is miaowing for one of us to be “toilet guard” when he goes to the litter box.

He likes one of us to be in general vicinity, especially blocking main route to box.

He used to occasionally spray in the hallway Ont he way to one of his boxes, but that has totally stopped since “toilet guard” requests have been understood. Realised he was spraying to secure his territory round a place he felt vulnerable, and now we’ve got his back so to speak, he doesn’t feel the need to use chemical deterrents anymore.