How long did it take for your new cat to come out of hiding?

[Cherryblossom1985]

We got a rescue cat on Thursday night.

She had been in the shelter since early January. Around 14 months old. I think she was found living outside with her 2 kittens.

I brought her home on Thursday night and she went straight under the kick board at the sink.

I knew to expect this as we took MILs cat (who knew us) when she died and she hid for 2 days.

Yesterday, she spent most of the day sitting on the window sill looking out the window. Progress I thought, but I spooked her working outside and she's been under the sink all day. Only coming out to eat when we're out.

This is day 4 and no further forward.
Any advice?

Eight days for one of mine. She hid in a gap in the kitchen units. That I didn't know was there. The other two didn't hide at all..

Just potter about near her, you could try temping her with some treats but she will come round soon enough.

My cat hid under my Ds's bed for about a week.

My adopted cat lived under our kitchen units, only coming out to eat & use litter tray at night, for around 2 weeks. She then started tiptoeing into rooms we were in but would dash out if we so much as turned our head.

Shes currently asleep on my knee and sleeps on me at night, but still does not like being picked up and occasionally dashes off at sudden movements. Yours will come round but it will take time and patience. She will soon love being safe, warm and fed and will reward you with love and purrs.

Congratulations on the new addition to the family.

This is my girl.
Thank you for all the posts of encouragement.

This was taken in the shelter. How could I resist that face.

Very cute.

She looks lovely. I would try every possible treat to try to win her trust.

My street boy hid in the gap between my built in washing machine and the outer wall for about a week. He didn't want to know. Then he graduated to sleeping on a thick blanket under the dining table for weeks.
Gradually he came round. I would sit on the dining room floor reading to him or listening to music.
He came out for food and his litter tray really well.
It will come, just might take a while. She's beautiful by the way

Shes beautiful 😍

We looked after a friends cat for a year. She hid under the bed for a week until DH bought some stick treats and did a trail of them. She was still skittish for another month so we had to be patient with her. She did cuddle us eventually.

Our own rescue never hid but she was the kind who said "love me!" and had three hour naps on stuck humans.

Beautiful girl! Ours was quite a mixed bag. She wedged herself under the sofa on the first night, but later in the evening got up on my lap. For a week or so she inexplicably slept hidden behind the living room curtains, but would hop up for a cuddle on her own terms. I spoke to her constantly, just rubbish chatter - it maybe helped that I was home all day (teacher/summer holidays). Six years on she is both a bossy little madam who boots is off any chair she wants to sit on, and spends hours terrorising the birds, and the cosiest little lap cat.

Loving reading all your stories about your furry felines.

Will update when she decides to honour us with her presence 🐱

Mine took two hours, but he was an old boy who'd been in the rescue centre for months being overlooked, and I think he was just glad to have a lap to snooze on again. I just sat with him and chatted to him and he came out from under a cupboard to check me out.

She'll get there in her own time, OP. The fact that she was on the windowsill watching the birds is a great sign.

we adopted two rescues at a year old who had spent their whole life in the shelter. they hid behind the sofa, or in the recliner arm chair for at least a week solid and only came out at night. it slowly progressed to coming out when we were sat quietly in the evenings, until they came out more and more. we've had them over three years now and they still run and hide at loud, quick movements and will hide behind the sofa the whole time when we have visitors over!

she's so beautiful and I'm sure she will get there!

9 week old CPL kitten. He didn't hide but peeped out from behind the bin in the utility room where his litter tray is. Didn't take him long, an hour maximum to get his paws under the table.

Still no progress. Yesterday I took off the kick board and tried to tempt her with some ham. She hissed at me and went right to the back corner.
I moved away and left the ham and she came forward and ate it. Then darted off into her other hiding spot.

She's still only coming out to eat when there's no one there.
I've had her a week today.

Our rescue took about ten days to stop hiding behind the sofa. Three years before she was comfortable being picked up. Six years on she still startles easily and dashes - particularly fun when she was asleep on your belly, the claws are used to accelerate...

It sounds as if she's feral in which case you could be years winning her trust. Every time you come near her I would offer a treat. Maybe shove a work T-shirt under with her so she get used to your smell.

My cat chose exactly the same hiding place - and he hid for a month! My advice is just let her be. Whatever you do don't pressurise her to come out. She will come out when she's ready. It could be 2 days or 2 months.
My cat is now incredibly comfortable and relaxed in the house. He follows me everywhere and is always on my lap.

Just to add, our cat had been feral prior to us adopting him.

About a week, it was a long time ago and now she is Queen of the walk

Maybe shove a work T-shirt under with her so she get used to your smell.

I second this. She needs to get used to your smell and your voice. Do you sit in the room and chat? I used to read the news out loud to our foster. Leave a sock near her food bowl too so she associates your smell with good things.

You should also contact the shelter to see if they can offer any further support. If she's truly feral she might be better off as a barncat.

One of mine took about three months, the others didn't ever go and hide

A week is nothing in the grand scheme of things. She doesn't know you from Adam so she's understandably terrified.

I agree with those saying to put a t-shirt or something of yours under there with her, and to spend time with her even out of sight - talk to her, sing to her, spend time sitting close to her, chuck treats at her etc.

Our sweet girl was fully 2 weeks, terrified, ears flat, under the couch. We had to push food under the couch, or she wouldn't eat - even overnight. She peed on an armchair (now ex-armchair).

She was 6 when we got her, and had spent about a fortnight in foster care. As far as we know, before that, she lived with a family.

Once she ventured out, she remained very wary of the kitchen for a few weeks. We had food and a litter tray in the sitting room. She was very skittish.

She is now the most relaxed and confident little thing. Yells at us if she thinks her food is late. Bosses the children around. Commandeers her favourite chair. Demands laps to sit on. Potters happily around the garden. Sleeps with youngest most nights. She is a joy and it's gorgeous to watch her living her best life.

We found roast chicken helped.