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?

Your new cat is very beautiful @Cherryblossom1985

My Ebony is a very anxious rescue cat who I've had for 5 years but she's really only improved in the last year!
She absolutely refuses to go out as she was abandoned outside so that's fine, she's an indoor cat now.

I found feliway plug ins were useless but catnip toys really helped her! Once I found she liked catnip I made a nest of toys in her 'safe space' and she gradually got used to me.
A week is not long for a cat who may have been traumatised.
Just keep feeding her, giving her treats, talking to her quietly when you give her food.

One thing I found also worked strangely was ignoring Ebony! If I ignore her she will appear but it has to be on her terms.
So outside of feeding times try to ignore that your cat is actually there, she will get used to your routine.

A few hours !

She is so sweet. I would try leaving a trail of food, to get her to move a bit further from her hiding spot each time. Just break the treat into two, then three pieces etc. I know someone who used Feliway (the synthetic pheromone diffuser) and is convinced it helped.

Sorry forgot the obligatory cat photo of Ebony

By the way cats go mad for decent meat... I give Ebony some of my Tesco Finest sliced beef; my old semi feral cat loved it too.

I wouldn't remove the kick board. That's her safe place. Stop trying to tempt her out. Just leave her be and she'll feel more safe.

Id put the board back on too. A weeks nothing to a cat and she's scared.

The more you show you can be trusted then she will start to come around but shes had a horrible start in life & need's time to get over it. Cats are so sensitive.

Agree. Give her time.

Thank you everyone. Some helpful advice.

She somehow managed to get upstairs, it was my fault as I'd washed the floor and left a few doors open.
She has peed and pooed on the spare bed and must have found a new hiding place as her food hasn't been touched.

I'll stop removing the kick board and give her peace. I've placed a few t shirts in her usual hiding spots.

We'll get there!

We had one who really only came out after nearly 6 weeks. He got braver in terms of weeks rather than days, so try to be patient. He became one of the most affectionate loving cats of my experience - I've had cats since I was 3 and always at least 2. We still miss him though he was pts nearly 2 years ago.

Patience I'm afraid.

One of ours was born feral. She spent her first month with us hiding under the stairs, only coming out at night and to use the litter tray. She hissed every time we brought food and water.

She's still reserved and not cuddly, but she likes being petted when in one of her safe places and is surprisingly easy to flea treat and put in carrier - she will hiss and even growl, but she will never, ever try to scratch or bite.

Yours will come round, give her time.

Has she settled a bit now @Cherryblossom1985 ? I hope she is feeling happier and starting to come out a bit more.

I haven't posted in a while as I've had a nightmare of a time.
She escaped through an open bedroom window last Friday and has been missing ever since.
I've posted about her on various sites and have put posters up around my area.

Some positive news, I got a message last night from a lady a few streets away. She has been hanging around her garden.

Bolted round with some food and tried to catch her while she was eating, but she got away.

I've went back tonight with a trap hoping to catch her, but she hasn't been about today. I'm demented with it all.

The trap will get her in the end. You have my sympathy, my feral girl did this too in her first year here. So stressful. It took 10 days to get her back, in the end it was my kids who managed to herd her in again with food.

My everything is crossed for you.

She is adorable. Hope she comes round soon and you get lots of cuddles

Oh no!! Sorry just seen your update. Hope you get her back!

Oh no! Poor kitty, I hope she can be caught soon.

Oh I'm so sorry to hear this. How stressful for you. I think for those first few weeks they're so desperate to escape. They don't see their new place as home for quite some time. Hope you get her back.

I'm sorry to that your feral little girl has got out. At least you know that's close by.

Shes so adorable. My 12 year old kitty hid for a whole month when I got her a year ago. Now she rules the roost.

Good news everyone. We got a phone call last night at 11.30 to say she was in the trap.
She's now back home, hiding 😬

You must be so relieved. Poor girls had a bit of a time of it.

Yey! Hope she settles in quickly. And doesn't escape again!

Oh that's great news! Start again, she'll come round.

That must be a huge relief. Have you contacted the rescue yet in case they can offer more support?