Can someone reassure me this is normal

[Allthegoodhorses]

Morning, it’s a bit of a saga but I acquired a cat on Sunday. He’s about a year old, neutered a month ago and was living in a very chaotic situation.

We ‘rescued’ him and he’s now in my house. Currently he is in a quiet part of the house in an igloo bed inside a dog crate (dog crate was used for transportation purposes as it was easier to lift him inside the igloo into crate than put him in a cat basket). The crate is open and he has water, food, a litter tray (further from the food).

He has not moved. There looks like no sign of him using litter tray or eating or drinking.

I have googled and apparently this is normal. We have not tried to interact too much with him as advice I’ve read he’s in frozen survival mode and have to let him decide when it’s safe to come out.

But can anyone offer any more advice or reassure me this is normal. I’m starting to get concerned and not sure of next steps.

Once he's eating and toileting start spending some time in the room with him. Just pop his food down and then sit quietly and read/ scroll and totally ignore him initially, he can get used to you being there and learn you mean no harm. Then work up to being a bit closer each time. Once he will sit and eat with you close by you can work up to a gentle stroke on the head while he eats. Even very feral cats can be won over with patience, if he's actually ok with people but just scared because of the move you'll find he comes on in leaps and bounds once he's settled in.

PS.- Following for the cat tax picture once he gets brave enough to come out of hiding 😍

I would have food in the crate and water outside the crate. More important that he eats at this point.

Nice but of steamed fish?

He’ll probably love some tuna, but I wouldn’t give him too much - most canned tuna for human consumption, even in spring water, contains salt.

I have some tuna, I am going to try that and put in crate tonight.

Lovely thank you. It has been over 30 years since I had a cat so I am a newbie! I'll pop out tomorrow and get some fish but for tonight I can only do tuna or cat food and dreamies. I do also have some chicken I could cook.

We are not really sure what he is like with people. It's a tricky one, he was living a very chaotic life with a relative who had him from a kitten. The relative I think is good with animals and is an animal lover. However, I think a lot of probably dark stuff went on in the flat he was living in (drugs, alcohol issues and the comings and goings of all sorts of people that go with that type of territory). Additionally hoarding type issues and a very squalid environment. Although he did have a litter tray and was fed and watered.

Also he was not neutered so there were a lot of issues surrounding that (spraying and peeing everywhere). The relative did say he could be playful and he would play with him for a long time with a cat toy on a stick.

Due to a change in environment he could no longer look after him so another relative took him in. She has had cats all her life but I think she was scared of him - before neutering, maybe his behaviour was a bit more dominant and aggressive. He was neutered a month ago and the peeing and spraying stopped immediately but the relative said he was aggressive with her. I should imagine though the whole situation stressed her out, she was a ball of tension, the poor cat picked up on all of this and felt insecure.

So, we are hoping with us being very quiet and not phased by him his true personality will come out and of course now the hormones have settled that should help too. Baby steps..

You are doing all the right things and I am certain your patience will be rewarded.

My cat stayed in his cat carrier for a solid 24 hours (see pic) and then fled under the bed for another day. And then at last he came out to play with the string toy I'd been trying to tempt him with at regular intervals.

These are still my favourite photos of him- the moment he learned to trust me. Enjoy it when it comes- you'll have earned it! ❤️

Morning, the great news is he’s left the igloo. The bad news is we can’t find him. Have searched the house, under sofas, behind cupboards, in cupboards and so far we cannot locate him. We don’t have a massive house and only two of us living here but so far we’re stumped as to where he could be. Food has not been touched, all doors were locked and no windows open.

The door to his room wasn't closed? Always advised to restrict to one room they can start to feel secure in. They are amazing at hiding, and access to the whole house complicates things rather.

Oh no, hope you find him soon!

Happened to me once and she had burrowed up inside the back of an armchair (don't ask me how). I only realised when the tip of her tail dropped down.

Keep all the doors and windows shut and he'll come out eventually.

Normal at this early stage. Took us a couple of days to coax my baby girl, she'd had a bad start. Just keep monitoring as food and water will be needed and hopefully instinct to eat and drink will kick in. 8 years later mine is:

Check behind the fridge- believe it or not mine crawled in there almost inside the workings (we now have one with a totally closed back panel but didn't then)🙈

I was just typing up a message to say we’ve literally searched everywhere. I was even contemplating someone had taken him. Was just leaving to go and do horses and husband came out the house smiling. We found him!

Oh thank goodness!!

Here he is. I didn’t even know the cupboard went that far back, I thought it had a kick board on it.

I'm not sure my cat has ever drunk. Except filthy water from the bird bath.

😅

Aw bless him. I have a feeling he will be out and about (in the house) in the next day or two.

I’m going to move his things to this room. I didn’t want him in the lounge as I was worried about him peeing on things. But I can shut that door and leave him in there.

My shy cat who hid for a week was the most demanding when she eventually appeared. She ruled the house. Fortunately the foster carer had warned me she would hide. Her sister made sad noises when she finally appeared as Maia completely dominated.

My Iany was like this- 24 hours to come out the box and then simply hid in the litter tray for another few days. He’d also been listed as “hissy” and aggressive when he was taken into the rescue.

Patience, spending time in the room with him (but not trying to interact with him) so he can get used to voices and smells and learn you are not a threat.

Within a week, I had the biggest snuggle bug there ever was… he woke me up at 4am this morning for the sole reason that he needed a cuddle 🙈.

You’re doing a lovely thing and should be rewarded too! Also, if he’s pure white, have you considered that he might be deaf? I can’t remember the stats but know it’s more common in white cats.

My cats adore those sticks you can buy, particularly the chicken flavour. I have two cats and one of them is getting elderly and can have periods of going on a hunger strike. If I am desperate for him to eat, I give him a couple of those sticks and it seems to stimulate his appetite to start eating again. I find without doing that he can go without eating proper food for ages.

Thank you all for your words of advice. He is now in the lounge and I can shut him in there. I have move the igloo and all his things in there. I have also put out some cat milk and some Churu. Fingers crossed he eats/drinks that. I also put out some dreamies and he is eating those.

We give tuna water (not in brine) to tempt cats to eat and drink sometimes. Also fill the water bowl using a jug so you can literally fill it right to the very top, it’s easier to tell that way if the cat has drunk any.

I’ve had loads of cats in my lifetime, let him come out in his own time, he will, my worst cat literally took six weeks to start feeling confident.

Thank you - regards the deaf thing, we thought that also but the relative that looked after him before I got him said he definitely is not deaf, but I will bear that in mind.