New Cat New to cat ownership. Help getting adjusted

[Zenwalker20]

Hello all!

I just adopted a cat from a shelter, she is about six years old and she was very friendly towards me at the shelter. I adopted her, and I got her in the pet carrier and she was meowing at me the whole way home, she is not obviously a fan of riding. Anyway I get home, and i open the pet carrier and she takes off like a bat out of hell and is now hiding behind the washing machine. I don't think she is stuck, but it is rather tight and there is only one way out. Is she okay? Should i try to get her out or should I leave her? She has been behind there for about 4 hours now, i haven't really bothered her, i felt that maybe she was just scared and needed to get used to the house. I put food and water out in front of the washer and she hasn't moved yet, when i poke my head down and try to talk to her she just stares at me with wide eyes and pulls her ears back. Did i do something wrong? What should i do? is this normal?

Help people,

New nervous cat owner.

[Traci]

First, make absolutely certain she is not stuck or has a limb stuck somewhere in the back of the machine. Use a flashlight. If you have someone else in the home with you, after making sure she's not harmed, slooooooowly move the washing machine inch by inch far enough away from her to allow her room to get out. Don't force the issue or she may wedge herself in further and actually get stuck. Talk softly to her every step of the way because she's scared and the sound of the washing machine scooting on the floor is also scary to her.

Don't try to get her out unless you can access the area without harming her or yourself or stressing her further. If you can't lean in to get her out, then allow her to come out on her own. Place some canned food (or a can of tuna in spring water) in front of her, just little bites in front of her to see if she'll eat it. Slowly drop a bite further away so she has to move away from the washing machine with each bite.

If you have any old heavy cardboard boxes (but clean), take them apart and put them directly behind the washer, and in the space between the washer and dryer so she can't wedge herself into anything futher, or under the washer! Unplug both machines until she's safely out.

Once you have the boxes (flattened) in place so she can't wedge herself in deeper, again, if you have another person handy, if she won't come out, wait about an hour or two, then have one person use a broom to gently "sweep" her away from her hiding place, toward the open area in front of the washer. Before you do this, close all doors to other rooms that she could hide somewhere in and you'd be in the same situation! Talk softly to her all the while.

Also block off the back areas of entertainment centers or any areas with electrical cords.

When you do eventually get to her, can pick her up, try placing her in a safe bedroom and shut the door behind you. It's not uncommon for newly adopted cats to hide under beds, so in that case, just leave her be, she'll come out on her own when she's ready. You can still tempt her with food (preferrably canned or tunafish in spring water), and try laying on the floor at her level, staying calm, quiet and patient. Do this several times, as long as it takes for her to trust you enough to come out for food, water, litterbox duty, etc.

If she won't come out tonite, and if you have to work tomorrow, close the bedroom door, but leave food/water and litterbox in the room.

Do you have other pets in the home? If so, she may have caught their scents and is uncertain and certainly scared and stressed. This is normal behavior for many newly adopted cats from shelters and elsewhere. New environments and smells are strange to them, they want to hide until THEY feel safe to come out on their own. Just keep tempting her with food, treats or playing with a toy with her. Don't make sudden moves or yell at her, etc, she needs quiet, calm and a soft, soothing voice to talk to her.

Remember, you have to EARN her trust.

Post updates, as long as she isn't hurt or stuck behind the washer, and all nooks and crannies are blocked, she'll be ok, just be patient and keep tempting her with food, talk to her often.

[Cleo]

Did she come out of hiding yet? It's going to take a lot of time and patience but she'll come around. It's probably not you but the new surroundings she has to get used to. Of my 10 cats here at home, some walked out of the carrier and settled on the couch like they had been here all their lives. Others took a while but with patience, settled in fine. I still have one, who has been here for 6 of the 5 and 1/2 years of his life that is skittish and cautious and bolts if I try to pick him up. I stopped trying to figure out the personality of a cat a long time ago and just enjoy them.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

[Zenwalker20]

Well i am trying, been trying to softly cox her out from behind the machines with tuna, talking real soft. I gently pulled out the washing machine while talking to her, she just turned around ran to another corner of the little alcove behind the dryer, and i can't scoot that one out without take out the ducts from the back and i don't want to corner her. So she has her head in the corner and her tail was shaking when she moved and i find myself. Trying to softly talk and feed tuna to her lovely rear! I have pulled the washing machine out all she has to do is back up and she is free she isn't hung just very shy. She I put tuna down but she dosen't seem interested. So, i have to be at work tomorrow morning at 2 am. I put her food dish and her water bowl and her litter box right behind where the washing machine was. Hopefully she will calm down enough overnight to be friendly again. I will renew efforts tomorrow then .

I never thought this was going to happen, she was all lovey in the shelter, she jump straight into my lap from over my shoulder, and she let me pet her as long as i wanted to lol. i just gotta get her adjusted Thanks for the help, i will report back in tomorrow.


-David

[Traci]

Just be patient, she'll be hungry soon, and will venture out of behind the washer.

Before you leave for work, please do a once over in your home and make sure there isn't anything else she can get trapped behind, under, etc...also make sure no plants around, nothing dangerous she could get into.

Please take care when going in and out of your front (or back) door, open just a crack when coming home to make sure she isn't waiting by it ready to bolt out!

It isn't your fault, many many cats are so stressed when brought into a new home, it takes time for them to feel safe in a totally new environment. She will warm up to you in no time, don't get frustrated, just hang in there. She showed you at the shelter how much she likes you, she'll show you again when she's feeling more secure. Keep talking to her every chance you get.

[Zenwalker20]

Thanks for all the help. I think we made some progress last night, after I turned out the lights and it got dark she came out, I heard her coller bell ringing last night as she ran through the house. After about an hour of listening she had started meowimg constantly and I was hering weird scratching sounds so I got up and looked at her. She had gotten on top of a kitchen table which is front of a large window and was scratching the window like she was trying to get out. She let me sit at the table in front of her and we talked lol. I would say something and she would meow me an answer, although she didnt want me getting close enough to touch. I accidently broke up the party be reaching down to grab her food dish and she bolted again. She went to hiding so I went back to bed. I got up this morning and tried to find her new hiding place but didnt. I was in hurry I am sure she didnt get out, she still hasnt touched food or water or litter though not even the tuna I left for her.


-David

[Traci]

Just hang in there, David, the progress you made last night was excellent!

She IS spayed, right? Do you know anything about her prior history, environment, etc?

Remember the front and back doors, only open a crack to make sure she isn't near the doors when you come and go. Also check all your windows, and if you must, only open them a crack, so she doesn't try to rip screens or open windows - cats don't have a collar bone, so they can squeeze into the tiniest spaces.

At night, keep a nightlight on in the main living area, so she at least can find her way in her new home.

Another tip, if you have a cat-tree or perch, place it near a safe and closed window so she can watch birds, etc. Please keep blinds and cords up and out of reach, cats will try to play with them and often get tangled up in them, disaster could result. Most cats also use their cat trees to nap and feel secure because they know it's theirs and theirs only. Provide enough toys for her to entertain herself when you're at work. NO strings though, only use toys with strings when you are present and supervising, put string toys away and out of reach when you're not there to supervise her play. The same applies to toys with bells, remove bells and plastic eyes etc before giving them to a cat.

She's just nervous and stressed, remain patient and she will come around soon!

Update us when you can.

[Zenwalker20]

First I would like to thank everyone for the help and kind words.

Unfortunately my new cat Birche is also an escape artist. Let me explain what she did to escape it will blow your mind. After last night episode when she bolted she ran into my office room which just has my computer and a few boxes, I thought, great! this can be the room she can get used to here with. So, i just put her food, litter and water in there and shut the door, i needed to get some sleep. I didn't really hear a peep out of her for the rest of the night, i got up in the morning and i looked in and didn't see her, i ran through the room quickly and tried to find her but failed in spotting her. I was running late for work, so i assumed she was just hiding really well as all cats do, i will find her when i get home. So i get home from work today and turn the room upside down, so i then look in the closet in that room.

This is how she escaped; In this closet I had a piece of drywall tacked over, where the hot water heater is and the ac unit is. I mean i had the corners tacked down and there where no gaps. It appears kitty had started scratching at a corner of the drywall, and manged to chip of the piece holding a corner down and the bottom of the drywall swang free. She went into the cubby hole, and went between the hot water heater and the ac unit. Between this two things there is a small hole in the floor about 3 inches wide where some small water pipes run through to the water heater. Guess what? She went down this hole, into the insulation running along the bottom of the house. She then scratched her way through the insulation and got through to under the house, and then it was a short walk to be outside just go out of the under house access. I see her foot prints where she got through.


So naturally i am upset, this was my first cat since my childhood cat friend died of a blood clot at age 14. I feel like the worlds worst pet owner. All in all she was in her new home for less than 24 hrs before i lost her. Is there any chance of her coming home?

Here is what i done.

I spent all afternoon looking for her outside, didn't get much luck although i did get a bit afirst, i think she was hiding in the edge of the woods and i didn't see her, she has a collar on her with a bell on it, i think i heard it jingle and i saw something jump and run deeper into the woods when i walked slowly to it. She never came back after that. I place 3 plates of food out at each of the doors, with her favorite cat food from the shelter and 1/3 of a can of tuna in each plate. Is there anything else i can do? I doubt, lost cat signs will help, i live on about 20 acres of woods. But I am working on those as i type this. She was also microchipped and has the pet ID tags on her collar. Should I call the shelter? I doubt she would get back there its about 10 miles away. I adopted from the local animal shelter.




About her:

Her name is Birche, i haven't had the chance to take any photos of her but here are some from the shelter.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/28/birche1.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/19/birche2.jpg/



She is six years old, and they said she was very skittish, but she took a very big liking to me at the shelter just moving her to her new home pushed her over the edge. She was spayed, she was feral at one point in her life, but the got her already spaded so she lived with someone at some point. The had worked with her for almost a year and half getting her socialized and teaching her, that hey, humans aren't bad!




Any advice anyone? I really feel like the worlds worse pet owner here.


-David

[Tina B and crew]

Oh no...I was hoping to hear that she had started to acclimate and was doing much better. I am so sorry to hear she found her way out. The food is a great idea and you may also want to see if you can get your hands on a humane trap (Hav-a-hart) to set with some tuna or something. You will have to be able to check it frequently though in case you catch her or another animal. Even though you live on a large piece of property you still may want to contact any neighbors to see if they have seen her. Call all the local veterinarian offices, any nearby shelters, animal control, anyone you can think of. I wouldn't rule out the shelter she came from, cats have done more miraculous travels than that.

Do not be too harsh on yourself, you had no idea she was going to be able to scratch her way through drywall. Above all I am praying that she finds her way safely home!

She is beautiful..I really hope she finds her way back. I know it must be heartbreaking for you. She reminds me of a cat I once fostered named Pegsy.

[Tina B and crew]

Just wanted to add that 20 acres isn't all that huge of an expanse for a cat. We had a stray hanging around here and would often see it a mile or two down the road. Reach out to every resource you have. Praying hard that she comes home!!