There they are, under the bed, in the farthest darkest corner; their eyes are round and big like twin yellow glowing moons. They cower away when you reach towards them. What happened to the outgoing, confident, super affectionate cat you adopted at the shelter yesterday? Don’t worry. Hiding behavior in cats is a TOTALLY NORMAL and healthy response to a new home. But we have some tips to help you and your new kitty relax and adjust, so you’ll have your new loving purring cat back in your lap in (almost) no time at all.
How to get a new cat out of hiding:
1. Give them time to adjust.
Your cat may have been happy & relaxed in the shelter or their foster home, but since then, they may have been examined by a vet, put in a cat carrier, taken a car trip, and now are in a total alien universe filled with strange sights, sounds, and smells. Every cat is different, just like every home is different. It can take a day, five days, a couple of weeks, or more for your new cat to relax, though two weeks is an average adjustment time for most cats.
As long as your cat is eating, drinking, using the litter box (even if it is under the bed), and not showing any signs of illness, it is generally safe to leave them in their hiding spot.
Many cats will venture out at night when you are sleeping and the world is quiet. If she’s hiding in a closet, you can dust flour on the floor in front of the closet door to look for paw prints in the morning, to see if she’s ventured out.
2. Limit new things.
An important first step when bringing your new cat home is to keep your cat isolated in a quiet starter room. This room should be a safe place for them to take their time to get adjusted to how your house sounds and smells. Wait to introduce them to friends, family, and other household pets until they’re out from under the bed.
3. Get her used to you.
If they’re under the bed, or hiding behind the bathroom sink, sit in the starter room with them and read a book, or work on your laptop. You don’t need to try to pet them — what’s more important is just your presence, your smells, and having your cat get acclimated to you. You want the cat to know that you’re safe.
4. Associate you with good things.
If they like wet food or cat treats, push some into their hiding place a few times a day, and just sit nearby as they eat it. But remember, patience is the name of the game — it may take some time before they get to this point.
5. Natural remedies.
Most pet supply stores sell holistic herbal liquid remedies that can be dropped in the cat’s water or food (Rescue Remedy is a popular one). Many adopters find these really help.
6. Feliway.
Another product available online or in many pet supply stores is the pheromone spray or plug-in brand name Feliway. This particular brand is actually used by many shelters, it is very effective in soothing stressed cats.
7. Music.
Some adopters we know have told us that playing soothing classical music in the kitty’s starter room has helped Kitty come out of their shell. The music may help lessen other noises outside the room that they’re finding frightening.
There you go, seven steps to help your new cat relax and adjust to their new home.
Today we share an article from 
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