Why is my new cat hiding and fearful, especially around my husband?

Congrats on the new cat! Yes, with so much change in Salem's life it's normal to be a bit fearful and hide until things settle down. It's possible he may be a timid cat indefinitely, but most likely he will get more social as he adjusts to his new surroundings.

Sounds like Chunky might be a bit overwhelmed by his new environment. I'd put him back in the bathroom with a Feliway pheromone diffuser for another week or two and then try a reintroduction to the rest of the house. It can be pretty scary for a cat who feels cornered to see an arm reaching toward it, so this might be why he was hissing. If he seems to be hissing when he's back in the bathroom you can try slowly getting him used to being around you and being touched by feeding him canned food for meals while gently petting him.

Poor Pepper. She's had a lot of changes in her short life. It is a very good sign that she is comfortable being held and that she coming out to eat and use the litter box. I would be patient and allow her some safe places that are quiet without other cats. Spending a full 2 months with their mom and siblings is ideas for puppies and kittens, but they can still be well socialized if they were taken away earlier than that. I suspect that she will just need more time to adjust if she is comfortable being held on a lap. One thing that may help is a Feliway Diffuser (https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected). Put it in the place that Pepper likes to hide and hopefully it will help her calm down faster and give her a little more confidence. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

That is perfectly normal. Your cat is likely afraid of the other cats in the household and the smell he is not used to and the new place. It would be best if your friend could keep your cat in a room separate from the other cats, so that he will feel safe to come out to eat and use the litter box.

If this was a semi feral cat it may take many months to years for it to come out and be social. Some cats enjoy being pet when they are eating, and some don’t like to be handled at all. She needs to be patient and not push. Gradually the cat will feel more secure and confident and Hopefully will want to be around people. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your new cat. I suspect that she hides as she is still adjusting to life in your home. Indoor cats are fairly sedentary anyways and will spent a portion of their day sleeping. They tend to be more active in the evenings or nights by nature. She is potentially still a little sore from her surgery as well. It sounds like is adjusting well to living with you. Just be patient with her. I hope this information helps!

Cats are very temperamental creatures and can be thrown out of balance by small changes in their environment. Sometimes these changes are imperceptible to us humans, while others the cause may be something more obvious (the addition of another person or animal, moving to a new location, change of diet, etc). Based on what you are telling me he sounds very stable and overall overtly healthy. I understand it is difficult to get a hold of him, but another reason for him to be acting abnormally would be if he is in some measure of discomfort or pain. I would suggest ruling this out with your vet, and once this is done, begin trying to produce an environment that is as enriching and stress-free as possible for Jhumru. I would not push him too much in an attempt to regain his affection. Allow him to come back into his own and come to you when he is ready. Obviously, if the doctor is able to find something physically to explain this behavior, ideally resolving this issue will also resolve the behavior change. Hope this helps.