New cats hiding? How to help them feel comfortable and come out.

It will take time for Kiki to get used to being in your home. There are some cats that will not come out while kids are around at all. I would just give her time and when she wants to come out just give her attention if she would like it. It can take up to a full 2 weeks for their personalities come out. So I would still give her time, but know she may always be a cat who only comes out when the kids are not around. I would make sure the kids are not being too loud if she does come out with them and just let her be if she does come around. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would give her some more time. I would also entice her to come out with some new toys and even an interactive laser. I say give them at least 2 weeks to become fully comfortable with the new house. It can be normal for cats to take some time to adjust to a new place. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Mickey. Congrats on your new cat! Moving into a new home is stressful, so it takes time and patience. Move him into a small room in your home, and put in there a litter box, food, and water. Visit him a couple of times a day, praising him and giving him treats when he comes out to see you. As he comes out more and more, you can play with him and give him love. Then after a couple of days, open the door to his room to let him explore. Initially, keep the amount of time he explores short, then gradually increase the time as he becomes more comfortable in your home. Eventually, he can be out of his room full time. In the beginning, keep him in his room when you go out so he feels safe. I hope this helps!

I'm sorry to hear that Tippy is having a hard time adjusting. I would recommend a couple of things. I would try to decrease stress as much as possible. That may mean closing the door to the room that Tippy is in during the day to give her a "safe" place to be. You could also add a Feliway Diffuser ( https://www.feliway.com ) to your house. This is a calming pheromone that will work for a month. I have also had luck with Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water. You could also consider calming music specially for cats ( http://throughadogsear.com/tace/through-a-cats-ear-1-music-for-calming/ ). But Tippy may just need more time, so don't rush things. I would leave her food in her "safe" area and just give her time. I know it seems like 6 weeks is a long time, but hopefully some additional calming techniques will help. If they do not help, you can always consider discussing an anti-anxiety medication with your veterinarian. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.

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.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Mickey. Yes, this will be fear. Moving into a new home is stressful for him. If he won't come out from the couch, leave him be for now. Leave food and water out, and he likely will come out to eat and drink while you are sleeping tonight. Should he come out when you are there, quietly praise him and give him treats. Each time he comes out, do this and it will encourage him to come out more. Give it some time, he should adjust. I hope this helps!

Be patient. He hasn’t been with you that long. It may take several more months for him to relax in your home. I do recommend sitting quietly and ignoring him. Cats are curious and when you’re not paying any attention to him he may get curious and come out to find out why. Sometimes they need to be the ones to initiate contact and this trust building will take time. You’ve done a great job so far and the feliway will help also. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Blue.