My new cat hides constantly. How do I socialize a very shy cat?

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.

Hi there. The socialization time for kittens is about 8-16 weeks. So if you are still within that window then I think you may be able to make some big progress. However, if she is older then she may still learn to trust you and be less scared,but she probably will never be as social and accepting of humans. Be slow and patient and she will come around! Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Offer her a carboard box or a cat condo with a hiding place in it. It may entice her from under the bed. That she is coming out to sit with you is a good sign and I think, as she settles in to her new home, she will come out more and more. If you can entice her from under the bed and then limit her access to that room it may force her to seek a new hiding place of your choosing, but don't make a big deal out of it or it may make her want to hide more. Take your time and be patient, it may take some time for her to acclimate and get braver. She may be timid by nature. Move her food out of that room if it is practical to do so so that she needs to come out to eat. Even if no one is awake when she comes out to eat, it will still give her a chance to explore while everything is calm. Provide her with plenty of toys and see if she likes treats, you can use these to entice her out and reward her for getting braver. Make sure she has plenty of places to hide around the house, places to scratch and perch to look out the window. I had a very timid cat that hide for weeks when we moved but she eventually came out of her shell and ended up being even more playful and social that she had ever been before so it can be done. Good luck with your new friend!

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.

If she is older than 16 weeks then she may never really be much more social. However, if she is younger than 16 weeks then it is still possible that she will become more social. Give her time, lots of treats, and allow her to slowly gain trust. You may want to get a tall cat tree in the family room and put her on top. She can be up and safe but still be “getting used” to another room. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

A cat who was basically feral for 5 months may take quite some time to become more comfortable with handling, and she may never be a cuddly lap cat. It does sound like she is willing to have some interaction with you, so I would continue what you are doing in terms of offering her nice tasty treats when she comes to you. Also feeding her near you if she will eat with you nearby but not touching her (don't want to overwhelm her at first, just get her more used to your presence being nonthreatening). I wouldn't pick her up if it scares her just yet, and I wouldn't force her to meet/be touched or held by new people just yet. I would give her a few more months of settling in. You may also add feline pheremone diffusers (Feliway is my favorite brand) to the house and try calming supplements such as Composure or Zylkene to see if these help relieve some of her anxiety as well. You can find all these products online, or at some vet clinics.

Moving into a new home can be very stressful for kittens - since she has only been with you for 4-5 days, it's likely that she's still adjusting and getting settled. It will take time for her to feel safe and comfortable in your home, so I would be patient for now and give her plenty of time to adjust. You can try using Feliway pheromone diffusers around the house to help make her feel more at-ease, as well as a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure if she seems anxious.