New kitten crying and hiding

We brought our new kitten home last night, Ozzy. Hes a lovely British Shorthair, nine weeks. Ive been up all night with him because he keeps hiding in places I cant reach him and crying. I understand its a big change for him to be away from his mum and I want to help him as much as I can. He enjoys strokes and cuddles (or at least he stood crying) but do I try to catch him when hes taken himself off to a hideaway spot to cry? When I go near him he bolts. I know he will settle eventually but I cant bear to think of him in distress. What should I do?

Im sure someone else more knowledgeable will be along with proper advice but I wouldnt personally try to catch or handle a cat that is hiding. Hiding is pretty normal cat behaviour, especially in a new, unfamiliar place. Id just chat softly to him from a distance and see if that helps. If that doesnt stop the crying you may just have to endure it for a bit until hes settled. Hes likely crying for mum and should settle down in a week or two.

Rach, I bought our new kitten home on Monday and had exactly the same type of behaviour. Were on day 5 now and he has totally transformed, Ive a post: New kitten hates me 🙁 and Ive had loads of great advice. The best thing we did was give him a tiny room, a teddy and Id just sit and talk to him, not handle or try and touch him. Just being there and talking to myself for an hour at a time. By day 3 I managed to stroke his head, at which point he realised he liked it and I wasnt trying to kill him!! By the afternoon of day 3 he was moving about 2 foot to chase a ball or ribbon. Day 5 and the little spider monkey is climbing the sofas and jumping in between. Hes still only happy in his little room, hallway and lounge, and takes himself to his box in his room when it all gets too much. Be patient, I promise the tiny playful kitten is hiding in there Oh and ours had a fluffly throw and teddy, he liked that and still licks and snuggles into it

Rach, I bought our new kitten home on Monday and had exactly the same type of behaviour. Were on day 5 now and he has totally transformed, Ive a post: New kitten hates me 🙁 and Ive had loads of great advice. The best thing we did was give him a tiny room, a teddy and Id just sit and talk to him, not handle or try and touch him. Just being there and talking to myself for an hour at a time. By day 3 I managed to stroke his head, at which point he realised he liked it and I wasnt trying to kill him!! By the afternoon of day 3 he was moving about 2 foot to chase a ball or ribbon. Day 5 and the little spider monkey is climbing the sofas and jumping in between. Hes still only happy in his little room, hallway and lounge, and takes himself to his box in his room when it all gets too much. Be patient, I promise the tiny playful kitten is hiding in there Oh and ours had a fluffly throw and teddy, he liked that and still licks and snuggles into it

Thats reassuring Clark. Its about 20 years since I last brought a kitten home so Im a bit out of practice. He did sit on the back of the sofa and watched telly with DH and I for an hour last night, so Im confident hell find his feet/paws soon. I just hate to think hes frightened or sad, but I guess thats inevitable.

Leave him to it, hell come out when hes ready. Dont extract him unless he is genuinely stuck One of my girls hid for a week under the kitchen cupboard and only came out to eat and use the tray. Fortunately I had been pre warned by the foster carer she would do it.

sorry for the double post! I havent had a kitten before this week, usually rescues/returned/unwanted/unwashed etc! Just this once though my husband came home with a kitten and I was terrified, it was possibly on a par with bringing my newborn son home and wondering what the hell I do next. However it seems the same rules apply, plenty of space, a safe zone and simply being there. Youll do fine

We got 2 sibling kittens a while ago. One was brave and outgoing and the other hid under the bookcase! Things that might help…. A box/cardboard box with blanket for them to hide/retreat, maybe even on a surface/on top of a bookcase ?cats feel safe and like to be high up. I wore a fleecy dressing gown which another of our kittens loved to cuddle up to. Confine them to one small room as previous poster suggested.

Good advice here. Thanks. Hes asleep under the sideboard now! Hasnt eaten, drunk or used his litter tray yet, although he jumped in and back out of his tray last night, so he knows its there. I picked up a feliway plug in from the vets on the school run so hopefully that will help. Little guy ❤ ❤❤ I know hell come round. It is like the first night with a newborn. Luckily Im working from home today, so Im here for when he feels a bit braver.

You should only allow him access to one room to start with, a whole house is too overwhelming. Just make sure he has a bed/food/litter tray and yes let him come to you. You could try feeding him by hand to gain his trust. I think we need a pic when he comes out of hiding though Smile.

Hes really perked up! DS (14) was off school yesterday with a broken arm, feeling quite glum. I nipped out to Tesco and came home to find them playing together. I suspect he coaxed him out with a catnip toy. Once I gave him Dreamies (Ozzy, not DS) he seemed to gain confidence. He still hasnt touched his wet food but hes had dry food, kitten milk, water and used his litter tray, so Im happy with that. Hell come out for a little play, roll round on the fluffy rug (he LOVES the fluffy rug) then go back somewhere out of the way. Hes currently asleep under the bookshelf.

For a kitty in a new or unfamiliar environment, hiding is a normal reaction. If your pet is uncertain, they’ll want to hide until they are sure they are in a safe place, without any possible threats! For this reason, it’s common to see new kitties make a dash under the bed when you first bring them home.

New kitten hiding and meowing! Acquaintance with Piper!

Give your cat time to stop hiding on their own

The best, most useful suggestion is to give your new kitten the time that they need to get acclimated to their new home. It is not recommended that you pester your kitten or try to force them out. This could actually have the opposite effect and make your cat want to hide away more.

Therefore, if your cat wants to hide, you should let them. Give them ample amounts of space and time, and let them explore on their own timeline. They won’t be like this forever, but you should be sure not to overwhelm them more by forcing them to spend time in an uncomfortable or unfamiliar situation.Â

Cats are territorial creatures by nature, so when your kitten arrives in their new home, they’ll probably feel unsettled until it’s established that this is their new abode. Give them time, and when they’re more comfortable, they’ll begin to come around.

Pawp lead veterinarian Dr. Laura Robinson says that it “It can take awhile for cats to adjust to their new environment. Be patient, let them come out in their own time. If they don’t want to come out, provide food and water in the area of their hiding place and a litter box close by.”

While a cat hiding is not an immediate concern, Dr. Robinson recommends that “if it has been longer than a month, it may be worth a visit to the veterinarian to make sure there is not a medical reason for hiding, such as pain or nausea.”

Make sure your new kitten isn’t feeling trapped

Here’s a fact: cats like knowing where the nearest escape route is. Therefore, if you find that your cat is hiding away, it might be because of the fact that they are feeling a bit trapped. There’s an easy way to attempt to fix this, though.Â

It’s simple: just leave the doors open so your cat can enter and exit as they please. Generally it is best to not block the room’s exits and entrances; this will ensure that your pet feels they can meander as they please, and can even encourage that behavior.Â

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new kitten hiding and meowing?

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