I'm coming to you because I'm absolutely beside myself with worry.
Yesterday morning I adopted a very timid four-month-old female kitten.
I live in a one-room studio flat of about 400 sq ft, so she had the run of the main room (living room/bedroom) from the moment she arrived. She spent the entire day huddled in her carrier, watching my every move.
At 11pm I decided to go to bed — she still hadn't budged. About an hour later I woke up with that horrible sensation of having touched something with my foot. Sure enough, when I turned the light on, I saw she'd left her carrier and done a poo on my bed. I cleaned it up and tried to find her... but she was nowhere to be seen. This morning I think I heard her miaow around 6am, and since then, nothing. Several times throughout the day I've turned the whole flat upside down — checked behind, underneath, and on top of every piece of furniture, including the 4-inch gaps behind the wardrobes and kitchen units. I can't find her anywhere.
It looks like she barely touched her dry food overnight, and I'm really worried because I just can't figure out where she could have gone. I didn't go out at all, and the few seconds when I opened the shutters I'm certain she didn't slip out. Rationally, she has to be in the flat — but I simply cannot find her. I'm at a complete loss. This is my first cat and I feel utterly helpless. I'm scared she might starve herself. Will she eventually come out of her hiding spot on her own?
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Yeah, I’m just going to let her come to me in her own time, without forcing things!
As for the sofa bed, I’ll make sure to have a good look under the mattress every time I need to fold it away. I’ve checked and there aren't any potential hiding spots underneath, nor any holes to get into the lining, so I’ll definitely spot her if she’s tucked herself away in there.
Thanks so much for all your advice!
There we go! Most importantly, if she comes towards you, don't try to stroke her; don't move a muscle and just talk to her in a soothing voice. Once she starts feeling a bit more at ease, you could try putting some food in your hand to see if she approaches, but make sure there are no sudden movements. The day she comes to rub up against you or you find her curled up next to you, you’ll know you've won her over. But keep staying very calm and don't try to rush things, otherwise she might regress and you'll have to start all over again from scratch.
She's found a little hiding place where she feels safe, so let her go there as much as she likes—she clearly feels secure in there.
And do keep being very careful with your sofa bed, as they can be really dangerous for a cat.
Hi there. That’s really great news. Time is definitely your best ally when it comes to nervous cats. It’s already a good sign that she’s eating and exploring.
Hi everyone, the little one finally came out of her hiding spot this evening once she saw the lights were dimmed and I was sitting still on the sofa. She’s hiding somewhere in the kitchen... but where?
She was still very wary, but she’s eaten well, used her litter tray and even started exploring the room and playing despite me being there! I tried talking to her while she was exploring, just to get her used to the sound of my voice. However, she was on high alert and as soon as she saw me move, she’d bolt back into hiding. She spent the whole night in my room and went back to her hiding spot at the crack of dawn. So much progress for just one evening, I’m hoping I’ll be able to get near her soon!
Hi again,
Tuna is great because of its strong smell and the liquid in the tins. It’s a trick that worked really well when I was volunteering at a rescue. You shouldn't give it every day as it's too salty, but one tin won't do any harm and will (finally!) fill his belly. Laughing Cow cheese also goes down a treat and is good for the calcium intake in kittens.
Tonight, open up your sofa VERY VERY slowly. You might just hear a little meow.
If you go looking for her with a torch, she’ll just back away and hide even deeper in her hiding spot. Leave her be for now and don't pay her any attention. If you hear her moving around tonight, whatever you do, don't move; just let her get her bearings and explore the flat. If she’s hungry, she’ll find some food. You could try putting down a few bowls of dry food in different spots to encourage her to come out, because if the main bowl is too far away, she might not feel brave enough to reach it. The same goes for her water bowl and litter tray—it’d be ideal to set up a second one. You can easily improvise one using a cardboard box with the sides cut down so it's easier for her to get into. And leave some toys out for her; cats are nocturnal and love playing during the night. That way, you’ll be able to tell if she’s been out by seeing where the toys end up.
If she came onto the bed, it means she was looking for a bit of contact. She probably got a bit spooked when you got up to clean. Just stay calm and talk to her softly—you can chat about absolute rubbish, cats love it! If she does happen to come out, sit on the floor so you don't look quite so intimidating to her; you could even lie down so you're right at her level.
Hi there, when I adopted my previous kitty, I lost her twice. At my parents' place, she’d managed to get into a drawer from the back. Then, once I’d moved into my flat, I spent ages looking for her and found her hanging upside down from a beam in the hallway (at the time, there was carpet on the walls and the beams). My cat Catelle would hide under the TV stand whenever she got scared, and I never understood how she managed to squeeze under there, as the gap was only about three centimetres. Best of luck, I hope you find her soon, as I know just how stressful it can be.
She’s reacting completely normally; lots of cats do this during the first few days and they can hide in the most unlikely spots. They only need a couple of inches to squeeze through, so have a good look in the sofa—just be careful not to crush her if there’s a reclining mechanism involved. She might be tucked between the slats. I once found one of mine behind the fridge, even though there were only a few inches of space since it was right against the wall! Sometimes you’ll find them in a pile of laundry, in a drawer, or often hiding behind the kitchen or bathroom sink units. I’ve got a girl who’s well over 13 lbs and she managed to hide in the gap behind the kitchen sink cupboard; no matter how much you call them, they simply won’t budge!
As for the tuna, only give her a few crumbs as it can cause diarrhoea. You could also pick up a tin of kitten wet food; they absolutely love it and it’s great for them because of the high moisture content.
Keep us posted, but a hiding cat that’s decided not to come out is a real head-scratcher. I can't tell you how many times I’ve searched for one of mine—even the chunky adults—and walked right past without seeing them; it’s like they’re taunting you! But right now she’s just spooked, which is normal. She’ll eventually relax, but don’t try to force her out or grab her—let her come to you in her own time.
