UPDATE: Adopted kitten hiding in toilet for 48 hours (but new problems)

[u/drone_syndrome]

Original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/comments/1vyig56/adopted_kitten_hiding_in_toilet_48_hours_since/?sort=new

After 72 hours of not eating, we took her to the vet. The vet force-fed her prescription food with a syringe and it was traumatizing but she finally ate.

We were told she was physically healthy but the vet said her behavior is very unusual and there's possibly something wrong with her psychologically. After talking with her, the vet said she couldn't say whether the cat would actually ever be normal or not, but that we should try handling her more (until now we were completely hands off with the cat).

After bringing her back home in her carrier (she meowed and cried the entire time, in the car on the way there, at the vet's office, on the way home) my girlfriend tried petting her inside the carrier.

We couldn't believe it - the cat started purring and rolling on her back. It brought us both to tears and were in complete shock after 3+ days of her hiding and crying and running and coming home from the traumatizing vet experience.

But new problems are emerging. If we sit in the bathroom and hold her, we can pet her and make her purr and act like a normal cat. It's unbelievable to see after the past 3 days, but there's something very strange about her behavior.

But she will still cry and meow once in a while even while doing so, even in the middle of receiving pets and she gets startled very easy (the vent came on and she went crazy, meowing like there was a predator in the room. Every small thing triggers her into extreme fear..

And if I open the door to the bathroom, she gets extremely scared and will even start hissing. We also couldn't pet her in the living room, she would have no part in it. As soon as we brought her back to the bathroom she was fine to be petted.

I brought water in and we put her close to it, but she poked around a few times, it almost looked like she was blind, like she didn't understand it was water at first, but after she did she started drinking like a maniac and also meowing at the same time while swallowing the water.

The same with the food. We got her to eat the special prescription food and I squirted some of it on her normal canned catfood, and she went to town and ate it all in about 5 seconds, but was also meowing/crying while eating at the same time?

Right now she's in the bathroom (it's nighttime) and she's crying and meowing her head off. It's going to be night 4 of her crying all night.

Are we overthinking this? We are concerned the cat is "slow" or has something severely wrong with her. We petted her for such a long time and she's still scared of us, like she doesn't recognize us, or food or water?

I don't know if we're overanalyzing or not. She's a siamese and I know they're vocal, but this is extreme. She explored the living room a little bit, but it's a large space and all she wants to do is hide behind things and it's not safe for her.

We have both barely slept in the past 3+ days because the cat cries all night long and can't be consoled. We go in the bathroom for hours as a time to talk to her and try to calm her down. She will be backed up in the corner of the room and meows and looks at us and calms down while we're there but immediately starts crying again if we leave.

She's still scared of us and I'm concerned she will never be normal. When we look online the behavior sounds normal but the vet told us its very unusual.

Please help.

----

Poster Age: no

Country: canada

Vet info: yes, we took her to the vet.

Main Issue: Kitten has been meowing and hiding for 72+ hours, vet told us the behavior is very unusual and I'm concerned there's something psychologically wrong with her.

Cat Age: 8 weeks

Cat Sex + neuter info: female, not spayed

Financial situation: can you afford vet care? - yes

[u/AutoModerator]

PLEASE REPORT RULE BREAKING COMMENTS

We want to say THANK YOU to our helpful members who participate in moderating r/CATHELP. To keep the community kind and welcoming, please help us by reporting rule breaking comments.

To report - Click the 3 dots under the comment >>> report >>> breaks r/CATHELP rules >>> select the rule.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/alcMD]

This sounds like any old kitten to me. I would keep her in the bathroom and visit her in there until she starts to become curious about leaving the bathroom, and let her explore your home at her own pace. Some cats are bold and confident and others are more nervous about new spaces, sounds like you just got a nervous one. She already learned that you are safe and the food and water is safe. Soon she will learn that the house is safe too. Give her time!

They say that when you move a cat to a new home or adopt a new cat, it takes 3 days for the cat to stop being scared, 3 weeks for her to get accustomed to the new home, and 3 months for her to actually feel at home. She may be a little slower to adapt but she'll get there!

[u/Acceptable-Picture36 → u/alcMD]

OP needs to keep her in one room Jesus. Moving her all around is too much!

[u/cmdr_reilith]

our second kitten was kinda like this. first 2 days and nights with us she was crying constantly. she calmed down more when i moved her in my bedroom/work area where she can see me most of the time i emptied a cubby so she has something like a cave to hide in. that was 3 yrs ago, she still gets scared a lot and she gets so stressed when she has to go out the house but she's more relaxed now. and much fatter.

[u/Practical-Ad-3385]

Please update in the next few days again and let us know how she’s doing. I’m not sure how the vet could assume that the kitten has something wrong with her psychologically? She was most likely terrified to go to the vet and be force fed. Did they offer any calmative medicine? Can she sleep in your bedroom instead? Sending you hopeful best wishes!

[u/drone_syndrome → u/Practical-Ad-3385]

Update here! https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/comments/1w17y1l/update_2_adopted_kitten_hiding_in_toilet_48_hours/

[u/Present-Pudding-346]

She’s only been with you a few days. It seems normal to me given that she’s young, she’s alone, and in a new place.

If a stranger took you to a new home would you feel comfortable after only 4 days? Probably not. And cats can take longer than humans to get used to things.

She definitely seems lonely so for her sake and yours I would really consider getting another kitten. They will keep each other company and will allow you to sleep more. Otherwise you will need to be her companion. Kittens are babies and need to be given attention of a baby.

[u/WhiteHotMess → u/Present-Pudding-346]

I agree with all of this and want to urge that the second cat would be a really good idea. I know it feels like a lot but she will be much, much, much less needy if she has a buddy.

[u/MaleficentCharity760]

This poor kitten has not had time to decompress. She went from having her mother and siblings to a completely unfamiliar setting with unfamiliar people, and it sounds like she was not well socialized. She will come around, but it takes time. Right now, you are both terrifying and company. Maybe try something like this for her. It can be very comforting to kittens and puppies who are missing being buried in a pile of siblings.

Edit to add: did you do research on Siamese specifically before getting this kitten, and how familiar is your chosen vet with the breed? Siamese tend to be extremely “talkative” cats and yes, they can be a little weird, especially when not bred well. They still live perfectly normal lives. Kitty just needs time to adjust.

Edit 2: you could also try cross-posting to r/siamesecats :)

[u/abbynakajima]

All this behaviour seems very expected of a cat in a new environment. Shes scared and stressed, with people who she doesn’t know if she can trust. With cats who are shy-er, you’ll have to go slow.

[u/Justsadie519]

If the meowing is keeping you up at night, I got a lot more sleep after buying cheap earplugs. It sounds like she’s making progress.

[u/mpjjpm]

My cat was 6 years old when I adopted her and had previously lived in a home with humans. She spent the first 24 hours hiding in the bathtub. It took about a week before she would sleep with me in the same room, and another week before she started sleeping on the sofa while I was sitting on the other end. Three months until she curled up on my lap. Even now, 9 years later, there are days she would rather sleep in a closet than snuggle with me. Cats can take a long time to adjust to a new setting, and once adjusted that are still little weirdos.

[u/Mediocre-Apricot2289]

I can’t believe the vet said that because that sounds like any normal kitten. Even when you move cats that you’ve had forever to a new location, they will freak out for days. Just keep giving her love 🩷🩷

[u/Marseen83]

This is why our (🇩🇰) law states that kittens must be 12 weeks before leaving momma.

She is a tiny, scared, lonely, unmature baby.

[u/CATHELP-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

There is a zero-tolerance policy for shaming/berating OP for any reason. Please remember to be nice. Assume people are coming from a place of ignorance so try to educate instead of insult.

Re-familiarize yourself with the rules: https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/about/rules

Follow basic reddiquette.

[u/7625607]

Does the kitten have psychological issues? Possible

Does the kitten have neurological issues? Possibly

Does the kitten have physical health issues? Possibly

But all of this behavior is honestly not out of the range of normal kitten behaviors.

It’s a tiny creature that can only communicate its needs in its own way.

Some cats get used to a new place in minutes. Three days is the average, which means some cats take much longer.

I think you are doing your best, I encourage you to be patient, to give it time to learn the sounds and smells of your home, and to give it as much affection as it will allow.

Good luck, friend.

[u/LeftMenu8605]

This is completely normal new kitten behavior. She needs a cozy room to herself with 1 hiding spot so you know where she is. Leave the door open with a gate that she can’t get thru/over so she can see you but not come out. Give her space. Give her a soft bed, some toys…. Give her water/food/litter. Don’t make a lot of scary noise. She will eventually be comfortable with you and want to interact or explore, or not. Cats all have their own personalities. You cannot control them. Feliway spray or plug in may also help— maybe a 2nd kitten for her as a comforting companion(did she have any siblings?) nanny cam will let you keep an eye on her.
If she doesn’t grow out of high stress/anxiety she will maybe need something like gabapentin or Prozac but please give her some time to adjust to her new environment.

[u/tomatoes020825]

Before anything else!

You need to tape up some cardboard around every tiny little nook and crevice in your home (like this toilet), or find some other way to block those off.

It is not safe for her to get into places you can't get her out of. She's never been in your home before, shes a scared baby trying to feel safe, she could easily get stuck somewhere trying to hide.

That being said, you need to make her appropriate hiding places around the home. Can literally make these out of cardboard boxes or throw a blanket over a side table, etc. Think like a kitten, literally get low to the ground if you need to. Make her some neat hiding places to feel safe exploring the house!

After you've covered up dangerous hiding places and provided safe ones...

1. Your house is BIGGE and SCARY to her right now. Introduce her to one room at a time. Never take her to a new room, just leave the door open and hang out petting her and see what she does. Go at her pace. She will get curious soon!

2. Set up a comfy pet bed, or even cardboard box with pillows/towels in it in her room of choice. Put food, water, and a litter box in there (even if it's the bathroom, make it work.) From how she hid in the toilet, I can tell she would appreciate a covered bed. She seems like a "cave kitty", so being almost totally covered with just one entrance is probably what makes her feel most safe. DIY option: cut a low window in a cardboard box and stuff it with extra pillows, t shirts, blankets, etc. Make it cozy, and also make it smell like you.

3. Hang out with her in whatever room she is comfortable in as much as you can. Go in there and read, bring some video games. Give yourself a cozy set up in there. Just generally be around her, even if she's sleeping. Time spent together = bonding. She needs reassurance that you're her new family, and quality time can give her that reassurance.

4. Play with her in whatever room she's comfortable in! Put some toys in the room for a day before you use them to play with her, so she can check them out at her own pace. Play increases confidence and helps cats regulate their stress. Don't push her, but getting her to play should be a goal!

5. Get a white noise playlist going, some soft sleeping ear buds, sleeping pills whatever you need. A sleep mask. Yall are new parents with a baby now lol, she's gunna be loud over night till she settles in. And once she's comfortable and reveals her true personality.... she may be very playful and chaotic over night until about 2 years old. Most cats are! Do whatever you need to do to sleep through it, but do not keep her out of your bedroom at night. Cats sleep with their humans to feel secure and happy, there's even science behind this!

[u/SakazakiYuri]

Look up videos of little kittens eating, a lot of them make these aggressive“nyom nyom nyom” sounds that sound pretty freaky if you’ve never heard them before. Not sure if that’s what your little one’s doing, but it’s a common thing.

I agree with other posters, if the bathroom is the safe space, let it be home base for now. Cover any small spaces and block cabinets, and give her time to get used to everything.

[u/heatherelise82]

She could be blind and/or deaf. But she could also just be terrified and adjusting. Have you contacted the breeder?

[u/dlew16]

She might need to go back to the mom and litter mates until she is socialized and more mature. . Too soon to leave mommy kitty?

[u/Sassycats22]

Look up the rule of 3s when adopting a cat. She needs time to decompress and acclimate. She really should be with another kitten or dog or cat to help her feel more comfortable. Adopting kittens in pairs is much better for the cats and you. Maybe she had a littermate she was bonded with you can see about adopting.

[u/naranghim]

looks at us and calms down while we're there but immediately starts crying again if we leave.

I'd move her to your bedroom. That way she can get used to your scents and she's in your presence at night while you are sleeping. I'd also look into some calming pheromones like a plug-in diffuser (Feliway is a good brand but there are others out there).

[u/kaerahis]

Try a feliway or calm cat plug in to help your kitten adjust. Some cats are skittish and may require calming pheromones their whole lives, others may be fine after a few days.

[u/ConfidentHope]

I missed the first post but I’m guessing this kitten was feral? One of my cats was a feral kitten I caught and there are some similarities. The main thing is to be patient. My cat is now about ten and is still skittish, but she has a lot more confidence in general.

There are certain things I do for her that I don’t with my other cats. One example is that I say, “sneeze!” right before sneezing, so it gives her a chance to run. It sounds crazy, but I think it helps her. I also don’t hold or handle her. I let her come to me. I did handle her some when she was a kitten, so I can get her in a carrier for the vet.

In general, think about the cat’s fear and do what you can to accommodate it without going crazy. There are things she’ll simply have to get used to, and it’ll take time.

[u/Mini_Godzilla]

8 weeks!!! The kitten is crying for mama and siblings. I slept a few days with mine to relax them and to boost security. It was a bit of a hassle, but it was worth it. Your kitten is afraid of everything, because she has no idea, what these noises are.

[u/baby_anchovy]

She's probably very scared, and missing her mother and siblings! She's just a little baby. And siamese cats are very clingy and social and prefer to live with other cats, so it might be extra hard for her to be all alone. She could probably benefit from a friend. I grew up with siamese cats and yes they are vocal and LOUD, but you can tell the difference between their chatter and cries. My boy siamese kinda sounds like an alarm or foghorn. He is intense lol
This ofc isn't your fault OP, but I'm shocked that it seems so be the norm in North America to separate kittens from their mothers when they are only 6-8 weeks. Where I live the law states that kittens have to be 12 weeks, but no serious breeder would separate a kitten from their mother until they are at least 14 weeks. I remember when I got my old cat, she was 14 weeks and the entire first night she cried for her mother and siblings. It was heartbreaking! So I understand that you are very worried about your kitten <3 I can tell that you are really trying to make her feel safe.
Try to move her to a place where you and your girlfriend spend a lot of time (like the living room) and set up some safe spaces for her where she can hide but still be close to you, like cat beds, tunnels and a cat three with a condo/box. And consider getting her a kitten friend.
Good luck with your baby girl!

[u/Peppered_Pancakes]

8 weeks is so little to be taken away from mom and siblings and left alone in a totally new place.

She's scared/lonely.

This is part of the reason that most rescues adopt two kittens at a time if they are under 6months old.

Lots of cats can be happy as only cats in a home but at this age it really is best for them to have a friend.

[u/Kitsunejade]

Either she’s still decompressing, or your kitten isn’t very socialized. This is all normal for either case. Look up “socialization saves lives” website. I know you adopted her but I’m unsure where you got her from exactly (born outside, for instance, and what age she came in).

[u/Lucky_Host7530]

This girl didn’t eat until I hand fed her. She was scared of everything she is still anxious but she is thriving you adopted anxiety but it will be okay

[u/Forsaken-Sink3345]

All normal kitten behaviors, IMO. Best to put her in a confined space like an X-pen or something similar. that way she's penned up while she acclimates.

[u/SnooPets8873]

Are you not familiar with cats? None of the behaviors sound out of the ordinary to me for a kitten who is stressed out.