Hi guys, I recently adopted a new cat just 2 days ago, and she’s only 16 weeks old. She’s been really scared since moving into my place, which I totally get. She’s usually pretty scared of me at first, but once I pick her up, she seems to feel safe and comfortable. She tends to stick close to me unless I have to move her for some reason. On her first day, she didn’t eat or drink at all unless she was on my lap, and I had to put food right next to her. Also, she wasn’t using the litter box without me putting her near it several times a day, even though it’s the same type she had at the shelter. Last night, I woke up a few times because she was playing and eating, which is great, but then I noticed she pooped under my bed. I cleaned it up right away. What do you think I should do? I want to make sure this doesn’t happen again, especially at night. How long will it take for her to feel safe enough to not need me around all the time?
@Jo
Thanks for the tips! I do have a second litter box, but I was thinking about keeping her in the bathroom while I’m at work today. I’ll try sitting on the floor more often too. She seems to come to me more when I’m lying down.
If she keeps having accidents, try keeping her in a small room with the litter box so it’s super obvious where she should go. I had to do something similar when I got my kitten. And enzyme spray is a lifesaver for cleaning up!
@Penn
Great idea! I will have to try that. Any recommendations for enzyme spray?
Olin said:
@Penn
Great idea! I will have to try that. Any recommendations for enzyme spray?
Try anything from Nature’s Miracle. It works wonders, trust me! And a black light helps too to make sure you got all the spots.
Is she in one room? Try giving her treats while walking around with her. Also, make sure her food and water are in different spots. Blocking under your bed can help too!
Ira said:
Is she in one room? Try giving her treats while walking around with her. Also, make sure her food and water are in different spots. Blocking under your bed can help too!
Thanks! I put her in the bathroom at first and let her explore. I’ll make sure her food and water are separate. I didn’t know about that!
@Olin
Yeah, it can help a lot! Cats don’t like the smell of food in their water.
It might just take her a while to adjust. Food and water don’t have to be far apart, but separating them can help. Some wet food might entice her to eat more too!
Quincy said:
It might just take her a while to adjust. Food and water don’t have to be far apart, but separating them can help. Some wet food might entice her to eat more too!
Got it, I’ll try that! I have her on dry food from the shelter, but maybe I’ll mix in some wet food.
@Olin
That should help! Good luck with her adjustment!
Every cat is different, so just keep an eye on her. She might just be a bit scared right now. Mine had a phase like that too, lol.
Penn said:
Every cat is different, so just keep an eye on her. She might just be a bit scared right now. Mine had a phase like that too, lol.
Yeah, I think I might’ve scared her too. Thanks for all the advice!