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New Cat Is Hiding and Not Eating (Why? & What Now?)

If you have a new cat and noticed that it is hiding and refusing food you may be wondering why, looking for some techniques to make it feel comfortable (Click here to see one of my best ways to make a new cat feel comfortable. on Amazon #Ad), and an idea of how long this may go on for.

Why is my new cat hiding and not eating?

The main reasons cats hide and refuse to eat is a health issue, stress, or anxiety. If your new cat is not in pain or has a known health issue it’s likely to be the latter. Meaning, they are anxious about their new environment and need time to adjust.

What you will need to make your new cat comfortable

Description	Image	My Rating
01. Cat Scratching Post (My Best) Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad
02. Feliway Plug-in Diffuser Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad
03. Interactive cat toy Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad

So, now you know why your cat may be hiding and not eating. But, how can you calm your stressed-out cat? How long is this phase likely to go on for? How can you get your cat to stop hiding? Keep reading for these answers, and so much more.

How can you make a new cat feel comfortable?

To make a new cat successful you need to gradually get them used to your home. here are some strategies you use:

01. The safe room

One of the best strategies is to use a safe room. This is a delegated room for your new cat. This is ideal for kittens. But, still effective for older cats. Instead of subjecting them to your entire house, you can make them get used to one room first.

02. Grooming tools

Simple grooming tools like a scratch post (Click here to see the reviews, on Amazon #Ad) will make your cat feel comfortable and more at home.

One mistake other owners have been known to make is to reuse an old post they may have. It’s important to use a new one to avoid your cat rejecting it due to the scent on it.

03. Food & water

It goes without saying that your cat should have enough food and water available. At first, it is best to supply this in their safe room. This will break them in gently.

What can you do if your cat is not eating?

If your cat is not eating you can use some simple techniques to tempt it to eat. Such as gently heating the food, or adding broth. This will take a bit of trial and error because every cat responds differently.

When your new cat isn’t eating you may be tempted to just hope, with time, they will just start eating. But, the problem is, it may not happen soon enough, which could put their health at risk.

Therefore, using these tips, you can try and stimulate its appetite and speed up its return to normal eating.

How do you calm a stressed cat?

There are some simple techniques that you can use to get your cat happy again, or simply adjusted to its new home. Such as giving it some space, allowing it to freely mark its new territory, adding soothing music to their environment, etc.

With regards to marking its territory, using a cat scratching post (Click here to see the price, on Amazon #Ad) will make it direct its scratching towards that, rather than your walls or furniture.

How do cats adjust to a new home?

To adjust your new cat to your home, apart from using the safe room that I discussed earlier, it is important to keep them in your home. This is typically on for a few weeks, say 4-6 weeks, for example. This allows them to adjust and not attempt to run back home.

If you had been wondering how to make your cat get adjusted as soon as possible you may have been looking for some ways to get it adjusted. Hopefully, these tips should give you some ideas on how you can do this successfully.

How do you comfort a new cat?

Other strategies that you can use to comfort your new cat, assuming it is an adult cat, is a pheromone defuser (Click here to see the reviews, on Amazon #Ad). In addition to this is an interactive toy (Click here to see the price, on Amazon #Ad) that will keep it entertained and comfortable.

Thinking of what you can offer a new cat to comfort it is not always obvious. But, you use these simple devices to help you settle your cat in easier.

How do I get my new cat to come out of hiding?

To stop your cat from hiding you need to be patient, first and full most. But, if you have given it ample time and still nothing, you need to understand the root of the anxiety. Could your cat be fearful of another pet you have? A loud baby? Find out what it is and address that issue to get it out of hiding.

A new cat has every right to be wary of your new environment. But, if this goes on for longer than reasonable you need to look into what could be scaring it. And, hopefully, this has given you some ideas.

Is it normal for a new cat to not eat?

It is normal for a new cat, that is stressed about its new environment, to be off its food temporarily. But, it doesn’t mean you should just do nothing. You need to try and get it back to its normal routine of eating to keep its strength.

To achieve this you should find out what food it ate before you took over. Get the exact same brand it had before rather than trying it on a random choice you picked up from your store. Also, if this fails, try other foods, maybe one that has quite a potent smell, like canned fish cat food.

How long before a new cat stops hiding?

It is reasonable for a new cat to hideaway for a couple of weeks. Sometimes it may appear to be hiding but it may choose its moment to venture out and explore your home. For example, at night when you are sleeping. Remember it is also getting used to you, personally, not just your home.

It is normal, as a new cat owner, to get frustrated while your cat adjusts to you. You may take it personally, but be patient. If, after a couple of weeks you still don’t see much movement, then you can look into some other methods.

Why is a starter room good for new cats?

The starter room is essential to get your cat adjusted comfortably. It will make your cat get used to the new environment without the pressure of the whole house. Especially if you have a busy or noisy house.

Also, the size of the room you choose is not an issue. So, don’t let that concern you. The point is, it just needs an environment to adjust.