Safe room can help terrified kitten adjust to home

Dear Cathy: My wife and I are 81 years old and have always had a cat. We answered an ad in the paper for 8-week-old kittens.

It was a home in the country. The kittens were kept in a basement room. There were no windows and the door was shut. The women said they had received their first shots from the vet. The kittens were very well-fed, so we took a little female.

When we got her home, she was terrified. She finds a curtain or a small corner to hide in. After a night during which she cried constantly, we noticed she might have eaten a small amount of dry food but had not used her litter box. When my wife tried to pick her up, the kitten hissed at her and raised her paws as if to strike. The kitten was shaking from fear.

We have never had this happen to us before, but we have a theory. The kitten is only 8 weeks old and has never been introduced to family living. Every noise or commotion is a new experience. What can we do to help her?

Dear Richard and Gloria: Your theory is probably correct. This kitten probably had very little socialization, but she also is being exposed to her new environment too quickly. Kittens are still babies and require help adjusting to their new homes.

Begin by placing her in a quiet room with her litter box and food for a few days, so she can rest and settle into her new home. Spend time in the room. Spray your clothes with feline pheromones before going to comfort her. Put a feline pheromone plug-in in the bedroom to lower her stress levels.

When you sit with her, don’t try to pick her up. Let her come to you. When she does, don’t reach out for her. Talk softly. If she purrs, you can slowly pet her. Otherwise, just talk to her.

Once she calms down and gains confidence, let her out of the room for short periods to explore other rooms in your home. Put some cardboard boxes around the house so she has places to hide if she feels insecure.

If she is spending time with you, is getting used to your soft voices and has places to hide, she will feel better and trust you more.