Adjusting a new kitten to his new home

[thekittensmittens]

when we got Georgia she ran off into kitchen and hid- it took me three hours of pulling out every appliance to find her so i then spent the rest of day blocking up gaps and cleaning the mess i found on the way
she then went to sleep in my seat so didnt have heart to move her!
Mr Miyagi has only been here about 3 weeks but he was totally different and didnt run off even though he was a lot younger- he does have a hide from Georgia spot in the utility aka mess cupboard as he fits in gaps she cant!
With Georgia i just used a dangly stick toy to coax her out after when she hid behind tv etc and she allways comes out as cant resist the chase.
they are however a lot more forward now and both go off on wanders in house but Georgia comes running at the slightest rattle of a food packet
Im convinced Mr Miyagi isnt all there though as hes so docile i can hold him up when hes tired and he will just fall asleep
Georgia is very much an outdoors type of cat (even though i dont let her out yet) shes allways off in the house exploring corners, pouncing on things and running in and out of rooms or up and down the stairs like a madwoman...she will love a stroke if she is laid in her spot but will NOT sit on my lap at all and swiftly jumps off if i try to give her a cuddle
Im sure your kitten will come around with a little patience-you could try my ohs technique- he ignores both cats so they are both worshippers of him and try everyday to sit on his head or laptop

[Jiji]

I agree with the others, try and lure him out with toys or food rather than reaching for him which I would have thought was quite scary for him. One of my boys still hides under the bed if something frightens him and I usually go and lie on the floor and chat to him for a while to reassure him everything is okay, then I just leave him to come out in his own time. It may take a while but I am sure he will soon be into all sorts of mischief  .

[Tiggy's Mum]

What a beautiful little boy 

Maybe you could lure him out from under the bed with a shoelace or piece of string rather than physically pulling him out so he sees it as a game.

I have two brothers who I've had since kittens and were raised together but they are like chalk and cheese personality wise, one is much quieter than the other and although he is very affectionate and loves cuddles/rubs/pats he hates being picked up so it could just be that your new arrival is just a quiet/shy little personality. I'm sure he'll come to love and trust you given time 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Maybe try a box with a hole cut in and some bedding to give him a place to retreat too.......he is gorgeous 

He is young and will also like to sleep quite a lot but playing with him if he likes that is good.........none of my 4 like being picked up and only one of them is a lap cat.

As feline said let him have space and time to find his way around.

Misa lived under the recliner for a few weeks but would come out to eat and then go back 

[Angel B. Trayer]

Thanks again Nicky ... I'm attaching a photo here!

Feline, thanks to you. it's really helping to get some reassurance here so I know that I'm handling it right! I've started giving him one or two yummy treats now every time he's actually with me.
he also likes to play a lot (like all little kitties) and comes out when something is moving.

again, thank you guys, this is really helpful and reassuring advice !! 

[Feline Costumier]

He's probably just terrified of all the new smells and sounds and surroundings. Every cat is different, just like every human, add onto this a possibly unpleasant start and his tentativeness is understandable.

I would just leave him to it. Make sure he's safe, has somewhere to hide and do get down to his level and gently talk to him but mostly I'd let him do things at his own pace on his own terms. If he's food motivated you can encourage him with tasty treats (not too much, just a few pieces at a time). I know myself and others have used food to gain the trust of feral kittens

Lastly, don't get irritated with him, he's only little and has been thrust into a new environment all on his own and he doesn't yet know for sure that this place has humans he can now trust.

[nickynoo93]

Thats ok. Charlie loves a fuss and follows me around, or runs into a room for me to follow! He loves a brush as well, but won't be held for long, I pick him up every now and then in case I ever need to in an emergency  so he doens't panic.

Just perservere with him, do you have any photos? Or not managed that yet?

Nicky

[Angel B. Trayer]

Thanks for your advice Nicky! I've contacted the rescue guys but so far they're not responding.

he definitely likes being held and petted because he purrs so loud when you do it. but you're right - maybe he doesn't like the moment of being picked up.

Thanks again

[nickynoo93]

My Charlie was very shy, he hid a lot and wouldn't even sleep easily if we were in, seemed to always have an eye open. Its taken over a year to get him to come out of his own free will when My parents come around.
Maybe your little one doesn't like being picked up. Let him come to you when he's ready. Try and block up the fridge gap though in case he hurts himself. Make somewhere he can hide so he feels safe.

Rescue people will be better to advise.

Please be patient, they are all different as  you know. Charlies sister loves being picked up and cuddled, and is much more outgoing with strangers.

Nicky

[Angel B. Trayer]

Hi guys,

so we have a new little kitten since a week. we rescued him so we don't know much about his history. he is very shy and hides out under the bed a lot and when we reach for him ever so gently he mostly backs off. but once he doesn't and we get him out to pet him and play with him he starts purring instantly. however ... after a short time he always goes back under the bed.

we have two grown up boys (both almost 3 years old) that I raised myself. they didn't use to be like that when they were kittens so I'm slightly irritated and wondering if there's things we can do better.

so far, we've been keeping the little one in the bedroom with us with the door closed so that he would get used to us first and then to the other cats later. now we just opened the door and he's in the kitchen hiding behind the refrigerator.

I'm just wondering ... does anybody have similar experiences? is it rather normal for a rescue kitty (who quite likely doesn't have a nice past) to be scared and shy like that?

can somebody give me some advice on what else we could do to make him feel more comfortable and trusting apart from getting him out to play and cuddle as much as we think is okay?

Thanks for your help guys