Best spot for a new stressed cat

Hey everyone! So we picked up a new cat last week. She is a 1 year old mixed and she is super stressed out. She hides under the bed and hisses when I get close. I have Milo, my 3 year old orange tabby, who is shedding like crazy right now, and I don't want them to meet yet.

I am trying to figure out the best spot in the house to keep her. I have a spare bathroom, a small closet, and a bedroom that I don't use much. The bathroom is small but has the door open to the hall. The bedroom is bigger but has a window that faces the street where the neighbors have loud dogs. The closet is... just a closet.

What do you guys think? I read this thread about room size and it said bigger is better, but I am worried about the noise. Also, where should I put the litter box? I saw kelly91's tips on placement but I am confused because the room is small.

Hi Dana. I think the bedroom is the best option, but you need to manage the window. My shy cat Shadow is 7 and I keep him in a spare bedroom when he is new. I put a heavy curtain on the window to block the visual stimulus from the dogs. It helps a lot.

I would avoid the bathroom because it is too small for a cat to feel safe. They need space to escape if they feel threatened. Also, the closet is not ideal because it is dark and they can't see you coming.

I would put the litter box on one side of the room and the food/water on the other. See my post on hiding spots for ideas on where to put a cardboard box or a cat tree. Shadow loves a box near the door so he can watch you without being in the way.

Agree with RiverPrairie. The bedroom is the way to go. I had a similar issue with my kitten Kiki when she was 2. She was hiding under the bed for three days. I put a white noise machine in the room. It really helped mask the dog barking outside.

Check out vowens' data on white noise. I used a fan setting and it was enough to calm her down. Also, make sure the litter box is far away from the food. Cats hate eating where they poop. I put the food near the door and the litter box in the corner.

One thing: do not force her out. Just sit in the room and read a book. Let her come to you. It took a week for Kiki to stop hissing.

Data point: In a study of 50 new cats, those in rooms with consistent low-frequency noise (40-60 dB) showed a 20% faster reduction in hiding behavior compared to silent rooms. The white noise machine suggestion is sound.

I would recommend the bedroom. The bathroom is under 4 square meters, which is below the threshold for comfortable movement. The closet is 1.5 square meters, which is too small. The bedroom is approximately 10 square meters, which is sufficient.

Regarding the window: acoustic insulation is key. A heavy curtain reduces sound transmission by about 10 dB. If the dogs are barking at 80 dB, the curtain brings it to 70 dB inside. The white noise machine at 60 dB will mask that effectively.

Litter box placement: Ensure it is at least 1.5 meters from the food bowl. This is a standard hygiene distance. See this thread on feeding if she refuses to eat in the new location. Start with wet food to encourage her.

Wow, thanks so much! The data from @vowens is really helpful. I didn't realize the size mattered that much. I am going to set up the bedroom with the curtain and the white noise machine.

I will try the food/litter separation. I have a small table I can use for the food. And I will definitely sit in the room and read. I have a stack of books ready.

One last question: should I let her out for the first few hours? Or keep the door closed? I saw sharon62's thread on introductions and it said to keep them separate, but I am not sure if that applies to the first day in the new room.