shy cat hiding for days

Hi everyone. I just adopted Lucy, a 2-year-old DSH, from a shelter last week. She is very shy. She has been hiding under the bed for the past three days. I can see her breathing when I look closely, but she won't come out to eat or use the litter box. I am so worried. Is this normal for a shy cat to hide for days after coming home? I feel like I am doing something wrong.

short answer: yes. long answer: depends on where she came from. mine, Dre, hid for a week when i got him. Puff was easier. keep the room quiet. no visitors. put food near the hiding spot. feeding a hidden cat has some good tricks for this.

It is standard behavior for a feline experiencing environmental stress to seek a secure vantage point for 48 to 72 hours. However, a complete refusal to hydrate for more than 24 hours is concerning. Have you checked the litter box area? You might want to review the protocol in slow intro method to ensure you are not introducing too much stimulation too quickly.

I understand your anxiety, Kristen. In my forty years of living with animals, I have seen many cats that require a significant period of isolation to adjust. Do not rush her. If she has not eaten or drunk water in over two days, you must call your veterinarian immediately. Hiding is a defense mechanism, but dehydration is a medical issue. Refer to when to worry about hiding for the specific timelines we discussed there.

@steph_perry Thank you for the clear advice. I checked the water bowl and it looks like she drank a little bit, but I am not sure. I will keep monitoring. @kater36 I did try to follow the slow intro, but Milo (my orange tabby) keeps meowing at the door. I am trying to keep them separated. Does it help if I swap their scents? I saw something about that in helping shy rescues.

scent swapping is good. use a rag. rub on Lucy's cheeks. then rub on Milo's. repeat daily. don't let them see each other yet. stress is high. check out signs of stress in cats to see what Milo is showing. if he is hissing, back off.

Agreed with Dreed. Scent swapping facilitates socialization without the risk of physical conflict. However, I would like to point you to an older thread where this exact scenario was debated extensively. See separate room for new cat for the consensus on how long the separate room phase should last. It is better to be safe than sorry with a shy DSH.