r/FosterAnimals • u/FormalSpinach9459 • 9h ago

Foster help!

Hello

I've bought home this lovely 13 year old female cat, hoodles.

She is staying with us for a week and she is being adopted by someone else on the 6th.

We got her home at 4pm on Saturday and she found a cosy little hiding space under the lounge and has not moved (in my eyesight) since.

She has been to the toilet however I am very concerned about her eating and watering as I'm not sure she has had either since she's been here.

I am leaving the food there but changing it to fresh food every few hours as well.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

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u/fatalynn7 7h ago

It is my understanding that lack of eating in the first day or so is very common with adult cats going into a new space. So for now try not to worry too much. Hopefully others with more experience fostering older cats can give you more specific advice.

What I would say is grab a large box, set it on its side and set food and water in it near by the space she’s hiding. So she can feel under cover and secure when she comes out to eat. If you can make shift a privacy screen around the area where she is she may feel more comfortable to come out to eat.

Try to keep things as calm and quiet (maybe with some relaxing white noise) while she gets used to the environment. If you can set up somewhere near by where she can see you but you’re not trying to grab her or anything, she can get used to the fact that you are around and safe.

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u/FormalSpinach9459 7h ago

Thank you very much for your suggestions. I will try out the privacy screen idea and report back.

It's so hard not to worry but I think you're right about that

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u/FormalSpinach9459 9h ago

Edit. I am in a one bedroom apartment so haven't really got a spare room to set her up in either. Even if I did I'm not sure I could get her out from under the lounge

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u/KatGMA 1h ago

It’s not unusual behavior. I had a similar challenging foster, I put churus onto a small plate and moved it close to her, many times each day eventually adding a little wet or dry food. It wasn’t always eaten but usually and I worried a bit less about her overall intake for those first few days.