Problem cat rescue situation

[ReadingMama]

My mom thought long and hard before deciding to get a second cat. A week ago she took in a sight unseen 9 month old unneutered male cat who belonged to a coworker who couldn't keep him. The poor cat was totally freaked out and stayed under the bed all day and night. Then he sprayed in my mom's closet. Then he disappeared.

We looked for this cat EVERYWHERE--even up inside furniture. We couldn't find him. After another day of not finding him, my mom figured he must have gotten out and escaped somehow. Last week went by and still no cat sightings. Then yesterday my mom caught a glimpse of him running from the room where the cat food bowl is. She was shocked! This cat has been "missing" for almost a week and we have no idea where he's been hiding. The only place possible is up inside my mom's box springs! (When we looked for him, we lifted the box springs upright and shook them--but didn't find the cat!)

My mom is freaking out because she now has a cat she can't catch (or find), and he needs to be neutered. She's also worried that if he ever does trust her enough to let her near him-and she gets him neutered-that he'll be so traumatized that he'll never trust her again. What a mess.

Do you have any advice for how to handle this situation? Is it normal for a cat (who was supposedly a friendly, laid-back cat before he was rehomed) to stay hidden for a week? What about him needing to be neutered?

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Well I dont see the hurry in neutering him right away as long as he is inside. I would work on letting himadapt to his new home and trusting her then worry about the neuter part.

[ReadingMama]

The only thing is, she leaves her back patio (2nd floor apartment) open so her other cat and dog can hang out on the patio when they want to. Can/will a cat jump from a second floor?

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I would say there is a definate possibility that he would jump that far especially being in a a new place.

[Minky]

Yeah, I'd tell her to keep the patio door closed unless she's watching. He's terrified and he might jump.

Tell her to keep putting food out for him, keep him closed in one room with the food and a cat box if she can figure out which room he's hiding in, and pleaese give this poor guy another chance at life.

[vegasgrl]

I had a cat hide inside the box springs for 6 months. That was 2 years ago. He's sleeping curled up right next to me now. But the neutering thing is going to be a problem because he's going to keep spraying until he's neutered.

When I was moving once, I couldn't find either of the cats. We picked up the box spring, moved it through the bedroom and the upstairs, slid in down the first half of the stairs, turned the corner, kept going down the rest of the stairs...and only then did we notice that BOTH the cats had been hiding in the box spring. Shaking it probably wouldn't let you know he's in there; best get a flashlight.

I live in a 2nd floor condo and I often leave the door open so the kitties can lounge outside. One of them regularly sits on the ledge, but he has never even come close to jumping. The other two who went out there were always too scared to even get on the ledge. That's not to say this guy won't, especially if he's freaked out, but I think it's less likely than people think.

The big issue is going to be the neutering. My experiences with male cats and spraying have never been positive pre-neuter. I just don't know that you're going to be able to get him out of his hiding spot. If you do, when he gets home, I'd let him hide for as long as he needs to. He'll come out when he figures out it's safe.

[SaraLe6]

Originally Posted by ReadingMama

Can/will a cat jump from a second floor?

Yes. I have 3 cats and live on the second floor, 2 of the 3 not only jump off the balcony to the ground below, but also climb back up the wooden post to get back onto the balcony when they want back in. I have a feeling the only reason the 3rd cat doesn't do it too is because he is overweight and I'm pretty sure he'd break his legs jumping that far.

[phatchristy]

Some cats will take a week or so to really warm up to someone when they're older. If she has one hiding in the boxspring (yeah, I had one bed that had an opening in the facing and the cats would go in and lie there...go figure) my advice would be to put some stuff under the bed to kind of block it.

[MaWhit]

I agree that the hiding is normal.

If neutering now is essential, you can use a humane trap baited with stinky wet food.

Of course, after that, he'll probably want to hide even longer. lol

[earthmama369]

We've had a couple cats warm up to their new living situation within a few days, but most of them took a week or three to really come out and be social (or just let us see that they're actually there).

[ReadingMama]

Well, good news. My mom has had several more cat sightings. He lays underneath the bed (rather than in the box springs) sometimes now and periodically comes out of the bedroom to sit on the back porch. He still won't let my mom near him, but all 3 of her pets seem perfectly comfortable together. They've probably been partying together during the day all week! He hasn't sprayed again and my mom is trying to allow the new cat time to feel safe before she gets him neutered. Thanks for all the advice! We were worried!

[MaWhit]

Good deal.