rehoming advice needed!!! (eating, litter, house, female)

[flyingsaucermom]

I am a pet sitter. I don't board cats at my house as I have my own cats and cat allergies. I found out last week that my husband's boss was bringing her cats here for 3 weeks because she is being sent overseas for a work commitment. I normally wouldn't have agreed to this, but she is doing us a HUGE favor worth over $25k (and she knows it). So the cats arrived yesterday. I moved my husband and I out of the master suite so they have about 500 sq ft to themselves. Lots of windows for them.

One of the cat is doing well. He's coing out from under the bed more and more, eating treats, playing a little bit. I think in a few days he'll be great. I'm worried about the smaller female. She hasn't come out from under the bed. She's moved around some, and I've left her treats, but she's not going for them yet. I was told she would need some more time.

Can anyone offer more suggestions on how to help her accommodate? I'm going in there every couple hours and sitting on the floor, talking with them and of course, my cats are strickly prohibited from entering their space (and they're doing fine).

Any irresisitable treats I ought to buy for the girl kitty?

[Normashirley]

I would just keep doing what you're doing. Some animals take a lot longer to re-adjust than others.

I would include her name in "conversations" with the other cat but, I wouldn't even bother making eye contact until she makes the first "can we talk?" move.

When you say good night, be sure to always include her name.

As long as she is eating and using the litter box, you're doing the best you can do with her.

I don't even know what to say about giving up your bedroom to them. Many kudos to you. Just let her come around in her own time, she may always be standoffish.

My tanker house cat is always wanting held and to lay on my lap. The tiny little thing that was heaved thru my locked driveway gate when she was barely old enough to be weaned, only wants attention from arm's length - literally. She does not want held but I may pet her from a distance lollol.

Meaning She has been here 3 or 4 years, so I don't expect that attitude to change

[Rene S]

Have you tried using a wand toy to play with her (if she will play?) As for treats, Liv-a-Littles are very popular at our house. One of our cats loves them so much, she'll "hide" while eating hers, so no one else can steal it.

[Linda_d]

I've found that many girl kitties are less adaptable to new situations than boys, so you have to be patient. I have 5 now, and over the years have had many more, and the boys have always seemed much more willing to "go with the flow". Of my 4 current girls, only 1 handles new situations with any kind of ease. My one boy is up for any new experience, which frequently gets him into trouble of course!

[Rowan123]

Maybe try Feliway (not a treat)? It might help her feel more comfortable. It may be she just will need more time.