Peek-A-Boo continued
By tomcat23
@tomcat23 (622)
Old Forge, Pennsylvania
March 25, 2010 10:23am CST
About one month ago, I rescued a cat from the crawlspace in our basement. For 3 weeks, she made a home in our apartment and started bonding with our 5 other cats. One day, about two weeks ago, she went outside with our other cats and returned to the crawlspace in the basement. We have an access door in our bathroom linen closet, which allows access to water and drain pipes for the bathtub. Peek-a-boo can stick her head up through the pipes, but its a little too tight for her to climb through and return to the apartment. She will stick her head through, allow me to pet her and purrs in appreciation. When I go downstairs to rescue her again, she will not come to me. She seems afraid to come out from the shadows so-to-speak. She will only get so close, then return to the back of the crawlpace near the access door. Not to be cruel, but we've decided to stop feeding her, hoping she will get hungry enough to come to me when I go downstairs to get her. Do you think this is a good idea? We are planning on moving and we don't really want to leave her behind, but it seems we may have no other choice if she will not come to me. Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts on this matter?
3 people like this
9 responses
@BarBaraPrz (47667)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
25 Mar 10
You'll have to close the access door and stop petting her, too. Can you borrow a live trap and put it at the outside entrance to the crawlspace? Or get someone to crawl into the crawl space?
I'm glad you don't want to abandon her. 
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160952)
• United States
26 Mar 10
The live trap may be your best bet. I hope when you move you keep her locked up for a couple of weeks.
@tomcat23 (622)
• Old Forge, Pennsylvania
26 Mar 10
The live trap does sound like a good idea, however, there are four young children who live above us and I think they might be going down there trying to get her out as well, but their mother doesn't want the cat. If I do succeed in getting her out, we definitely won't let her out and I'll block her access to the basement crawlspace. If I can't get her out by the time we move, we'll call animal control. It'll be her best bet for survival if I can't get her.
@sulsisels (1685)
• United States
25 Mar 10
Hi tomat..Gosh, what a delima!! I think your idea of not feeding her is probably the best thing you could do..She is going to get very hungry and will probably come close enough for you to grab her if you show her food in a couple of days..Maybe one of the other cats would interest her..Have you tried bringing one of them down there? Just a thought..In any case,,good luck and do let us know how it turns out..I'll say a prayer..
1 person likes this
@tomcat23 (622)
• Old Forge, Pennsylvania
26 Mar 10
Thanks sulsisels. Actually, my one cat, Scout, follows me everywhere. He's been down there a few times with me, but it didn't help. The other cats know she is down there and they all gather around the little hole she sticks her paw through when she gets hungry. We didn't feed her at all yesterday, so I'll try again today with the food.
@GardenGerty (160952)
• United States
26 Mar 10
The only other thing I can think of besides the traps and progressive feeding is perhaps, if she is one who likes to play with things, you could drag a kitty toy around outside for her. Then sit patiently, like you are ignoring her, outside of the crawl space. Please let us know when you succeed.
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
25 Mar 10
I think getting a live trap would be a good idea, most animal shelters will be happy to help you. I'm glad you want to make sure she's ok hun, and hope she comes out soon
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
28 Mar 10
We have a very timid cat which we rescued six years ago when she turned up on our door step as a stray. Our vet suspects she was abused in some way by a male because she was very afraid of my husband for a long time. She will always be a timid cat but she has improved a lot over time. She no longer hides whenever someone comes over but still will not get too close. I guess your idea of not feeding Peek-a-boo may work because surely she may be inclined to come out when she is hungry? I pray that you manage to get her out and take her with you when you move.
@setsuna26 (2751)
• Philippines
26 Mar 10
Maybe her previous master is cruel to her. I mean thats why shes having trouble bout being close to you. I have alot of stray cats in our place too i feed them but they dont come to me directly they just sit near me but they dont let me pet them.Or maybe thats her nature too , it takes patience to tame animals sometimes specially cats ;)
@tomcat23 (622)
• Old Forge, Pennsylvania
27 Mar 10
I don't think her previous master was cruel to her, nor is it me she is afraid of. She feels safe in the crawlspace. I truly believe she is afraid of being left outdoors and abandoned again. When I open the access door in the bathroom linen closet, she pops right up, but can't squeeze through the opening between the pipes otherwise she would. She's not even afraid of my other cats, as they even go over to say hello to her when she pops up through the pipes. I guess you would really have to see the situation to fully understand the dilemma.
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
25 Mar 10
She'll come to you of her own accord when she feels that she can trust you or not. But That will take time and you don't say how long it is before you move so maybe your plan of not feeding her for a couple of days will work and allow you to get hold of her. Good luck with that though because even if she is hungry, if she does not feel safe enough to come out then she won't. You're best bet might actually be to get a trap and use that to get her. You might be able to borrow one from an animal shelter.
@tomcat23 (622)
• Old Forge, Pennsylvania
26 Mar 10
The first time I rescued her, she came right to me. She was living with us for a couple weeks and always came running to me when I called her. She even formed a bond with the other cats and was starting to sleep on the bed with them. I'll post the photo I took the day before she went back to the crawlspace.
@viryabo (69)
•
25 Mar 10
I read somewhere online that when they do that 'hiding thingy', put a small dish of food very close to where she hides, and leave. After a couple of days, draw the dish out about a foot or so, put food and leave. Do this for a while, say about a week, then hover around when next you put the dish out. Do this a few more times, and win her over. Not feeding her? I advice not.
Am i making any sense? Hope so!
Cheers
@kaylachan (71763)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
25 Mar 10
You may need to use some force, to get her out or paicance. Either way you'll have to get her out of there. The not feeding won't work because cats can go a long time with nothing and be fine. Once you get her out you should seal off that space so she can't get there again.
@tomcat23 (622)
• Old Forge, Pennsylvania
26 Mar 10
I'm hoping if she gets hungry enough she'll either come to me or climb through the access door in our bathroom closet. Its a tight squeeze but I think she can fit through. I put some books down there to bring her up closer to the opening, but she knocked a few books over and when I try to reach for them to restack them, she rubs my hand so I can't get a grip on the books. I'm determined to get her out of there, but it does get a bit frustrating especially since she knows me.
