20 Emeowtional Success Stories Of Scared Shelter Cats Learning To Love Shared By Heartwarming Heroes

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Mar 13, 2024 12:00 PM EDT

Hey cat lovers, get your tissues ready because this listicle is one for the books. We've always been a fan of "adopt don't shop" (no judgment, just our purrsonal preference), but you never really know what you're going to get when you adopt a shelter cat, especially one that had a troubled past. We hold a special place in our little kitty hearts for people who adopt cats that no one wants, or who are too antisocial to stay in a home. 

One Redditor recently adopted a scared kitty from a shelter and asked for some adoption success stories, and boy did the floodgates open with this one! We found a litter box full of heartwarming heroes who took the scared cats and, with patience, taught them how to love and be loved. It's genuinely ameowzing to see, and we're feeling so full of love right now that we could purractically burst! Scroll down for some tear-jerking inspirational posts, and don't say we didn't warn you beforehand!

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  • 01
    Please tell me about your success stories with scared shelter cats
    via u/Norythelittlebrie
  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 9893039360
    via u/Norythelittlebrie

    That is one scared kitty! The most important thing we've learned about dealing with scared cats is patience. Cats usually live by a 3-3-3 rule, 3 days to adjust, three weeks to learn the routine, and three months to start to become comfortable.

  • 03
    Hi friends, my boyfriend and I adopted this adorable little bean from the shelter yesterday! She's very nervous and so far, we haven't been able to touch her. We leave her alone in the living room and go in as little as possible to let her get used to the space (we unfortunately don't have a spare room to give her without bothering her). Yesterday, she came out of the carrier bag pretty quickly but has found a little spot behind the sofa to hide. She still won't let us approach and hisses/growls
    via u/Norythelittlebrie

    Listen, as long as she's eating and using the litter box, she just needs some time to adjust. Imagine being transported from one place to another your whole life and seeing danger around every corner - you would take some time to adjust as well!

  • 04
    during the night, but stayed curled up in her corner when I went to check on her. It's my first time with such a nervous shelter cat, I feel like it's going decently well and will get better with patience, but I'm open to any advice/opinion, and would love to hear about your success stories with nervous kitties! As a side note, we were absolutely warned by the shelter that she was like this and that it would take time. We're ready to be patient! Our late cat who passed in December was also a dif
    via u/Norythelittlebrie
  • 05
    Altruistic-Bird8255 · 22 hr. ago One year ago, we decided to get a cat from a shelter nearby. Our heart guided us to a 2yo girl, scared as of everything, including the shelter's owner. That's Craftie. We were wondering if it would be a good idea to get a second cat, one a little bit more social. We met a 5yo orange braincell with FIV that no one wanted. Sweet boy with cuddling needs. That's Pumpkin.
    via u/Altruistic-Bird8255
  • 06
    We took the big boy home first and he immediately began to take over the place like he owned it. Slept with us from the first day and he never miss a night with us. We took the scared Craftie next day. She was TERRIFIED to say the least. She spent like 2 weeks under a piece of furniture, only going out at night when Pumpkin wanted her to make a tour of his new property.
    via u/Altruistic-Bird8255
  • 07
    Took one month to see her adventuring in the house during day light. Took 3 months to see her in the cat tree. Took 6 months for her to let us touch her without flying away. And now, 11 months later, she is one of a cuddling girl. Still easily scared from time to time, plus she won't come on our laps. She rarely sleeps with us too but comes to ask scratches first thing in the morning.
    via u/Altruistic-Bird8255
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 9893040640
    via u/Altruistic-Bird8255
  • 09
    Sukkubus76 · 21 hr. ago
    via u/Sukkubus76
  • 10
    This is Suri, she was the scarest little girl i had ever met. She was saved from an animal horder by the shelter. We took her, because nobody wanted her, she never had reall, contact to humans. Now after 2 years, she is my sweet couch potatoe, that demands her pets, as you can see. It took a lot of patience and love, but we made it and it is worth every second.
    via u/Sukkubus76
  • 11
    Baconpwn2 21 hr. ago I went to a local shelter with the intention of adopting a different cat. But I heard she was on the verge of being put down because she was anti social and refused to even see people. She had a sunroom and was content with it.
    via u/Baconpwn2
  • 12
    I had some experience with difficult cats and figured in the worst case, I could give her an extension on life. Adopted her and brought her home. It took her all of maybe five minutes to warm up to people and demand attention.
    via u/Baconpwn2
  • 13
    boxedwinebaby · 20 hr. ago • Mushu had been abused, and was euthanasia listed due to his condition.
    via u/boxedwinebaby
  • 14
    I scooped him up, and with some TLC and a calm loving home... he's a big fluffy love bug! He chirps, snuggles, and is a loving big brother to a derpy blind kitten. He still doesn't like new people or loud noises, but who does?! My best trick with scared or new kitties is to read aloud to them. Doesn't matter what it is - just sit down in their room with a book, and let them get to know your voice and presence as a peaceful friend. I won't bug them as they hide, but like to bring some treats in a
    via u/boxedwinebaby
  • 15
    • boochicky 21 hr. ago Our Jasper came to us from his foster mom of five years, she'd rescued him from the park. He stayed in his carrier for a week, only coming out quickly for a bite, a sip of water, and to use the litter pan. After that, he hid under our couch for four weeks; also venturing out only for food, water and toileting. The two weeks after that, he took to sitting on our dining table and spent a month there. I think he liked the high vantage point. But now, after more than two years
    via u/boochicky
  • 16
    CrUtlRaOth 20 hr. ago • I had recent success with a spicy mother cat. Some rules I went by early on: • sit facing away from her when reaching out to let her smell me, possible petting opportunities • turn away from her when entering her bubble • walk around her bubble when • possible (turning away when possible) ⚫ announcing reassuringly when I was going to do things she didn't like (noise)
    via u/CrUtlRaOth
  • 17
    Her bubble got smaller and smaller over time, about a month before she would not run away when I walked near her bubble. The breakthrough happened about a week after I started using a Feliway diffuser and using treats to keep her in my bubble for a short period of time. It still took more months before I could start trying to desensitize her to being picked up. Eventually creating hand signals for my intent helped too. Wiggle fingers for pets, folding fingers for uppies.
    via u/CrUtlRaOth
  • 18
    AyyEffTee 21 hr. ago My cat doesnt like being touched or anything that isnt exactly to her will right now. So my progress is: the more i learned to precisely observe her, the more precisely i can exactly tell what she likes. So now its all just automatism how to approach her, pet her, play with her etc. Shes an individuall and nothing in the world will make her a cozy shmozy carry me around cat, i am her seravnt for the rest of her life and thats cool.
    via u/AyyEffTee
  • 19
    ArcanaSilva 20 hr. ago My "shy" cat screams at me to lay down on the couch so he can lay on me, preferably while been given a belly massage so he can bury his little head into my legs. He's weird. We're a year in and he mostly likes my fiance, but loves me. He hates noises and other people, and he's hard to approach if you're standing up, he prefers his pets on either the couch or the bed. It took him a bit, but chilling close to his space without coming across as intimidating - approaching with
    via u/ArcanaSilva
  • 20
    Also, food. This guy is INSANELY food driven and will slobber all over your hands. It's how we're trying to teach him that other people can be nice too, but that's a work in progress! He's a sweetheart but sometimes I would like my own personal space... so be aware of shy cats that become clingy sweethearts
    via u/ArcanaSilva
  • 21
    Furnished Hemingway · 19 hr. ago My wife and I are going on year three with a feral girl we adopted at around 8 months old. She was terrified and also terrifying whenever approached. She would hide, hiss, and scratch if we got too close. I bought a couple telescoping backscratchers which I used to pet her from a distance, and she discovered she really enjoyed that. After a few weeks, she really started to crave affection, but only trusted it from the backscratcher still.
    via u/FurnishedHemingway
  • 22
    It took a very long time, I'd say more than a year, before we got to a point in which we could pet her with our hands. Baby steps, but we were patient with her and allowed her to move at a pace she was comfortable with. In the time leading up to that, she showed us how much she wanted to be around us, even if she was still suspicious of physical contact. She'd follow us around, and try to lead us to her toys for play time. Even now she only allows petting on her terms, but that's multiple times
    via u/FurnishedHemingway
  • 23
    though she has the most anxiety, she's now our most well behaved on vet trips and she really has become super loving. Craves attention like crazy but is still nervous most of the time. Recently though she's started to come around occasionally when we have company, as long as our guests are soft spoken. No petting from outsiders yet of course, and I don't expect that any time soon, but she really is a completely different cat now than she was when we brought her in. It's still a work in progress,
    via u/FurnishedHemingway
  • 24
    CollynMalkin 21 hr. ago My old lady was a stray when we found her, and planted herself under the couch. I was like seven so I probably didn't handle it the best but I would go over to the couch and look for where underneath it she was hiding and leave treats for her. I'd also try to pet her which I don't recommend and you probably already know. Anyways It took six months for her to finally come out from under the couch. But fast forward fifteen years, she's the most affectionate, attention lovin
    via u/CollynMalkin
  • 25
    Mystified Observer 20 hr. ago Yes it may take a long time, possibly even months but probably not that long. The best thing is to just talk softly and try not to force eye contact or touch yet. Let her hide as long as she needs to. All of our cats are rescues and we picked the ones that were the most traumatized and fearful. One was a semi-feral that took over a year to even allow touch. But they all came to feel completely safe with us in their own individual adjustment times. They are all enjoy
    via u/Mystified_Observer
  • 26
    griffonfarm 20 hr. ago You need to give her way more time than 2 days. Cats can take a long time to adjust to a new place. There's a reason the 3-3-3 thing gets passed around so much. You have to be patient with her and go at her pace, not yours or it will take even longer for her to feel comfortable. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT 3 DAYS TO DECOMPRESS Feeling overwhelmed May feel scared on unsure of what's going on Not yet comfortable to be May not want to eat or drink Shuts down and/or hides unde
    via u/griffonfarm
  • 27
    EUblij 19 hr. ago Picked out of the street by the dierenambulance after being hit by a car. Adoped from the shelter 5 years ago. He's a perfect cat.
    via u/EUblij
  • 28
    Away-Caterpillar-176 · 19 hr. ago This is very very very very normal behavior. It's super common for cats to hide completely for days. Don't make eye contact and move softly around her, she will figure out that you are safe when she's ready. It's the BEST feeling to be trusted by a shy cat, but great reward takes great patience.
    via u/Away-Caterpillar-176

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aww shelter wholesome heroes adorable adoption heartwarming learning emotional success cute scared cute cats adopted love story animal shelter Cats animals
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