‘Please Help, I Can’t Bring My Scared Shelter Cat Out Of Her Shell’: 17 Heartwarming Adoption Stories Of Cats Warming Up To Their Pawrents

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Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
May 25, 2024 3:00 PM EDT

On Caturday we often celebrate the extroverted kitties out there. The cats that are brave enough to climb on our faces while we sleep, yell at complete strangers for food and sit on and wherever they see fit. However, we often forget about the scared kitties who are yet to come out of their shell and the struggles that their pawrents go through to make that happen. So with this list of heartwarming adoption stories of cats warming up to their pawrents, we give the spotlight to the pawrents who are rouging it on their own this Caturday, still waiting for their cat child to creep out from under the couch.

From the fortunate feline who was scheduled for the eternal sleep who was scooped up by a heroic hooman who read him stories until he came out of his shell, to the feline who was fostered for five years and took another five months to warm up to his forever pawrents, to the fussy feline who was big on personal space when she first moved in with her pawrent but slowly shed the lining of her personal bubbles. These wholesome cat stories are the pawfect partner to a heartwarming Catruday.

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  • 01
    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

    Cats are one of the most abused creatures on this planet. Perhaps due to their size and quiet demeanor, they are undervalued and that leads to a number of problems. Which makes adopting a cat a difficult task when you bring them home. The key is patience and these feline pawrents are nothing if not patient. 

  • 02
    One year ago, we decided to get a cat from a shelter nearby. Our heart guided us to a 2yo girl, scared as he 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. 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 d
    via u/Altruistic-Bird8255
  • 03
    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
  • 04
    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. 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

    Sometimes it is not the cat, but the environment that they are in. animal shelters are stressful places for even the calmest of cats. But for a nervous cat, it can be their personal heck. It just goes to show that you can never judge a book by its cover.

  • 05
    Mushu had been abused, and was euthanasia listed due to his condition. 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 fr
    via u/boxedwinebaby
  • 06
    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 with us, he's the cudd
    via u/boochicky
  • 07
    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) Her bubble got smaller and smaller over time, about a month before she would not run away when I walked near her bubble. The breakthr
    via u/CrUtlRaOth
  • 08
    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
  • 09
    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 without looking at him, may
    via u/ArcanaSilva
  • 10
    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. It took a very long time, I'd say more than a year, befor
    via u/FurnishedHemingway
  • 11
    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 loving cuddler I've ever met
    via u/CollynMalkin
  • 12
    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 enjoying their best spoiled pampere
    via u/Mystified_Observer
  • 13
    I adopted a mostly blind cat after my first cat ever passed away. She hissed and ran away from me for five months straight! She made her new home under the bed and I honestly felt like I made the biggest mistake of my life and for her life because I was starting to wonder if she just hated being with me since she was at her foster home for her entire life. One day while I was lying down on the floor by the bed feeling so sorry for the both of us she came up to me and let me pet her. After that s
    via u/thesisinpieces
  • 14
    We had an absolutely terrifying black cat that we adopted. She was scared of everyone with the exception of me. I could hold her and cuddle her but if ANY stranger was near, she would run and god forbid if you got close. She was like Wolverine. About two years later, my partner is about to give birth at home. Everything is going smoothly but our little fluff hears some unfamiliar commotion and JUST as our baby is being born, I look over to the side and see our cat just standing there, perfectly
    via u/ethnicfoodaisle
  • 15
    I adopted Ripley (black) and Nova (tortie) together from a rescue. Ripley was exploring and asking for cuddles within a few hours of coming home while Nova hid under my bed for the first two weeks I had her. Progress was very slow, first she'd only come up to me if I was laying down and still, any movement would make her run and hide. Then I could sit and pet her if I was slow and careful. Then she would walk up to me even if I was standing but if I moved at all towards her she'd run. It took we
    via u/QuirkyCorvid
  • 16
    Our Fancy girl had 3 owners before us and had been declawed at some point, but for some reason I knew she was the one (I have a good cat picker). We took her home and set her up in the guest room so she would feel safe and secure. But she never did. For SIX months I just thought "oh well we have a cat who lives in the guest room for the rest of our lives." But after about six months she started venturing out. Now 7 years later (and two moves since) she's the star of the house. She runs the place
    via u/Square_Swim_7112
  • 17
    Beedee was a street cat that someone abandoned. She was hungry, cold, scared of everything-but tough as nails kind of girl. She was always hungry and cold the first winter we found her. I started leaving food out for her. She wouldn't let me come within 15 feet or so of her. Come summer, I started leaving our kitchen door open and leave her food just inside. She started to come in. She had a really bad few days - I'm not sure what happened. She came back looking ragged and thin. I fed her extra
    via u/AggravatingJacket833

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cat heartwarming cat adoption reddit story scared pawrents animal shelter
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