Cats wait over two years for home together, but new owner faces big problem
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After adopting a pair of bonded cats who’d been in foster care for almost three years, a Reddit user is now facing a big problem—neither cat seems to be adjusting well to their new home.
In a post shared on Wednesday under the username u/purrfect_libra, the cat owner explained that because they always wanted a pair of bonded cats, they didn’t hesitate to adopt the two felines after learning how long they’d been looking for a home, but she never anticipated their unusual behavior.
“These (bonded) cats I adopted really hate me,” she wrote in the post. “Just adopted these two on Saturday. Male/female bonded cats who met in foster.
“They won’t come out from under the bed unless I am sleeping (dry food eaten / litter box use) I can’t feed them any wet food while they hide but I decided to leave out wet food before I went to sleep last night as a ‘test’ and I don’t think it was touched. Actually, this morning I noticed they didn’t really touch their dry food from last night either.”
The poster added that when they picked them up on adoption day, multiple people had to try to get them out of the cage and into carriers, because they just would not go.
“They are very fearful cats. I adopted them because I wanted bonded cats and I felt bad since they were in foster for two-three years. One of them hisses at me otherwise they both run away,” they said.
“I work remotely most days and they don’t even use the litter box or eat when I am in my office (all their stuff is there). What’s next?????”
Because cats are very prone to stress, adoption can sometimes feel overwhelming for them in the beginning, so creating a calm, predictable environment is essential.
Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary recommends giving your cat a quiet, cozy space to settle, avoiding forced interactions, and allowing natural exploration as they adjust. New cats should stay indoors for at least four weeks, with outdoor access, which can be then introduced gradually and timed before meals so hunger encourages them to return home.
Appetite changes and restless nights are normal early on. Establishing a household routine—feeding times, boundaries, sleeping areas—helps your cat feel secure. Health and safety steps include registering with a vet, keeping up with flea and worm treatments, securing pet insurance, and ensuring microchip details are up to date.
Providing safe retreat spaces, and scratching posts supports comfort and natural behaviors. With patience and consistency, your rescue cat will settle and form a strong bond with you.
The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 13,000 upvotes and 1,300 comments on the platform.
One user, Distant3zenith, commented: “Five days is not enough time to acclimate them to a new home. Please be patient. These two are going to need more time and patience on your part. They will come around. Some cats are easy to move to a new environment and some are not. Don’t crowd them, don’t try to rush them—it’s going to happen on their timetable. You can do this!
“I have a cat that took six months to acclimate to me. She would hiss at me when I brought her food, etc. But she’s great now. Loves to be hugged! It just took time and patience—I was willing to do it her way.”
Dinkydinkyding said: “The most scared, mean seeming cat I ever adopted ended up being the sweetest and most affectionate over time.”
KatblondeD added: “Have you had cats before? You’re moving too fast.”
Newsweek reached out to u/purrfect_libra for comment via Reddit comments. We could not verify the details of the case.
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