What to do with two shy kitties?

Hello!

I'm a first time pet owner. A week ago, I adopted two cats from a rescue organisation that were said to be quite calm, if not shy. They are between 2 and 4 years old and were abandoned while being highly pregnant.

I set up their base in my bedroom, food, toilet, play items, everything. They have been hiding under the bed all day since we got them and only dare to come out at night to play and use the toilet. The last two evenings though, I was allowed inside the room while they were eating. I've read about giving them time to adjust and to give them safe places to hide and socialise with them by just sitting in the same room with them, but unfortunately my bed is a really great place to hide. It's in one corner of the room so that it forms two "tunnels" with the walls where I'm neither able to reach nor see them. (Additionally, I don't think sleeping on the cold floor in the narrow space all day is that comfortable.)

So I've been thinking about blocking off some of that space because what good is it to spend time in the room with them when they can't see me anyway? Of course they would still have other places to hide around the room, except for that big dark space behind my bed... It would be like forcing them to come out to socialise a bit more. This was recommended by some articles I've read.

Or would that make them even more afraid? I'm not quite sure, maybe I'm just too impatient? I'm only able to see them in the evening when I'm lucky, or the shadows of them running around at night.

Another thing (that I've read) is that playing is really great for bonding even with shy cats, but mine don't want to play with me, what leaves them with all that bottled up energy which gets released during the night through wild chases throughout the room. Up to now this is not a big problem, I use earplugs and that muffles their noise a bit, but in one week I'll have to work again and I won't have the time to sit on the floor for 5 hours every evening apart from being woken several times each night.

Could you write some thoughts, advice or experiences on the matter? Thanks!

submitted by /u/darkblueelephant
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/dg1myj/what_to_do_with_two_shy_kitties/