Ok so we got our cat Jessie from an owner that could not afford to feed her any more.
Once we got her home, she was very quiet so we gave her some food and put out a litter tray in her own little area near our stairs. As you can imagine after a few days she started to explore her new home and after a week she would come to us for some attention only if we were settled watching TV at night time otherwise she stays near the stairs on her blanket in the daytime.
Thats that explained except any sudden movement or sound she doesn't recognise or by us simply going to another room and she does a runner back to her spot on the stairs.
Basically what can I do to reassure her, so she doesn't do a runner every time we get up to do stuff?
Also how long do you recommend to keep her in?
She is a gorgeous black and white cat and craves attention when everything is quiet.

Here she is http://i41.tinypic.com/fp8sur.jpg

Awww, she's gorgeous, she's a bit like our rescue cat Squiggles. Have you asked her previous owner if she was a nervous cat ?

You could try going onto the PetMeds website & buying a Feeliway plug in diffuser. it gives off the same at pheromones that makes cats feel happy & relaxed.

I think you'll just have to be patient with her , you don't think she's ever been smacked do you ?

Usually pet charities advise you to keep them in for 3 weeks, but if she's a very nervous cat, who's likely to run away at the slightest movement or sound, it might be better to keep her in a bit longer.

You could also try googling some of the cat behaviour websites.

It's only been a couple of weeks. Everything's still new - she'll need a lot longer than that to relax. Try talking to her when you start to get up so she hears something familiar. I've noticed mine recognises me quicker by voice than by sight (he's an ex-stray, so was a bit nervous to begin with).

Thankyou to you both.

It was a man that was her original owner, that hissed and growled at him when he tried to grab her to put her into the cat carrier. He had healed scratches all over his arms, so I imagine somethings gone on but just wanted to give her a better home as it looked like he could hardly look after himself and his home. (Apologies if that sounds bad)

We kept our adult ex strays in for 6 weeks, and we also use feliway plug in diffuser too.

Another vote for feeliway plug-in

We were recommended it when we first got our Cat as a kitten - and I think it had a positive effect.

We've also moved house since then and we used the plug-in again at that time to calm her down a bit and make her feel a bit more comfortable.

It is expensive, but well worth it.

give her time as long as she has somewhere quiet that is her own space she will get used to it. When we moved in our place our cat wouldn't leave my side and I had had her for years. It got a bit annoying after a while because she got so clingy in the first month that I just wanted her to leave me alone. Don't forget not only has she got a new home she also has new owners and that to her must be a big upheavel.

Also I wouldn't think to much about the cat hissing and growling or scratching the previous owner, my cat used to hiss and scratch me quite often(she was never one for affection) I have some nice scars on my hands and legs from her. In fact she had a hissy fit at me on Friday when I tried to put her in the cat basket (and boy was that a struggle) and then she had a go at the vet, she was one bad tempered kitty on Friday.

My Bernard is the most docile, dopey cat until I try to get him into his cat basket. He becomes quite deranged and highly stressed and I usually have to wear some thick gloves to perform the procedure - I have a certain technique now to achieve the desired result of actually getting him into the basket. Tabitha, who used to be difficult herself, used to watch him in astonishment and then calmly walk into her own basket. She used to let him do all the screeching and wailing in the car too, it saved her a job

I agree that it takes time for some cats to settle into a new environment. I've been very lucky with my cats but, even now, 6 months on, one of my rescues does not like visitors coming to my house (with a few exceptions) and will run upstairs and hide for hours and hours and will only re emerge when they're long gone.

I've used felliway in the past and can't say with any certainty whether it has much effect - but it won't do any harm either so is worth trying.

Ours wont do the cat box either.
Instead we've got a harness/lead for her.

If we're travelling anywhere we put the harness on and she curls up in the passenger's lap and goes to sleep quite happily.

We've taken her up with us to my parents house (2 hour drive) on numerous occasions and she'll happily sleep for the whole journey.
In the box she'd be scratching and waling the whole way

Speak to her in a soft voice saying her name and give her lots of praise before you get up. Then once you're up, tell her what a good girl she is and maybe give her a small treat to reward her. Basically keep talking and praising her.

It's very early days. She hasn't learned to completely trust you yet and also needed time to forget her previous owner.

2 weeks isn`t very long for a cat to settle in

Some take months and some take hours !