OK, woman I know was hospitalized and told her pastor that her cat had cancer and should be put down.  It's a grey tabby. The cat is fine, healthy but a bit skinny.  Instead of putting it down, he brings it to my place. It's a nice cat.  Affectionate, declawed (so no outside).  However, despite being here for a week, it won't leave the room it's cat tower/bed is in.  I tried carrying the cat out several times, but it struggles as it doesn't want to leave.

Later I learned that the cat was kept in the woman's bedroom and never left it and didn't interact with the other animals in the house.  The cat has seen the dog and the dog wants to play and despite the two being in close proximty (touching distance) with each other, the cat is still reluctant to leave the room.

Suggestions?

Leave the room door open?   ;-)

Seriously, if the other animals and people can go for a walkabout outside,  take everyboty out for a bit. maybe leave a bit of fragrant food just outside the door.
Let the cat explore a little when it's quiet, and that might help.

What's going to happen when the woman gets out of the hospital?

You've been asked to look after this cat temporarily... I wouldn't actively try to re-train it.

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   Will she want the cat back?  It seems to me that if she gave it to her pastor and asked for it to be put down that she will not want it back.  Good on you OP for taking the cat but how about some pics?

I had family visit for ten days once. My cat, Captain Pooby (RIP), never came out from out from under the bed in my room except to shit and eat for the whole time. Some cats are funny like that.

Give it time.

Door is always open and the cat can come and goes if it pleases.  There is a laundry basket blocking the path, but the cat can easily surmount it.  It's there to keep the dog out because I caught the dog munching away on the cat food.

BTW, the woman wanted the poor cat put down.  She doesn't want it back.

cats are portable

wow that sounds like my cat SYME

when I got him he was locked in a small bedroom
I took him home from the vet and he disappeared behind the washer and dryer
I had to put his liter box into the laundry as well as his food and water.

I was told to just leave him be and after about a week he came around and knew that he can go anywhere he wants and that he would not be locked in again.

He is a great cat and we recently moved from a larger house to a smaller condo he made the move and transition better than I did.
He owns the place and goes every where he wants. No locked doors.

I say give him some time let him be - leave all the doors open - eventually he will come around

I wish you all the best and that your cat will feel comfortable

This. Once upon a time, when we moved from a small two bedroom apartment to a much larger detached condo, Cat #1 thought it was the best thing in the world. Cat #2 burrowed into the couch cushions frozen in fear. It would not eat. It would not drink. It would not go to the litter box. We tried picking up Cat #2 to take it to food and litter box, but it would run as fast as it could back to the couch. On day 2 we got it to accept some water on the couch so that it wouldn't die. On day 4 it would use the litter box if brought to it but slink back to the couch. On day 7 it was like a switch flipped in Cat #2's head and all was right in the world again.

So give it time.

Thanks everyone.  SYME is a good looking cat.

The tabby,  named Tiger by its previous owner, has been putting on weight.  It was virtually skin and bones when I got her earlier and when I pet her I can tell she's putting weight.

   Thanks for the update OP.  Now how about some pics of your new furry friend?

Cat probably just needs some time to adjust.  New human, new home (and with a dog no less!!!) - his whole world has been taken away except for his cat tower and bed.

Cat came out today and was sunning herself in the living room. At last!

Good news!

My cat is a fat ass and sleeps all day. So jealous.

Cats do their own thing in their own time. About 5 months ago I got a very timid girl (whom I named Snicker) from a friend who owns a shelter, this cat had been there about a year and wouldn't come out of her shell. When I got home with her she immediately hid behind the couch, but my little fella Roscoe (maybe 4 months old at the time) knew something was different and wanted to play.



I'd lift up the couch every time I walked by and pretty soon Snicker decided to hide under the bed instead. Roscoe would spend time under the bed too, and surprisingly I never heard any growling or hissing from either of them. Within a few days she was coming out when the lights were on and I was around.



Snicker and Roscoe soon became best buds, they were always playing.

http://youtu.be/HOoG1pgyHoc (don't know why this won't link)

My big goofy boy Domino joined in as well, and now he can't get a break from them. He's very patient, though, and has never gotten angry with them. The other 3 girls are ambivalent at best, and Snicker isn't shy! She's bitch-slapped one of them for looking at her the wrong way before LOL.

Snicker has made herself a place in the home, but even now I can rarely touch her. She trusts me enough to sleep on my bed from time to time, and will do the slow blinking thing at me, but runs when I try to touch her. If she's rubbing up against either Domino or Roscoe I can pet her, though, and even pick her up. If she looks and sees it's me holding her, though, she wiggles free and takes off. The important thing is she has a good home, I don't care if she never becomes snuggly or cuddly.

Cats are funny about territory, give it time to adjust to its new place.
When i brought my two home the first time my male Schrodinger (rip) stayed under the couch for a week only emerging when i was sleeping to use the litterpan and eat.
after a week he jumped into my lap and started licking my earlobe.(he was bottle fed and kind of from it)

Some cats will adapt to a new territory right away and some need a week or two before they think of it as "theirs" and relax and explore.

Edit to add pics of critters
Schrodinger on the left and Pixel on the right