Should I make the space under the bed "smaller"?
I adopted a beautiful tabby gal a month and a half ago, as she was about to be sent to the pound 🥲 the person I got her from called her shy, but as they brought her here it became apparent that she was terrified of people in general. I accidentally signed up for a semi-feral cat but I'm all here for it.
On her first night, she refused to leave her carrier while I was awake, and only went out to eat from the food bowl when she thought I was asleep— and any movement would make her retreat to the space under my bed.
The space under the bed has remained to be her hiding spot until now, a little over a month later. She's still very cautious around me, very wary of any movement and sound, but we have reached a point where sometimes, when I'm working on my desk, she sits on the scratcher around 3 feet away and just loafs (and stays there for a long time too, if I don't move too much), which I take is a good sign and she's feeling safer around me. We play sometimes as I dangle the toy from over the edge of the bed. There was one time she actively went for the toy (went out in the open!!) while I was not holding it.
Here's the thing:
I struggle giving her opportunities to socialize with me, though, as the space under the bed is quite huge (queen size), and even if I sit on the floor she can't see my whole body. She's not used to perceiving me entirely, intimidated even when I'm crouched down. Although, sometimes she chooses to sit near my desk (still under the bed), which is cute but she still can't see me entirely, only my feet. I read up on socialization saves lives that it helps to have the cat see you entirely when you hang out in the room, and the wide bed is not helping with that.
Should I block off a section of the bed? She has a pillow in the very far corner where she usually stays, or she hugs the wall furthest from me. However, when I stay quiet, I find her taking naps near the edge out of her own accord, but not out in the open yet. Clearly, she's letting up her guard around me, but I'm not necessarily sure this is a good form of socialization, if it even is.
Any advice would be appreciated, thank you! (Pic is from before she was adopted)