The girlfriend and I adopted a 7 month old kitten that was born and raised in the catery, we've had her for almost 2 weeks and she eats, drinks and uses the litter tray (which is downstairs), but spends the rest of the time hiding behind the futon in the spare room.

We can get her to eat little bits of dried food from our finger tips if our hand is behind the futon and we've left a little trail heading to our hands, but other than that we get no interaction and if we cross on the stairs she bolts.

Any suggestions on what we can do to get her to open up more?

well its no wonder cattery is horrible for cats and kittens. Good that you have her now. It depends have you let her have free roam or was she started in the spare room

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We started her off in the Kitchen, but it's open tot he stairs and the spare room has no door, so she has had free roam of those 2 rooms + stair case.

well ill probably get screamed at for suggesting this but with my lot i bring one in the lounge with me and close the door let her get used to your company whilst your watching tv try and give her strokes some treats just spend the time with her, as she gets used to that she will feel safer in the cattery they are so isolated that they aren't used to the contact and all that space your giving her around the house

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Picking her up to take her to the fron room could be an issue though, we had to chase her round the spare room to worm her!

What about if we spent as much time as possible in the spare room, as she seems to have declared that as her space?

that would be good as well just literally spend lots of time with her and she will get used to you, doesn't really matter where it is lol

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15 years ago we got a 3 year old siamese who had been raised with a breeder (her 'owners' for some reason had sent her back). She was so shy and very timid at first and it took quite a time. Gradually she went exploring and while we were watching tv should would sneak round us and then run upstairs. Believe me the wait will be worth it, especially when one night you find her curled up beside you purring on the bed. Two weeks is nothing, just have patience.

I have two 14 week old kittens who were from the cats protection league. They were fostered on a farm in a run with their mother and siblings and were 12 weeks old when I got them. My problem is similar, they were never really handled so whilst they play happily and are litter trained they totally avoid any contact with me, running away whenever im near, even though I have spent pretty much 14 nights with them in the utility room ( where they are happiest ) playing with them for a few hours every night. I am starting to think I will never get to pet them :-(
I did read that you have to go about your normal business as if you tiptoe around this can make them more nervous. the website I was recommended was FABCATS.ORG
Hope both your patience and mine pays off

She seems to be slowly opening up, occasionally coming to the top os the stairs to watch when I fill her bowl with wet food, although recently she has started to hiss before eating out of our hands. I'm a bit confused about the mixed signals, a short quiet hiss but then she straight away approaches me to eat!

i would keep trying to pick her up and giving her lots of strokes and fuss, and talking to her, im sure she will get used to your cuddles then.
michelle x