Cat afraid of humans

Question
I recently adopted a 9 month old tiger cat mainly because I felt so sorry for her.  She is absolutely terrified of humans, but gets along well with my other cats.  I don't know her history - she may have been abused or just never handled by humans.  How can I ease her into trusting me/humans?

Thanking you in advance for your advice.

Answer
TIME. That is the short answer - give her time. You have taken the first step in kindness which is giving her shelter and food. And it is great that she gets along with your cats - usually that can be the tough part but if they get along, that is great news. I would just give her space and time. Do not force things by trying to hold her or pet her right away. She will come to trust you as the person who is feeding her and she will see how you interact with your other cats and she will soon learn that you are safe. But it is best if you give her space and let her decide to come to you. If she has had a bad history, any move you make toward her could be misinterpreted as a threat. For now, just take care of her and speak to her gently. Let her interact with you on her terms with your other cats around. In time she can overcome her fears and she will know you and trust you.