Have you ever gone through this experience? You are so happy to have a new cat, and you can’t wait to start treating the cat with all sorts of lovable gestures that you know she deeply needs. However, the moment you get the carrier open, the cat runs away. The cat goes hiding for days, except perhaps the little amount of food that gets eaten and a small quantity of urine in the cat’s litter box. Or perhaps, you search underneath your table and chairs, and somewhere in the furthest, darkest area beneath your sofa, you find the cat with it’s eyes terrified while looking back at you. Then, you just got yourself a cat that is not sociable. But you don’t have to be worried: You can give the cat all the help it needs to become a sociable cat. It will however require a lot of time as well as patience. The following are clues that will come in handy for both you and the cat in trying to overcome it’s shyness.
9. Understand that it’s not your fault or hers
You brought the cat to your home with an open mind, and it is highly probable that you did not do anything to her to make her behave this way. The cat might be going through a trauma or she may have never had the opportunity to socialize properly.
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Compassion and patience are the ideal emotions for handling a cat which is not sociable
It is typically frustrating to attempt to help the cat overcome this shyness with no improvement. You could even consider taking her back to her shelter, however, you shouldn’t give up. You might have experienced terror or trauma yourself: Try to remember those periods and consider about the situations that would have improved your situation. The compassion you have could also be helpful to reveal what could be good for the shy cat.
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Begin with a small space
Hopefully, the moment that you brought home the cat, she was kept in a little room – either the guest’s room, the bathroom or anything similar to that – with other basic needs such as food, water, bedding, toys and litter boxes. The shy cat will be able to cope in a better way, if she is able to get around properly in a small space, before moving on to a larger space.
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Keep it in a quiet place
A game of football, a noisy party, or that new thrilling video game that you have on at the highest volume could be all fun and entertainment to you. But for cats, not that much. Apart from the fact that cats tend to have a very sensitive ear, loud sounds make a shy cat terrified.
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Use a soothing voice each time you talk to the cat
Ensure that the volume and pitch of your voice is low, let the cat know your intentions, call it often by her name. Just consider it to be like a baby who needs your solace. Or perhaps you could sing a song for her.
4. Food is a great way to win friends and influence a shy cat
Even the cat that is shy the most could be made to be your friend if you use a tasty food. I once coaxed a terrified and traumatized cat to come out of the couch while using a can containing cat tuna food.
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Let the cat come to you all by herself
The moment that the shy cat finally tries to come out of her hiding corner, just let her be. Put out your hand in a relaxing manner, while facing the palm down, and make her determine how closer she could get to you.
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Use a relaxing pheromone
Pheromones which calm a cat are the synthetic alternatives of the natural cat pheromones that the cats leave behind the time that they brush their face on the furniture or on you. Plug in some pheromone diffusers to make them relax the cat a little bit.
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Keep up with the positive vibes
Do not stop trying to help the cat if it shows a negative emotion based on what you did. Rather, finish up your communication with anything that the cat and you have formerly enjoyed doing together
