Ways To Help Skittish Kitties
You’ve brought your new cat home, and she promptly hides under the bed or behind the dresser, only venturing out to eat or use the litter box once everyone has gone to bed. The problem is, if you leave that shy cat to her own devices, she’ll probably stay that way and won’t bond with you or feel secure in her new home. So how do you encourage your cautious cat to trust and bond with you? With patience and the right approach. These tips will help:
Create a safe room
When bringing home your skittish kitty, know that she’s feeling overwhelmed by the changes in her life. Start her off in a smaller room, like a bathroom, office or spare bedroom, to give her time to get accustomed to her new surroundings. If you give her the whole house at once, she may panic and hide behind or under furniture or appliances, and it will take much longer for her to trust her new home.
Don’t ignore
It’s very easy to just let the shy cat do as she pleases. But a shy cat can quickly turn into an aloof feline if left alone all the time. This doesn’t mean crawl under the bed after her, but make time to sit beside her hiding place, talk to her in soothing tones and say her name often. I encourage our sitters at Just For Cats Pet Sitting to sit by the shy cat, talk to her, read their email out loud in a soothing tone and let her get used to them being nearby.
Use bribery
Have a supply of your shy cat’s favorite treats with you as you talk to her. Offer her a piece or two, and eventually she’ll associate your presence with those yummy goodies. She’ll start coming out of her hiding place more and more, establishing a bond with you as you give her what she craves. Eventually, you’ll be able to pet or give her a little scratch behind the ears, and she’ll begin to interact with you more and hide less.
