very shy / skitty second cat

Hi all,

about this time last year we got a Maine Coon boy and in March this year we got a Wegie to keep him company.

I work from home anyway but obviously its nice to have a pal and we thought this would be a good plan!

Now i think theres a lesson to be learnt here as we introduced them really quickly.

Basically they were allowed in the same room under strict supervision and after the Maine Coon did his hissing and swiping act for a bit they became great friends!

Success we thought....maybe so between the cats but basically ever since the Wegie has been quite skitty towards us ever since.

We concluded he bonded with our other cat rather than us so has no interest in any of the "normal" cat / human interactions....

essentially unless you're eating, feeding them or hes lying on the bed sleeping he will run away so you cant touch him lol

if you play with him hes not too bad but simple things like picking him up or petting him just doesnt happen as he struggles and ends up injuring you..

hes got super aspergers for a cat...wont look you in the eye for love or money when you have him held!

Hes 7 1/2 months now...due neutered next week and ive all but given up expecting him to be any more than a companion for the Maine Coon but would appreciate any advice people may have to change this...

put it this way...hes never purred beside us, if anything ive heard him purr a dozen times in 5 months and thats only because his other companion is near!

It's just his personality. He may or may not be more people friendly after neutering. It's best to love and accept him the way he is.

aye....i guess thats the obvious answer!

Cheers for the reply!

My second cat was/is very skittish, unlike my other two (one of which is practically glued to my leg when I'm home). He's gotten much better over the years, but he hates to be held (he'll tolerate it, but you can tell it makes him nervous and he's anxious to get away) and I think he's sat on my lap twice in 8 years. It was about a year and a half before he presented himself to be petted, and it seemed to click in his head that being petted was a nice thing. Now he almost always shows up for petting if I'm lying down -- my guess is that's because he gets to be in the dominant position and feels safe. Other than that, he shows up periodically during the day to say hi for a couple of minutes and then he usually skitters back to his favorite room, the bedroom.

So I'd say, just let him be him, and talk to him affectionately when he's around. You can also do the slow-blink thing to him when he's looking at you; apparently that lets him know you like him. Over time he may come to seek/show affection in his own way. And look at it this way - his being skittish may keep your other cat from feeling jealous, since they're not competing. (Although I don't know if cats compete for attention like dogs.)

When he comes home from neutering, you might try "re-introducing" him. Keep him separated for a few days, interact with him, etc. Try to keep the other cat away from the door. If you're right about the fixation, this might help.