My Milo has always been scaredy cat. I could tell the first time I saw him at the animal shelter when he was 8 weeks old. He wouldn't come up to the front of the cage so I could pet him. Rather he looked at me and started to knead the blanket in his cage. When I tried to walk away to see some other kittens, he started meowing with this deep funny meow that made me laugh. He was terrified when I brought him home and would freak me out by hiding so well that I could never find him.
He is almost a year old now. When it's just me, my dad and/or my boyfriend, Milo is fine. However, the moment someone else walks in the door, he can't run fast enough to hide. Last week my cousin came over and wanted to meet Milo for the first time. I manged to get him out from under my bed and carried him out to the other room. He was literally shaking when he saw someone new. I brought him back in my room so he wouldn't be upset anymore.
He's also not the cat that likes to be held. His body tenses up, he spreads his toes, and his tail is rigid. The only person he really likes is me. Every night when I lie down to go to sleep, he jumps up and has to knead my arm for at least 5-10 minutes before he decided to lay down. It's almost like it's compulsive since I can't interrupt his "happy dance" or he has to start over. He also wraps his paws around my arm and "hugs" me. It one of my favorite bedtime routines.
I know being nervous is a part of his personality, but is there anything I can do to help him?
He is almost a year old now. When it's just me, my dad and/or my boyfriend, Milo is fine. However, the moment someone else walks in the door, he can't run fast enough to hide. Last week my cousin came over and wanted to meet Milo for the first time. I manged to get him out from under my bed and carried him out to the other room. He was literally shaking when he saw someone new. I brought him back in my room so he wouldn't be upset anymore.
He's also not the cat that likes to be held. His body tenses up, he spreads his toes, and his tail is rigid. The only person he really likes is me. Every night when I lie down to go to sleep, he jumps up and has to knead my arm for at least 5-10 minutes before he decided to lay down. It's almost like it's compulsive since I can't interrupt his "happy dance" or he has to start over. He also wraps his paws around my arm and "hugs" me. It one of my favorite bedtime routines.
I know being nervous is a part of his personality, but is there anything I can do to help him?