I posted this in another area of the board but just thought maybe there was a Himmie breeder out there with some new ideas........thanks for any insight you may have!
My two Himmies (in my photo) have been with us since they were 12 weeks old. They have been timid and shy since the beginning. I suspect it's because the breeder we rescued them from kept them in cages from the time they were born. They are quite loving and receptive to me but even I occasionally have a problem getting them to let me pick them up. They will rub on my legs and purr and I do brush and groom them and they will sit in my lap and purr for limited lengths of time. The real problem is that they are still afraid of my husband. When he's out of the house they run and play and are completely comfortable in their surroundings. The minute he comes to the backdoor or they hear the garage door opening they run and hide. If he's home all day they will spend most of the day in another room. If they are eating in the kitchen and hear him walking through the house they will abandon their food and run into another room. At night if I'm in the living room watching TV with husband one of our cats will come to the edge of the doorway and stare at me. If I get up and go with him into the bedroom he's completely happy. Wants me to be in there with him but he won't come into the room with us. Drives me nuts! And I can imagine what you might be thinking - that the husband has been abusive or yells at them or something. Nothing could be further from the truth. He actually speaks to them with baby talk and has tried everything to get them to warm up to him, including treats, but NOTHING works. We had a cat for 22 years before we got these boys and she absolutely adored my husband. He walked around with her in his arms all the time. I wasted money on Feliway and Bach's Rescue Remedy and other essences - did absolutely no good. I feel bad because it's just my husband and me and the cats. I know he has to feel left out sometimes. The breeder was a single woman living alone but I wonder if she had men over who might have done stupid things to scare the kittens. I just have NO IDEA!! We have accepted them as they are and deal with it but it would be so nice to have a happy and UNITED family.
My two Himmies (in my photo) have been with us since they were 12 weeks old. They have been timid and shy since the beginning. I suspect it's because the breeder we rescued them from kept them in cages from the time they were born. They are quite loving and receptive to me but even I occasionally have a problem getting them to let me pick them up. They will rub on my legs and purr and I do brush and groom them and they will sit in my lap and purr for limited lengths of time. The real problem is that they are still afraid of my husband. When he's out of the house they run and play and are completely comfortable in their surroundings. The minute he comes to the backdoor or they hear the garage door opening they run and hide. If he's home all day they will spend most of the day in another room. If they are eating in the kitchen and hear him walking through the house they will abandon their food and run into another room. At night if I'm in the living room watching TV with husband one of our cats will come to the edge of the doorway and stare at me. If I get up and go with him into the bedroom he's completely happy. Wants me to be in there with him but he won't come into the room with us. Drives me nuts! And I can imagine what you might be thinking - that the husband has been abusive or yells at them or something. Nothing could be further from the truth. He actually speaks to them with baby talk and has tried everything to get them to warm up to him, including treats, but NOTHING works. We had a cat for 22 years before we got these boys and she absolutely adored my husband. He walked around with her in his arms all the time. I wasted money on Feliway and Bach's Rescue Remedy and other essences - did absolutely no good. I feel bad because it's just my husband and me and the cats. I know he has to feel left out sometimes. The breeder was a single woman living alone but I wonder if she had men over who might have done stupid things to scare the kittens. I just have NO IDEA!! We have accepted them as they are and deal with it but it would be so nice to have a happy and UNITED family.
