unfriendly persian

My darling doll-face Psyche is a real Mummy's girl - in that she hardly takes to any other humans! - and NEVER other cats!

She is very sweet with me - sits where I'm sitting and sleeps on my bed with me, "talks" to me all the time,but is VERY definite about when she wants attention - mostly tolerating it and occasionally , mainly at 2am (and then I sleepily feel I've hit the jackpot) soliciting it. She definitely doesn't do laps or picking up but loves grooming sessions. (Luckily)

It seems she is fine with me but bolts when she sees another person- particularly if they approach her. My Mom and a little girl who is a gentle quiet type have been the only other two people that she is friendly to. She is also totally terrified of other cats and regularly got beaten up by my neighbours' cats until we agreed on a system where his are shut in while she is out.

I love her to distraction but it does seem a bit of an "exclusive" relationship!
I suspect she was from a "Kitty farm" and may have been abused or something happened when she was a baby.

Perhaps some persians are simply one-person-cats and this is not abnormal behaviour at all.

Any ideas why she is like this and any way to help her to be a bit more sociable?

You are probably right about her early beginnings, if a kitten is not exposed to human kindness in the early part of their life, they have a hard time adjusting to it suddenly being there later on. Also since you let her outside, she could be encountering other cats out there that further terrify her adding to her angst. Any possibility of keeping her inside only? Persians are really not equipped to be an outside/inside kitties, as they are high maintanence and quite sensitive and timid at times. Is she spayed?

I would keep her indoors and just let her adjust to the family on a full-time basis, if she hides, don't go after her to see if she is okay, sort of ignore her and let her make the overtures to you.

Thanks Hissy - always suspected she was "unsocialised" as a baby.

I live alone with my kitty in a complex with a walled in garden and excellent security which is very safe for Psyche. She now only spends about two hours outside in the cool of the evenings which she loves - and I have made sure she doesn't come into contact with other pets - the garden is totally hers for those two hours, and she loves it.

I think that ignoring her and letting her come around if she hides when new people scare her is great advice. Thanks

PS _ yes she's spayed!

i had a persian a long time ago. Got her as a kitten and there was an instant bond btw us...but she pretty much hated everyone and everything else. very strange. We had a dog at the time but the cat definitely wore the pants in that relationship. She had the potential to be pretty vicious as well...even without claws she would drag in squirrels, birds, etc...i have NO IDEA how she did it.

i think she just had a very wild streak in her...around 3 or 4 yrs she come in the house less and less and then just decided to live in the yard, rain/winter/snow...didnt matter. every time i'd try to bring her in she would cry so loudly and mournfully at the door. it was tough but i had to accept that she could not be tamed.

Sounds really similar - in my previous place Psyche loved spending all day on the roof and proved to be a real killer of rats, mice and even birds. Maybe we have persians with a bit of throwback to the wild. - except mine is VERY wary of any other animal and very sweet and gentle with me even while playing.

Thanks for the story!