I have a rather unique cat related situation. I just recently moved my business to a new location, and it came with a shop cat. She was originally a stray that showed up as a kitten and just kind of never left. The previous tenants took her in and she became mostly and indoor cat. She is deathly afraid of new people (aka me), which I understand and have been told she'll get over eventually, but it causes a bit of a problem in that if she is outside then there is no way for me to get her back in and when she is inside she is terrified. I feel bad because this is, and has been, her home for years. Her food is in here... her clean water is in here... once winter comes it will be her only source of shelter from the snow. Sometimes the people who live upstairs will bring her inside for me, but when she's in here she just crouches in a corner all day or hides under a work bench (which can't be very fun). In short, her life would be about 1000 times better if she would get over her fear of me. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process of her getting used to me? Sometimes I will sit on the floor near her and slowly inch my way forward, backing off when she become visibly uncomforable, but I don't know if that is helping or hurting. What are your thoughts?
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fearful inherited cat
- Thread starter nermal
- Start Date
you are doing a great thing ... one minor tweak though.
Instead of inching towards her - let her come to you !!! Sit with her, read a book. She will adjust in time - there is no rushing her, she needs to feel comfortable and that you are ok - that however can't be rushed so please give her all the time she needs. She'll come around you'll see!
Instead of inching towards her - let her come to you !!! Sit with her, read a book. She will adjust in time - there is no rushing her, she needs to feel comfortable and that you are ok - that however can't be rushed so please give her all the time she needs. She'll come around you'll see!
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- #3
I would not let her go out at all. Keep her in, talk to her, read to her, leave music on for her when you are not around. Do not approach her or even make eye contact with her. Eventually she will get over it and come to you. It really is sad that the previous owner just left her behin. I hate when people are inconsiderate like that. Poor kitty. She will be scared for awhile, just do everything the same as much as you can. Always feed her at the same time, unless food is left out for her, then give her some wet food as a treat and leave a little out everyday at the same time whether or not she eats it. She may not at first since she doesn't trust you, but keep it up and eventually she will come around and one day she may even be waiting for you at the door for the wet food.
Good luck and good job caring for her. I assume she is otherwise healthy? Spayed? Vaccainted, aspecially if she is going outside...
Good luck and good job caring for her. I assume she is otherwise healthy? Spayed? Vaccainted, aspecially if she is going outside...
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- #5
Yeah, I try to keep her in as much as possible but that's not always an option since the door is often open and she's quick. She has had her shots and been fixed.
P.S. Cats like when the radio is on? Huh... I did not know that... I'll have to try it.
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Give her food at scheduled times, always in the same place, in the same bowls. Same goes with her water. If she has a litterpan inside then clean it out at the same time(s) every day. When you are inside and she is around, do not look at her or pay attention to her. If the shop is empty just talk to her without making contact with her. If she is outside, open the front door and retreat to another area of the store until she comes inside. In other words take off the pressure on her about what YOU want her to be, and let her just decompress and get used to the change in her routine.
Yours is not a unique situation, it happens all the time. When you ignore the cat, you allow her to relax and understand that you can be trusted. If she is ill then that is another story, but as long as she is healthy, simply ignore the fact that she is there, don't approach her and don't make eye contact with her at all.
Yours is not a unique situation, it happens all the time. When you ignore the cat, you allow her to relax and understand that you can be trusted. If she is ill then that is another story, but as long as she is healthy, simply ignore the fact that she is there, don't approach her and don't make eye contact with her at all.
Get a fattish piece of (3-4' long) cord, tie a knot at both ends and then drop an end right in front of her (with you 4' away) and pull and jiggle it a bit towards you and to a side. Do it a few times, maybe have a chair nearby around which to flip the knot and pull it slowly, and she'll eventually not be able to resist pouncing. Keep playing, allowing her to catch it for a minute every couple of times and chew on it, and then slowly walk away (3rd day maybe) dragging the cord with you a short distance, then longer and to her food bowl. She'll love the game and come to expect it.
I learned from somewhere (I don't remember where) that classical music is very soothing for all animals. Even though I'm not too fond it it, (I'm young and I like loud rock music!!) I play classical music for my pets all the time.
One of my dogs used to have bad seperation anxiety, and I used a combination of training methods as well as leaving classical music on when I left - and I found that when I started incorporating the music in with the training - his anxiety began improving at a much quicker rate. Now I leave the music on for all of my pets every time I leave the house!
