How to get our cats to be around people

[dana17]

Hi!
Hope everyone is well!
My boyfriend wants to get an au pair, I don’t. My issues are that we have three cats, previously feral. They are afraid of others. When friends come over they run upstairs and hide in their room. The room that the au pair would live in is right next to the room with their litter boxes and the room in the other side is their bedroom, which is their safety room when scared. I feel having an au pair would damage their health! My boyfriend says, that the cats just have to get used to it. My stress will be that there normal routine of hanging around downstairs and playing and eating and using the litter box upstairs will turn upside down which will lead to health issues and getting them into a carrier, to go to the vet, would be impossible. I love my cats, I dont want their lives disrupted. Is there a way to get them use to people?

 

[di and bob]

My cats are exactly the same way. When company comes they will remain hidden in their 'safe' room until they leave, days later. I have to feed and water them in there too. Your cat's lives would definitely be affected, but it can be managed. they would EVENTUALLY become used to someone else in the house, but it totally depends on how that person acts. You would have to feed and water them in their room, plus sit with them for a bit if you can. The person would have to understand you have timid cats and like them. They could not be loud or too bold, ignoring cats is the best way to get them used to you. In this day and age, it is a little risky to have strangers in your house. I would talk more with the boyfriend and gauge what his motives are. He seems very dismissive of your feelings. I guess if he is really insistent you could try it on a trial basis and see how it goes, but don't expect your cats to come out for days or weeks. Remember, they got used to you and your boyfriend, but look how long it took!

 

[rubysmama]

The cats would likely hide for a while, and the au pair would probably question if you really even had cats. But like di and bob says, they did get used to you and your boyfriend, so in time they would likely get used to the au pair as well.

I also agree that you and your boyfriend should further discuss the topic, because this stranger will be living in your home, so you both need to be comfortable with all the ways that will change your current living situation.