There are cats that are afraid of humans , cats that distrust other cats, and cats that fear any unknown stimulus that comes their way.The reasons for a cat to be shy or scary range from personality to traumas suffered.
In any case, if You have a pussy at home that is distrustful, prefers to be hidden and does not relate to the family, it is your duty to help him let his personality out so he can have a happy life, both physically and psychologically full.If you want to know why your cat is so scary and how to fix it we invite you to read this article.
Why is your cat so afraid?
As with the personality of human beings, there are extroverted, shy, adventurous, homemade cats and a great etcetera.Not all felines are great explorers, some prefer to stay at home, touring the perimeter already known in which they feel safe.However, this is just shyness, and what we are talking about right now is scary.
When a cat is afraid there is some reason for that behavior The main one is usually the lack of early exposure to people , during their socialization stage, which is the time when the cat is a puppy and has the first contacts with the environment, other animals or people.If the socialization has not been done correctly, it is common that when fear appears (around 12 weeks of life), the cat is afraid of people.
Similarly, cats who have suffered a traumatic experience , such as ma ltrato or a simple scare, develop fearful behavior towards the human being, becoming hostile and adopting attitudes to hide and avoid all contact with people, even with those who have good intentions towards them.
It can also happen that you have rescued a feral cat , who is the one who is not accustomed to contact with people (it would also be a lack of early exposure), so he sees the human being only as a possible threat more.This type of cat is usually very difficult to tame and may never get used to your company.If this is your case, do not miss this article with our advice to adopt a stray cat.
On the other On the other hand, in the order of "domestic" cats there may also be reasons that frighten them.For example, many felines from shelters tend to be cautious, since they are forced to be surrounded by others in those places cats, and even pe Rros, in addition to unknown people.That without excluding that in many they do not have the best conditions to shelter the rescued animals.
How to know if your cat is afraid?
Before looking for a solution to your cat's fearful behavior, you need to make sure that what he feels is indeed fear.
When they feel fear, is very common that the cats hide , so you will see yours looking for shelter under beds, furniture or any other object that seems good for it.Also, bufara and even grunira when you try to approach and get him out of there without wanting to.
It is also possible that the hair stands up and that the cat adopts a defensive posture , standing against the ground but alert to any possible threat.Your pupils will be dilated and startle when you hear any noise.
Is any of this familiar? Well then your cat is very scared.
How to make your cat not afraid?
You may think you have dealt with everything so that your cat feels confident, but maybe you have done things the wrong way, so here are some tips to take away your cat's fear and achieve that, little by little, he is more comfortable with you:
- Do not overwhelm him .Forcing him to be with you, removing him from his hiding place, trying to force him to eat It will only increase the tension between you and make the process is more difficult.The adaptation must flow naturally, no matter how long it takes.The cat must always take the initiative.
- Do not approach it straight ahead .For humans It is very common to talk looking people in the eye, but in cats this is a sign of challenge, so when approaching him with his eyes fixed on his face you are only intimidating him.Approach with the body tilted, looking towards another place , slowly, and stand by your side as if you don't give much importance to being together.
- Stand up to your height .Standing is another thing that intimidates a fearful kitten , so it is best to crouch or lie next to you, always avoiding looking straight ahead.Just stay there and wait for the one who comes close.Try to avoid sudden movements, because they can scare you.
- Everything is in the look .Among the cats it is usual to look at each other, blink and then look away, as a sign of tranquility and that they do not seek any conflict.You can imitate this gesture to show the cat that you come in peace and do not plan to harm him.Find out all about the language and communication of cats in our article.
- Use the food .Apart from your usual food, it is recommended that the cat interprets that being with you gets good things, as a reward, so buy something you like and offer to eat when you feel that progresses.If he gets a little closer to you, give him his prize.This way he will associate you with something positive.
- Play with him .The game is essential to disinhibit the cat and allow him to feel at ease.Look for a toy he can chase, waking up his hunter instinct, such as the typical cat fishing rod.
- Be patient .Never try to force the relationship or demand from your cat more than he thinks he can give you.Over time he will feel comfortable with you and He will give you all his love; try to achieve this ahead of time, just unravel any progress you have made.
Conditioning of the environment
The scary cat needs to feel safe , not only in the relationship with you but also in the surrounding environment.That's why you should look for a space where you feel comfortable and calm , away from the bustle of home and stimuli that could disturb and accentuate your fear.
Ideally, prepare a "nest" in a quiet place in the house (other than by the way) where the cat can take refuge without being disturbed.It must be a sacred place for him and the family should never try to take it out when he is there.His bed and his food and water containers must be there too, as well as the box of sand, away from the other objects.Later we will place each element in its future place.
At the time of introduce the feline to the rest of the family , do it calmly and one by one, so that everyone's sounds and smells become accustomed.Under no circumstances try to force the cat to show affection from the beginning Or, this link must be built with patience when facing a fearful cat.And if another family, such as a dog, is already in the family, follow our advice to present them correctly.
Make a routine of meals , moments for grooming and play.In this way, your cat will not feel anxious about what can happen next.Keep in mind that felines are very animals susceptible to changes, since they like to have everything under control, that is why the routine will help your cat with fear of adapting much better to his new home.
Remember : If your cat begins to appear nervous and scared suddenly, without this being his normal personality, something bad happens.Watch if his anxiety increases when any of the family members, even some of the other pets, is near the so you can confront the problem.Similarly, stressful, stressful environments and noise, will cause discomfort.
When is therapy necessary?
All the advice we have given you is intended to improve the quality of life of the cat.No cat can live scared or permanently hidden, so it is important that you avoid resolve this issue.
However, In cats that have suffered very traumatic situations , these methods may not work, so you should go to a specialist to develop an appropriate therapy so that you can feel safe and relaxed.to a feline educator or ethologist.
If you want to read more articles similar to My cat is very scary , we recommend that you enter our Behavioral problems section.
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