Make Your Scared Cat Less Shy! 5 Expert-Approved Tips
Do you have a shy, scared cat? Here are expert-approved tips to help them gain confidence and come out of their shell. Explore the tuft + paw store: www.tuftandpaw.com/products/p...
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0:00 Why Your Cat Is Shy
1:18 Create a Sanctuary Room
1:38 tuft + paw Product Offering
2:09 Enrich the Environment
3:09 Prevent Hiding
3:43 Create Routine
5:15 Create Positive Associations
6:46 Don't Feel Guilty!
7:15 Be Patient
7:51 Thank You!
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Help your shy, scared cat feel confident by giving them an environment full of things that make them feel safe: www.tuftandpaw.com/products/porto-cat-carrier?
And if they never come out of their shell, just know your providing a good home to a cat that needs one.
Yes great point. We can’t will them to change. We love them as they are.
Normalize introverted cats 🐱
It took 4 years for our rescue girl to join “general population” and she has never looked back….worth every second it took.
We have 5 rescues and they are all a little skittish. Even if the doorbell rings they all run and hide. They can be cuddly but only on their terms. Patience is the best advise.
Thank you! My Lilly is super shy and we had the vet do a house visit to have her cold treated, I worry that in an emergency I won't be able to get her into her carrier. We now leave the carrier out and we've seen her go in! That was a wow! But, when she hides, she becomes invisible, it's no joke. After a week long trip, I searched 2 hours for her. It wasn't till I sat on the floor and bawled thinking that somehow she got out, she appeared from a room I had searched MANY times! My kids say she's ferrel at heart still.
When I lived in New York I redomesticated 3 cats from the colony in the park. Each of them were different and I worked to get to know them. Started with feeding them on the back deck, then putting a cat flap in the garage and letting them know they were welcome anytime. It took time. Two of them did eventually become lap cats. The third one did decide to live in the house with us but always preferred to stay out of arm's reach. They either nested in a box by the fireplace or watched from on top of my computer hutch but was still uncertain about letting anyone touch them.
I had a cat who was abused He was shy I got him out from under the bed and cuddled him and gave treats He turned into a sweetie
Aww ❤
I rescued feral 6 mo old brother & sister back in 2009. The male came around fairly quickly in about a year, his sister took far longer, but now she’s super sweet & even sleeps on my pillow. Every cat is different, but giving them a good safe home is what matters.
I adopted my kitty at eight months, she was an undersocialized stray and I did my homework & research, watched you and other KZheadrs for advice, then followed the recommendations to the letter. Key was creating a safe sanctuary room and sticking to the plan of allowing her time to feel comfortable in her new environment. It took about two agonizing weeks before she ventured outside of her room, but I remained patient throughout as I saw incremental progress each day. Always good to remind yourself not to get discouraged during the first few days.
Great insights!
Mine were 7 months when I got them and Just about each week I see a new milestone in their comfort level
@@mandyinseattle wonderful!
My cat sleeps in my bed with me. But she has her own blanket at the bottom of the bed. She will keep your feet warm LoL 😂
Isn’t a sweet bed warmer the best?!?! ❤
I have an 8 and a half year old tortoiseshell who was dumped by the neighbours when they had to move suddenly 8 years ago. She brought me her sole remaining kitten that December who can't have been more than 6 weeks old at the time. Needless to say the kitten got adopted, but her mother was terrified and disappeared when her kitten was 4 months old and got spayed and had to be kept in for a while. However, her kitten returned her mother's unconditional love and favour and bought her back to me when she was allowed out again. Then began what felt like an interminable 3 month process of trying to gain this poor little cat's trust, a process which took on a sudden turn of pace when she got sick of being chased by the toms again and charged into my house at midnight one night and settled down on one my mats bursting with relief and gratitude. I followed all the pointers in your video not really knowing I was doing anything 'scientific', it just felt like the right things to do. Now, she is the most affectionate and loving of little cats. She has a vast vocal range and interacts in a 'clanger' type fashion and I always know what she's trying to say to me. If she ever has to stay in hospital the vets don't want to give her back, because she's 'such a total cutie'. I'm sure my relationship with her is intensified because she was quite sick for the first year, running on a temperature of 39.1 most of the time, and my vet was convinced whatever her illness was it was going to kill her in the end. But we got her through it, although we never did find out what the problem was. Never give up on a nervous cat. They want to be loved and taken care of and they want to return that love, and given the time and the right care and management you and your cat will get there.
My cat gets really scared and stressed with people she doesn’t know. It takes hours for her to just peek out and observe the guest, from a safe distance. My main focus is my cat and I don’t ever want to add to her stress by trying to invalidate her feelings of the guest/s being a threat to her, according to her. I usually play with her before I know there will be guests and I talk to her while they are there, because I know she can hear me and feels safe with me. She’s a very calm and loving cat and once she feels safe she will ”investigate” who the guest is and get a bit closer and take in their scent. It usually ends with them leaving and have to lift her off their lap, so once she feels safe she is very affectionate. It takes 3-4 visits close in time for her to no longer feel the need to hide from a guest. My cat sadly has trauma, she is a rescue and an awful man kicked her and her mom and sibling, when she was a kitten. She was in a pretty bad state but I took her in and the vet. says my cat will probably always struggle with this due to her previous assault and broken trust. She’s never been scared of me and when I take her to the vet. she hides her head in my sweater when she’s given her annual vaccine shot. Only once has she scratched me in the years I’ve had her, and that’s when she got scared by the plumber when he dropped his tools by accident. She loves children and there has never been an issue. She’s very protective of babies and sits by them and watches them and alerts when their diapers need a change (she will meow and scratch the floor way before the parent is aware what happened) 😂❤
Our rescue Claire hid the first couple of days and wouldn't eat. We were told to reach into where she was hiding and pet her. She came out and I was able to hold her for a few minutes. She would still when we came into the but she would come out soon and would eat. Slowly she gained confidence and occasionally would sit on our laps for a few minutes. We always ask permission to pet her. She still scares easily but is now enjoying pets.
My kitty Cannoli started off very shy hiding in a pile of books. It's changed 180 now. Now she has watched Nicks give me cat kisses and even gave it her first shot yesterday. It was a very timid and shy cat kiss and she looked very embarrassed and blinky afterwards but she did it! Nicks never had a problem. In fact today he just straight up laid across my chest basically suffocating me because he was half on my neck. It was nice ASMR purring for an hour now. He was a shy cat at the shelter but very confident with his kisses of Hoom and Cannoli alike; really the star of the show if he feels safe. He got fully cleaned by Cannoli today and was walking around with a wet face of Cannoli slobber afterwards like he was freshly cleaned kitten.
So cute!! I love the idea of her feeling shy and embarrassed after the kiss. :-)
My Nehemiah was moved from southern Georgia to the mountains of Idaho at 5400 feet elevation. Obviously, lots of things were going on here. He rode on the plane OK. Mid flight I opened his carrier and he took one look at the full plane and went right back into his carrier. He was quiet for the rest of the flight. Then, he had a 3 hour drive up into the mountains. On the way up, he got car sick. He adjusted to the new place pretty well but there were many challenges due to all of the change. The first time he saw a bear through the window was a challenge. He's doing well now after 2 years. The first time he saw snow, it was a bank about 10 feet high, he jumped into it and disappeared!!! He popped out and didn't do that again!!!! He is still a nervous cat since he was a TNR, trap neuter and release cat, before he adopted me. I do not expect him to ever be a lap cat or a shoulder cat at all. It's important to let them be who they are as individuals and respect them for who they are. I will never change that and I accept that. However, I love him with all my heart. It's extra special when he does come to butt his head on me and say hi!
Beautiful story! I’m so happy you found each other!!
My 1 year old Siamese used to be fine until one day she was lounging in her cat tower by the window and a squirrel climbed the window screen. She's been skittish ever since.
had to build a lot of snack roads in the first days but then she figured out there were some safe places in the living room like carboard boxes and the cat tree.
I've been working with my local SPCA for 30 yrs, mostly with cats. Had up to 3 cat colonies for a time. So, your page is wonderfully helpful to those of us in the rescue community and helping people with little experience with cats conform their lives to accommodate their furry roommate(s) into their lives. The most extreme experience I had in socializing a new cat was a cat named Dresila. She was feral with bipolar disorder (learned that later). It took 3 years of patience, and even then, she was only socialized to me. She would hide until she heard my voice, then bolt onto my lap and give my head bumps for as long as I sat there. She recently passed after 14 yrs (around two when I got her we suspect). But, all the work was worth it, and really made her that much more special. To earn her trust from such a fragile, scared little girl...there is no feeling like it. So, for anyone dealing with a difficult, shy cat, please believe me, it is worth it. You get the time and love back 1000 times over. Cheers!
Some cats just seem naturally wary of humans. I found my 8 year old girl cat Salem on my front porch and took her in when she was approx 8 weeks old. Later that day I left to go to the grocery store and found what I'm guessing is her mom laying dead on the road next to my house (both Salem and her mom are jet black, that's why I'm assuming she was Salems mom), I scooped her up (still a bit warm) and buried her when I got back. I proceeded to find Salem and couldn't find her anywhere in my house. It took me hours before realizing she'd nestled herself in the inside part of an arm on my couch. She proceeded to pretty much stay in an open upstairs closet for weeks after that. To this day, I am one of only 3 people who's ever been allowed by her to give her pets. She's still very much a cautious/scared cat. I treasure the very few times she actually gets in my lap for pets.
"Oh that? That's just my Silver KZhead creator plaque for getting over 10,000 subscribers to my channel. I guess I must have forgotten it was there."
Our 6mo old kitten hid under my bed for a week. He only had the room to adjust to and we would spend a non threatening presence for a few days then my son got him to come out to play and eventually we could touch him. He really wanted to play with our other kitten and theyd play footsies under the door. He adjusted pretty well over time. He still is a bit skittish for noises. You dont want to be holding him when the toaster pops up. Our other kitten has no fear of anything, not even the sound of the vacuuum!
The timing of this video is amazing! We adopted a cat on Monday and have only seen her twice since then. Her previous person named her Heidi because she likes to hide, so it isn't new behavior, but I'm gathering all the info I can get to help her.
Glad it was so well-timed!
I never had a cat til mine came into my life! He came to me, he was so cute so I kept him because he must've been abused. So, long story (18yrs, passed in '22) I was very patient w/him not knowing if he'd do anything so I let him come to me when he was ready, took about a month! From there I spoiled the heck out of him & he enjoyed it 😂 why not, they only want ❤, food & a home & my boy deserved all that & then some. I miss him everyday ❤
Your last comment about being a consistent figure in their lives - that is a great advise! I have adopted a boy and a girl 2 years ago. My girl kitty walked in like she owned this place. The boy .... it took him almost 2 years to feel safe in our house. We do not have any stressors or agressors here. He was just this damaged. :( So patience is definetely a key! On another note - how is Forest doing on her kidney therapy? I see she lost a lot of weight. If you could, please do an update on her progress. Wessie looks handsome as always! Thank you for your research and videos! They really helped me through the process of getting used to the kitties in my house.
Hi! Thanks for the nice comment. I've been considering doing a Forest update-appreciate the encouragement in that direction. She is doing quite well! Since her low weight at the point of diagnosis, she has gained almost a pound, vomits much less frequently, and has a much brighter attitude. We have continued giving her a phosphorus-controlled diet with periodic fluid therapy and regular checks to make sure she's hydrated.
That's so encouraging! Early diagnosis you made and care you provide are definitely the reason she is doing well. You are a great cat guardian! You encourage me! ❤
Both our boys seemed 'shy' in different ways. Ajani is shy around people, he dives for under the bed whenever someone walks through the door. Needless to say we were really stressed traveling for a family vacation because we weren't going to have regular access to our sitter. . .Our sitter reported, after we were able to talk with them again, that after a few days he warmed up to them and was cuddling just fine. I don't know if he'll greet strangers at the door, we don't have people who can work with us to try and get him to that point presently. But it was a relief to know that our cuddlebug could get over his fears. Jace wasn't shy. . .so much as. . .extremely reserved when we got him. He was NOT a cat that felt the need to be 'tall' he wanted to be in one spot. . .usually on (or under) a kitchen chair or the back of the couch and just be there. . .and mostly left alone. He wouldn't play, he would jump up to knead briefly at bedtime and then leave. It was a good four to five months before he even started to relax. . .then he was like 'I can do zoomies?!" and now. . .while he isn't as demanding for cuddles as Ajani is. . .he cuddles on his terms, zooms every day, plays, is and SOOO talkative. He trills a LOT. He used to never purr EXCEPT when kneading. . .now he purrs (very low rumbly purr) when cuddling most of the time. And he's even started exploring tall spaces of his own accord, he'll jump up now to ask for cuddles. For some cats it just takes time. Jace has been with almost a year now. . .and he's a completely different cat in some ways.
I'm trying to turn my 5 year-old female back into the confident cat she used to be. But we've had a bit of construction going on in our house- that isn't finished yet- and family will be coming over for Christmas, so I'm not sure how to help her other than trying those pheromone plug-ins, and I'm not even sure that those will work 😮💨
Had the same problem. Kitchen reno freaked my year old kitty out. After that anyone in noisy boots etc. sent her into hiding, even if it was me just bundled up for winter. She remained a skitty kitty the rest of her life in those situations. She was ok otherwise. My current two are very anti-social around strangers, and don't like loud noise either. They didn't get a chance to socialize as kittens due to Covid. I give them a sanctuary in my bedroom with food, litter and a plug in. If loud noise is happening, I also put on soothing music in the room. I think that helps. Unusual or loud noises definitely trigger them, but otherwise they are fine.
I love you program. I have a new rescue (meoski). He is 5 now. We have been together since July. All is great except 1. he does not want me to cut his nails 2. I have purchased $$$$$$$$$$ wet food. he wants nothing to do with it. He is a very healthy and well-adjusted calm deep thinker cat. I need some help thank you
My cat also refuses wet food but loves dry! She also loves the little gravies packs poured in a separate little plate. No wet cat food for my girl…..she hates it. 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
How can I make my cat NOT a bully 😭
Depends on what you mean by 'bully' and the answer is usually the same. . .physical/mental enrichment unattached to whomever they are 'bullying' while still keeping them active and tiring them out so troublesome behavior is directed at something appropriate.
Here's our guide to helping cats get along! cats.com/how-to-help-cats-get-along
I’ve gotten a kitten who would hide, run and cry. I’ve had her for some months now and she hasn’t fully warmed up to me. She would duck and try to avoid my pets but sometimes she will purr and let me pet her for a bit 🤷
For playtime does anyone else do this? I affix the toy to the fishing pole with either tape or a small binder clip so when they grab it and tug on it, it releases and they carry it away. They like that a lot
I know this sounds unrealistic but just a couple minutes ago I was looking up how to help my cat be less scared of life and this video came up.
It's not! It has happened to me with other topics I've been thinking on and then, there's a video popping up on my feed about it😮
Thank You.
We are going on 2 months with a 12 year old female rescue, and she only comes out from under the bed to eat in the middle of the night! We adopted her with her 14 year old "bonded mate". The 14 year old is having a ball. She behaves like she's lived here for years. She is confident and affectionate, and I don't think she's even aware that her "bonded" mate is in the house! So strange!
My cat is shy and doesn't like strangers entering the house or when things get moved around. She's definitely a who moved my cheese type. She is now 15 but when she was younger I tried closing the closet and, for whatever reason, it did not go over well at all. It's like she does this once over the house thing and checks all the doors etc. Is this OCD? I feel bad so I leave that closet open a tad in case she needs to escape from a workman or something else. She came from outside but I got her when she was 3 mo old. I don't think she had a lot of people contact before I brought her home so that might be part of it. She's a good and a loving cat but she does have her anxieties. I tried gabapentin but to no avail. I think she tasted it in her food and wouldn't eat and I can't give her meds because she's a cat who won't be held so that ended that.
OMG, the moved around thing, lol. My cat decides he likes a "spot" I dare not move the blanket or jacket he has adopted or my name is mud.
Very gooooood
tysm
We have 3 cats. Only one is terrified of people. She is comfortable with me, my husband and my mother in law. She runs and hide when anyone else comes over. That includes people who have been here a lot and of course new people. She stays hidden until the person or people are gone. I have no idea why she's like this or what to do
Great stuff M.
❤
Wow!!! I loved this video, Mallery!!! I will definitely share this with my family & friends and would love to see more videos like this💖💖!!!
Aww, so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the support.
Great ideas, thanks!
I love all your videos and I'm so glad I found your channel. I took my cat to the vet and her blood results show her cholesterol is high but my cat isn't over weight she is 9pounds 7years old so should I be concerned? ? My vet said it's nothing to worry about but if I have high cholesterol I gotta go on a diet so I'm lost 😂 also I would love a video on how to read the nutritional information/guaranteed analysis on food products and what everything means/ how to look for food for your cats needs ❤❤❤
This is right on time. I happened upon your channel maybe a couple weeks ago because I was looking at adopting a couple kittens. Well they're here as of today and they've just been hiding in the closet for the last couple hours. Everything in this latest video seems like great advice as is the other one you've put out. Thanks for being a great resource and a knowledgeable one at that!
As soon as I hit reply one of them came out. The orange tabby lol
Ooh my goodness!!❤❤ Congratulations on your new kitties! So much fun. But busy busy, good luck and God bless😊❤
My cat is afraid of noises. We go for walks. He's on a harness and a leash and he's afraid of loud noises. I can't get him so he's not afraid of noise.
I imagine that’s normal as its their nature to be alert to danger or strange noises out of their routine. Be gentle with them ❤
I've had my cat for almost 4 years. She opened up to me within a year, and then my partner and a new apartment in the following two years. She plays, vocalizes, has zoomies, sleeps with her belly up; she's comfortable most of the time. But sometimes, especially when the front door opens, she reverts back into a scaredy cat. I know she is scared of the outside but I don't understand why me coming back home from work triggers this sometimes and sometimes not.
Interesting. Could it be unfamiliar smells coming through the door or carried on your body?
This'll probably sound weird but it may be the sound of a car door closing or your cat was abused before you, any previous sounds they heard & don't like.... that's my opinion 🤔
What's the brush you're using?
What brand is that cat brush? 🧐
I've rescued 2 litters and out of all of them i have one who has always been afraid. I can't get near her, she wont play no matter the several dozen different toys. And forget brushing or even touching. She growls with her tindermates, hisses, and nothing has changed in the house. Long hair so she is matted, at least she is the only jackass in the group
Someone please help me, my cat learned the way to wake me up for breakfast in the morning is to peel my eyelids apart and lick my bare eyeball, what do I even do???
Hello, I need help with my cat. Out of nowhere, when I pet her back, she chews the fur off of the front of her own arms, What do I do to cure this? (she never did this for many years ever) please help?
怎麼好像我的同學….==