Unlike domestic dogs, cats have a less “plastic” character. Much is known about the training and habituation of dogs, as well as their socialization, but there are few clear recommendations about cats.
Pet lovers and professional breeders agree that if an animal is afraid of a person, the consequences can be disastrous not only for the person, but also for the animal itself.
A cat's fear of strangers or its owner is quite common. The pet tries in every possible way to avoid contact with people, preferring to hide in quiet places, hide in a corner or under furniture. Attempts to catch the cat end in scratches, bites and threatening hisses.
Living under the same roof with a person, an animal that is frightened by him cannot completely avoid contact, which leads to constant psycho-emotional overload. The cat is in a constant state of stress, which negatively affects its health. The owner’s task is to understand the reason for this behavior and take appropriate measures to eliminate the animal’s fear of people.
Heavy weight of the past
It should be understood that a street animal cannot have an ideal psyche. The same applies to pets who have been in a shelter. Unfortunately, the road to hell is often paved with good intentions. The staff does not always treat the students well. If you want to adopt a stray cat, be prepared to earn the purr's trust. Striped neighbors are more careful than dogs, so this will not be easy.
Fluffy beauties who previously lived with a cruel owner may be afraid of a certain category of people. For example, some cats only attack men. If there have been negative experiences with children in the past, the purr will begin to be wary of babies. The reaction may not only be related to the former owners. Sometimes animals' behavior changes after long-term “cooperation” with a veterinarian.
Wild and domesticated cats
Usually, when talking about wild cats, we mean animals born on the street. The four-legged animals stay in the nest for up to 1.5–2 months and do not see people or other animals. Afterwards they explore the world under the strict control of their mother. Naturally, the “two-legged giant” seems like a threat to the little kitten. The reaction is quite predictable - run for cover, and if caught, then scratch, hiss, bite and call for the mother.
Important! Even a 1-2 month old wild kitten is capable of causing serious scratches and bites, and if the mother comes to the cry of the baby, you will have a very hard time. Not only will the mother cat attack, but she will also chase you until you leave her territory.
Tamed cats are animals that lived in human company for some time, but suddenly began to be afraid of people. In addition to bites and scratches, you can receive gifts from a frightened animal in the form of piles and puddles, torn wallpaper or torn curtains. It is more difficult to correct the behavior of a domestic cat than a wild one. A kitten on the street can be accustomed to itself gradually, because the main reason for fear is mistrust. The domestic cat already knows people, but harbors a grudge (fear).
Important! Overly aggressive behavior also indicates fear, but the reason may not lie in fear of people.
Poor care
If the owner is used to solving all problems with his fist, then there is nothing surprising in the current situation. The behavior of a purr is difficult to condemn. She is simply forced to demonstrate her strength every day so as not to die. How does the baby know that you are not going to kill her?
In the natural environment, members of a flock are subject to strict selection. At best, weak animals receive scraps and slowly die. They simply don't have a chance to get ahead. If there is a shortage of food or water, the stragglers are disposed of first. This is why it is so important for animals to demonstrate strength.
Your cat hates guests. Why?
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Your cat hates guests. Why?
Some of our articles are inspired by letters from readers. Readers share their joys, report problems, and ask for advice. This happened today too! One of the letters describes a rather sad story. There are two cats in the house, adopted as six-month-old kittens from a shelter. They are still extraordinary fighters! As soon as guests appear in the room, one of them immediately hides under the bed and does not appear from there. Another one once risked getting out, but fell under the arm of one of the guests - he simply tried to pet her. A truly storm of passions erupted! Let's listen to Ami Shojai - she is always precise and specific in her advice.
As always, let's understand the reasons for the current situation step by step. In general, I don’t see any tragedy - indeed, there are “fearful” cats that do not allow themselves to be stroked by everyone they come across, and sometimes behave coldly and distantly with their owners. Oddly enough, we are dealing with a variant of the norm. And yet we will try to unwind the entire chain.
Health. Poor health also makes cats unsociable. For example, arthritis, characterized by painful joints. It simply hurts a cat when someone unceremoniously tries to scoop it up.
Stress. The author of the letter reports sharp sounds made by one of the animals when they tried to pet him. It seems like a natural defense reaction of the body during times of extreme stress. The place under the bed is relatively secluded; many cats feel safe there and crawl there to escape stress and worries.
How to help? The fact that two cats were taken from the shelter at once does not evoke any other feelings other than respect for the owners. Great idea! It’s easier for them together, they feel comfortable together. But in our case there is a leader and there is a follower. When guests appear, the presenter has a defensive reaction - there is a stranger in the house, there is danger! And right under the bed. The follower also follows there. The animals have no idea that there is no danger from the guests. True, some of them take such liberties that even more “social” cats do not like.
The world “through the eyes of cats” is different from the world we are used to. One of the guests came with a sharp, defiant smell of perfume. This huge guy with a beard is absolutely terrifying. Here comes someone with his long raking arms. And what do all these scary people want? What's going on in their heads? Run, run, quickly hide!
What to do? Cats love positive associations. If you love to receive guests, make sure that their appearance coincides with something pleasant for your pets. For example, treat them with mint balls, get some new toys, or offer a simple interactive game. It is clear that you will not achieve success right away - it will take time and method. The main thing is to reinforce in cats the positive associations associated with the arrival of guests. If, as a rule, the same people come to you, you can eventually involve them in some interesting game, and fears and phobias will disappear by themselves.
The fact that cats are hiding under the bed is not scary in itself. Animals should not be pulled out by force. They will calm down and come out to people on their own. I would still like to return you to the beginning of the article. Are cats afraid of guests? But nowhere does it say that they are obliged to burn with love for them. The author reports that under normal conditions there are no problems in relationships with pets; they behave like ordinary cats, purring and cuddling. And this is the most important thing: they pay with their love for the love of their owners. Having your own living space is the inalienable right of any cat. Cats want to be alone, so let them be. And everything else will come with time. But be on your guard and monitor the situation as it develops.
Original publication: What to Do if Your Cat Hates Visitors. Author: Amy Shojai Source and photo:
Behavior correction
Do we need to change anything at all? Many people think that there is no point in doing anything, just let the cat hide behind the sofa and sit there. If we exclude aggression from the purr, another problem remains - stress. After experiencing a shock, the pet may begin to mark its territory, tear up wallpaper or chew shoes. What happened will have a bad impact on your pet’s health. Now the answer is clear: you need to help the cat! How? Follow a few rules.
1. Train gradually! Try to invite guests once a week. At first, 1 person will be enough.
2. Don't force your cat to meet strangers. Everything must be on a voluntary basis.
3. If it becomes necessary to invite a group of people, take your pet to a separate room and close the doors. This will make her feel safer.
4. Buy an enclosed house for your pet so that he has his own personal territory. No one should disturb him there.
5. Organize either shelves or ladders. The cat must be able to climb up. The ideal option is a special tree with scratching posts.
How to deal with fear?
There are several effective ways to get rid of the problem of fear of strangers:
- First, determine the distance at which the mustachioed-striped feels as safe as possible in relation to a stranger and does not show any aggression towards him. This distance directly depends on the cat’s temperament, its breed, and the time when you brought it into your own home. For example, very timid pets try to run away to the next room when strangers appear;
- kittens should be trained. There are several simple techniques for this;
- when a stranger appears in your home, ask him to sit or stand without making sudden movements;
- as soon as the cat starts to get used to it, treat your furry friend with some of his favorite treats;
- if he shows concern, take him to a place where the stranger will not be visible;
- over time it is necessary to reduce the distance;
- When receiving guests, you can place the cat in a carrier and cover it. This way the cat will not be afraid of strangers and at the same time get used to a noisy environment;
- When meeting for the first time, you should not give a small kitten on your arm to guests (especially children). Initially, he must get used to the company of unfamiliar people.
If anyone has advised you to take sedatives to combat your mustachioed friend's fears, be sure to consult with your doctor.
How does ailurophobia occur?
Ailurophobia most often occurs in three forms:
Absolutely any irritant associated with the presence of cats can provoke such reactions. Most often, ailurophobia is frightened by:
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In addition, if you ask the patient directly the reason why he is so afraid of cats, the answer you will hear is:
- The ability of an animal to scratch or bite, thereby causing irreparable injury to it;
- Infect with worms or other infections;
- Abnormal fear. The person does not know why he is afraid, but he is unable to control the phobia.
Bribery is the best remedy
You can use a not entirely honest, but very effective method of bribery. Let guests coming to the house take with them something tasty from the diet that your cat loves. Believe me, a stranger who gives an animal something to eat will immediately stand in her mind as one of his own, giving food. If you act this way, the animal will soon begin to expect from all your guests the moment when she will finally be given a tasty gift. And the negative emotions from the arrival of guests will be replaced by positive gastronomic ones.
And that’s it – your cat is cured of xenophobia and gently purrs and rolls out on the carpet in the presence of guests. And believe me, there will definitely be compliments in her direction, and this is important, both for the cat and for its owner.
Nowadays, cat owners often face the question of which cat food manufacturer to choose. Choose expensive or cheap food, a well-known brand or not. Remember, no matter what food you choose, be sure to make sure that your cat likes this food and is good for it.
Cat Bayun and other sedatives
If the animal is still nervous, then our site recommends using mild and harmless sedatives for animals. However, we warn you! It is necessary to use such remedies only after consultation with a veterinarian; self-prescription of remedies to calm animals can calm them down forever! Don't risk the health and life of your pet!
In the future, it is necessary to reduce the dose of medications, gradually reducing it to zero. A sedative is only needed to make the cat less nervous in the presence of strangers, and when she gets used to it, the need for the medicine will disappear by itself. After all, the main thing is that the mustachioed, striped and fluffy cat begins to understand that guests are not scary, that this is a completely normal occurrence in your home. Then the animal will begin to allow strangers to approach it and perhaps even condescend to let the stranger pet it.
Overcoming visitors' fear
It may be a slow process, but you can train a fearful cat to no longer be afraid of visitors. Many of the same techniques that are used to prevent fear of visitors are useful in overcoming a cat's existing fear.
- Treats, verbal praise and affection, pheromones, supplements, and encouraging visitors to be calm and slow can all help show your cat that she has nothing to fear.
- It can be helpful to let your cat come out of hiding rather than forcing her to come out.
- Visitors who stay for an extended period may have a better chance of your cat warming up to them since the cat will have more time to get used to them.
- Having frequent visitors instead of just one or two visitors a year during the holidays will also help reassure your cat so that she knows that visitors are not scary as they are a normal part of life and not something new or unexpected.
