Mission Statement Serving animals and people by engaging the hearts, hands and minds of the community. Vision To compassionately and responsibly create a more humane world for animals. Cats may be fearful of sudden movement for several reasons. Many cats have a timid personality. They startle easily, even with apparently mild triggers. Also, sudden movement such as uncrossing your legs, standing up, or reaching toward them may be interpreted as a sign that you are about to interact with them.
Their usual reaction to an unwelcome change will be to distance themselves. They may retreat to a hiding place or, if pushed, they may react aggressively.
For a cat, hiding is a normal response to a new or frightening situation. Some cats are shy and fearful because of an illness. If this is new behavior, have her checked by a veterinarian. There are cats that respond to a new person in the household, be it an adult or baby, by running and hiding.
Introducing a new dog or new cat to your household might elicit the some response. If yours is an outside cat she may have been startled by a stranger or an animal, or she may have lost a good fight. These experiences may result in a fearfulness that will convert her to a shy-acting inside cat. A sudden loud noise like thunder, a firecracker, or an engine backfire might send your cat under the bed for months. A phobic shyness indicates that proper socialization did not take place when your cat was an unweaned kitten.
Proper socialization occurs when a very young kitten is handled and cuddled by all kinds of people, sniffed and touched by dogs and cats, and exposed to all kinds of noise out there in the world. Things are not as frightening if they have been experienced in the comfort and security of one who loves you. The most sensitive point in kitten development is at two to seven weeks.
The cat should receive gentle handling at that point. But the lessons remain important up to three months of age—the kitten should have many positive experiences with people, other animals, being held and carried, riding in the car, going to the veterinarian, and so on.
The idea is to create an outgoing cat. However, for the skittish kitty, a large domain can be overwhelming. Instead, comfort your fearful cat by shrinking his world. Choose a quiet room to temporarily place food and water bowls at a distance from one another, if possible , the litter box, and toys, where your cat can adjust to its new surroundings.
Part of the goal is to get your skittish kitty used to being out in the open, so cover potential hiding places. This may mean shoving extra blankets or pillows or bins around the bottom of the bed and around dressers. This manageable environment should reduce disturbances and help your cat explore more confidently. Each cat is different, but Kitty will probably remain in this shrunken world for several weeks while you work to build trust and socialize your cat.
Even though you routinely put food and water in her bowls and clean the litter box—or simply empty the litter box, if you have a Litter-Robot —Kitty may still regard you as an intruder into her comfort zone. Begin to introduce yourself slowly and be patient.
Join your kitty in the safe room and sit quietly on the bed or the ground. Face away and let Kitty sniff around you. Slowly, offer a hand to smell.
Repeat this for minutes times per day or as often as you can. Work up to talking softly to your cat, but be careful not to make any loud noises or sudden movements. If she recoils or retreats, let her. Let her feel completely safe and in control. To erode those negative associations, create positive ones.
Reach deep into your kitty treat arsenal think deli meat, tuna, or other super treats and offer them to your cat when you enter the space. If Kitty comes over and eats the treat, talk softly and gently. For the socialization process to work, you need your cat to associate the positive experience of the treat with you.
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