Winning the trust of an anxious cat
We've all been there… Trying to pet or play with a cat and they just run away or even show aggression! Here is how to deal with that.
First, it is essential to establish where this anxiousness came from.
In most cases, anxiousness comes from abuse or neglect, especially during kittenhood, cats are usually nervous because of something that happened in the past and they just quite can't get over it, that's why they need a little work for them to regain their confidence back.
What does it look like?
Cats who are nervous tend to move more slowly and deliberately than usual, they prefer to sit either in a secluded place or somewhere they can get a good view of their surroundings, it is important to let them have a place they could hide and feel safe at without encroaching on their alone time.
What NOT to do around an anxious cat?
The worst thing you can do is to tower over them and make them feel there is no escape. if you were trying to pick them up you need to be cool and not make a whole fuss about it
What to do around an anxious cat?
You need to crouch or lie close to the cat to show that you are not a threat to them, also speaking softly helps out.
Encouragement.
You need to associate your presence with a positive attribute such as giving them some treats in exchange for 1 pet and encouraging them to play by for example dragging a rope in front of them and letting them pounce on it. playing with your cat offers a good way of winning their trust but again don't rush things to get them outside of their comfort zone because this process takes a long time
Breed characteristics:
Yes, there is a likelihood that your cat is just not the friendly kind.
With purebred cats especially, nervousness can be more of a problem than with other breeds so it is important to check that aspect before getting one
For example, the Bengal's separation anxiety might be an issue if you spend a long time away from home so this will take some time to overcome.
I should also mention that if your cat suddenly becomes nervous for no apparent reason that you should check in with your veterinary doctor because this might an underlying symptom of another issue such as a bone fracture.
In the end, the most important thing to consider is that its gonna take a long time, I've seen a lot of rescue cases where people don't understand why the cat hates them so you need to keep in mind that this is gonna take awhile and soon enough you gonna see them sleeping on your lap.
Thank you for reading :) and please tell me a story about an encounter you had with an anxious cat and ways you were able to solve it
reference:
Harper, D. “Understanding your cat” 2004 ISBN 1–40540–732–8
