How To Make A Kitten Comfortable In A New Home – If a shy cat has recently become part of your family, you may be tempted to rush to show them how wonderful and safe your home is and how much love you have to offer. The problem is that a shy or timid cat will look at your attempts with concern and even fear. You can’t rush the process, but there are things you can do to gently help a shy cat to trust and feel less anxious. Here are some tips to get you started.
Maybe you have a big, beautiful house and want your new cat to see how much space it will have, but for now, this environment is exceptional. It needs a limited amount of space to find its way. Also think about lighting and sound. Dim the lights so she doesn’t feel so exposed and make sure there’s no loud music or loud talking.
How To Make A Kitten Comfortable In A New Home
The ability to hide is a valuable coping mechanism. Don’t see this as negativity that the cat wants to hide. When he hides, he calms down and can begin to assess his surroundings. To encourage your cat to start exploring more of her territory, provide her with hiding places throughout the environment. You can create hiding places by providing tunnels, cave-style cat beds, open boxes or paper bags placed on the sides, or any other creative idea you can think of. If you use paper bags, remember to remove all handles and never use plastic bags.
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For cats, smell is a valuable means of communication. Help your cat get to know your scent while still being able to stay in its comfort zone. Place some t-shirts or towels on the floor near her hiding places that contain your scent. That way she can explore and not have to worry about getting too close to you.
When feeding a shy cat, place the bowl where it feels most comfortable, then leave the room first. You will strive to be able to stay in the room remotely. Use scheduled meals so that the cat begins to associate your presence with the delivery of food. Plus, a little bribery never hurts, so keep a few treats with you to gently toss when you pass your cat or enter a room. I often use clicker training with shy cats to show them that even the smallest positive step will bring them food. You can learn more about clicker training a cat on my website or look up the phrase online. Clicker training is a gentle training method that allows you to gently and gradually reward your cat for taking steps in the right direction.
Play is a powerful confidence-building tool if you do it the right way. Use a fishing rod toy to put distance between you and the cat. This way she will feel safe in her comfort zone. When you move the toy, do not move towards the cat, as this will put her on the defensive. Instead, gently move the toy across or away from her field of vision to encourage her motivation to play. Keep the movements simple and gentle for a shy cat. This is not the time to ask her to do back flips and race across the room. She may only be comfortable extending her paw while staying hidden.
While you may have succeeded with a high-pitched and agitated voice with a puppy, a shy cat will not take it well. Instead, speak gently, softly, so the cat gets used to your presence. Cats respond much better to calm, soothing voices than to whining and excited sounds. If you have children in your home, help them understand this concept when they first meet a new cat.
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If you want your cat to feel comfortable, it’s important to let her control how and when she wants to interact and approach you. Never drag her out of hiding or rush the trust building process. Even if she comes out of hiding, don’t pick her up in your arms to hold her. He needs to know that he is in control, that he can decide how close he wants to get, and that he can pull away at any time. If you let your cat set the pace while showing her that she’s not afraid, she’ll soon realize she’s found the perfect forever home. Other great tips for improving your cats behavior.
Pam Johnson-Bennett is a certified cat behavior consultant and the best-selling author of 8 books on cat behavior. She starred in the series Animal Planet
Seen in Canada and Great Britain. She was vice president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and founded their cat division. She has served on the advisory board of the American Humane Association and other animal welfare organizations.
Pam is considered a pioneer in the field of cat behavior consulting, having begun her career in 1982. Some of her books have been used as textbooks for behavior courses and she has influenced many professionals in the field today. Her book Think Like a Cat has been called the cat bible.
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Pam is the owner of Cat Behavior Associates located in Tennessee. She lives with her husband, two children, a rescued cat and a rescued dog.
Pam Johnson-Bennett is a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and bestselling author of 8 books on cat behavior. She starred in the series Animal Planet
Seen in Canada and Great Britain. She was vice president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and founded their cat division. She has served on the advisory board of the American Humane Association and other animal welfare organizations. Pam is considered a pioneer in the field of cat behavior consulting, having begun her career in 1982. Some of her books have been used as textbooks for behavior courses and she has influenced many professionals in the field today. Her book Think Like a Cat has been called the cat bible. Pam is the owner of Cat Behavior Associates located in Tennessee. She lives with her husband, two children, a rescued cat and a rescued dog.
By clicking the arrow, you agree to our online terms of use and privacy and cookie policy. Easy unsubscribe links are provided in every email. This article was co-authored by Tabitha Kucera. Tabitha Kucera is a registered veterinary technician, cat and dog behavior consultant, and owner of cat and dog chirping and chattering consulting and training in Cleveland, Ohio. Tabitha has over ten years of experience working in veterinary animal hospitals, animal shelters, and cat and dog rescue centers. Tabitha has helped develop training and behavior programs for various veterinary hospitals and shelters and works as a consultant for numerous shelters and private veterinary practices. Her teaching credentials include lecturing regionally and nationally and in numerous veterinary technology programs. She is a certified Fear Free Speaker, Fear Free Practice Certification Consultant, Cat Pawsitive Pro Behavior Consultant, and host of the Tails from a Vet Tech podcast. She is currently a board member of the Pet Professional Guild’s Cat Committee and is president of the Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians. She is an Elite Fear Free and Low-Stress Handling Registered Veterinary Technician, a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant, a Certified Karen Pryor Academy Training Partner, and holds the Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) designation in Behavior.
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Getting a cute new cat is an exciting experience, but it’s easy to get scared in the early stages. Cats need time to adjust to their new environment and learn to trust you, so it’s important to give them that space. If you want your cat to be comfortable around you, you need to make an effort to give her space, bond with her, and pet her properly.
This article was co-authored by Tabitha Kucera. Tabitha Kucera is a registered veterinary technician, cat and dog behavior consultant, and owner of cat and dog chirping and chattering consulting and training in Cleveland, Ohio. Tabitha has over ten years of experience working in veterinary animal hospitals, animal shelters, and cat and dog rescue centers. Tabitha has helped develop training and behavior programs for various veterinary hospitals and shelters and works as a consultant for numerous shelters and private veterinary practices. Her teaching credentials include lecturing regionally and nationally and in numerous veterinary technology programs. She is a certified Fear Free Speaker, Fear Free Practice Certification Consultant, Cat Pawsitive Pro Behavior Consultant, and host of the Tails from a Vet Tech podcast. Currently serving on
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