What To Do If Your Cat Is Afraid Of Strangers
Have you ever noticed that when a dog meets new people, they can’t seem to contain their excitement at the possibility of making a new friend? This is not the case for most cats. Cats can be very cautious of new people. There is a reason that people say “scaredy cat” and not “scaredy dog”.There are many things you can do to help your cat when you are introducing them to new people.
Your cat not being a fan of your new friends might be due to improper socialisation as a kitten or due to some form of trauma or abuse in your cat’s life. Some cats seem to think that everyone is out to get them. Here are some tips on how to make visits from strangers less traumatising to your kitty.
Introduce guests properly.
Prior to your guests arriving put your cat in a separate room so that they are not forced to socialise. If your cat decides to come out of hiding and scope out the visitors the worst thing that your guests can do is attempt to force themselves onto your cat. How would you feel if someone 10 times your size was chasing you around and trying to put their hands all over you and talking to you in baby talk? You would hate it, another thing that cats do not like is eye contact. It is seen as a threat. You probably don’t want a stranger creepily staring at you either.
Instead, try having visitors get down at your cat’s level. This will make them appear less intimidating. They can try extending their hand out to the cat to allow the cat to get to know the new person’s smell. Once your cat is properly introduced to the new person, it will be much more comfortable
Make your home a safe place.
Your cat will feel much better if they have a place to hide. If you isolate them in a room with a stranger this will not help. This can also make your cat less trustworthy of you. Your cat should always have access to their favourite hiding spots to make them feel safe. If your cat is hiding do not force them to come out and socialize. This will only make them more frightened and stressed.
Bribery doesn’t hurt.
There is nothing wrong with a little bit of bribery. A good way to get a cat to trust you is to feed them. Try asking your visitors to get down at your cat’s level and encourage the cat to approach the new person with some food. This will help your cat to see that the person is a friend and not a threat. Whenever your cat makes some more progress with a new person give them a treat as a reward, this will help them associate guests with something good.
Talk to your Vet.
Cats can have anxiety just like people. Talk to your vet about the things that you can do to help your cat. There are products on the market such as anxiety pills and cat pheromone sprays that can help calm your cat. These methods aren’t for everyone and some people do not want to medicate their cat or simply can’t afford to.
Don’t expect your cat to change overnight.
It’s important to remember that some cats will never be able to adjust to strange people, and you shouldn’t force them to interact with people that they do not know. There are things that you can do to make it easier on them but be patient and don’t expect your cat to be sitting on strangers laps right away.
Good Luck!
