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WHY IS MY CAT SHY AROUND STRANGERS? TIPS FOR ANXIOUS CATS

Wed, 11/28/2018 - 01:01
Posted in:
 * Behavior & Socialization
 * All Cat Training Resources

 * cats
 * Shy Cats



Cats can be shy around strangers for several reasons. A common reason is lack of
experience with visitors when they were kittens. If cats were not introduced to
different people during their socialization period (2 to 7 weeks old), they
might be more apprehensive around strangers as adults. Additionally, the arrival
of visitors is often accompanied by other seemingly scary things, such as
knocking, large packages, or loud noises.

Just like people, some cats simply possess more timid or less social
personalities. Studies have even shown that kittens born to fearful fathers are
often fearful themselves. However, there are steps to take to socialize a shy
cat and make them less scared of people.


HOW TO SOCIALIZE A SHY CAT AROUND STRANGERS

First, if this anxious cat behavior is something new, be sure to have your cat
checked by a veterinarian to rule out a physical cause.

Then, to start, you’ll want to provide your cat with a safe area to go to before
the strangers arrive. The safe area should be an out-of-the-way location, such
as a back room, where the sound of knocking or the doorbell is muffled. In the
safe area, your cat does not have to interact with your guests, and consequently
they can feel calm and relaxed there. Before guests arrive, the room should be
set up with a comfortable resting place, water, food, enrichment, and a litter
box, depending on the duration of their stay.

A few minutes before guests arrive, allow your cat to retreat to the safe room
if they want. Once the cat is inside, provide them with a special food treat and
an interactive or food-dispensing toy to distract them and create positive
associations with the presence of strangers in the house.




BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION STEPS FOR CAT ANXIETY

Next, you’ll need to follow a series of cat behavior modification steps to help
your cat become more comfortable around strangers. Besides treats, toys, or
other rewards for your cat, you will need the help of a friend to act as the
stranger coming to visit. The basic idea is that the “stranger” will stand at a
distance from your cat, who will be rewarded for remaining calm in the
stranger’s presence. Over multiple sessions, you will gradually decrease the
distance between them until your cat is able to remain completely relaxed
sitting next to the stranger.

Here are the steps to follow to calm an anxious cat:

 1. Bring your cat into a room, and stay near them (but do not hold your cat or
    force them to stay).
 2. Ask your friend (the stranger) to slowly enter the room from a point as far
    from the cat as the room allows. Start with a distance between the stranger
    and your cat that is not troubling to the cat. At this distance, your cat
    should not exhibit any sign of anxiety, arousal, or aggression toward the
    stranger. In other words, the cat feels safe at this distance. The actual
    distance will depend on your cat’s temperament and familiarity with the
    stranger. For example, the starting distance between a very timid cat and a
    complete stranger might be larger than the starting distance between a
    bolder cat and a stranger they've met once or twice.
 3. If your cat remains calm, reward their behavior with treats, play, or
    petting — whatever they like most. Continue doing this for a few minutes,
    allowing your cat to end the session whenever they choose.
    1. If your cat leaves the room, you can try to entice them to come back with
       some tasty treats by opening or crinkling a treat pouch or popping open a
       can of food. It’s OK if your cat prefers to end things with the one
       session. If you are able to entice them back, you can perform several
       short sessions within the span of the stranger’s visit.
    2. If your cat becomes anxious, increase the distance between the cat and
       the stranger until the cat is no longer fearful. At this distance, reward
       your cat for calm behavior, and then end the session. During the next
       session, start again at the distance with which the cat was comfortable
       in the previous session. If the next session is with a different
       stranger, start again at the longest distance the room allows.
 4. After several sessions, your cat should be more accustomed to the innocuous
    presence of the stranger. The next step is to decrease the distance between
    your cat and each new person by a few inches. You can do this by moving your
    cat’s bowl of food or luring your cat closer with a treat or toy — or simply
    by asking the stranger to move a few inches closer to the cat. Always
    monitor closely for early signs of anxiety in your cat’s body language. If
    they remain calm, reward them and then gradually and incrementally decrease
    the distance between the cat and the stranger over many sessions. If the cat
    becomes anxious, back up and start again at a distance from the stranger
    where the cat is relaxed.
 5. Once your cat is comfortable eating or playing near a new person, you can
    repeat the exercises with multiple adults at a time or you can add the
    element of movement. To add movement, repeat step 1, finding a starting
    distance at which your cat remains calm or distracted by toys or treats.
    Rather than asking the stranger to remain motionless, however, ask them to
    pace slowly back and forth or make another type of movement. The starting
    distance for a moving stranger might not be the same as for a stationary
    one. Then, repeat steps 2-4. Other movements, such as standing from a seated
    position, can often be desensitized in the same manner.

Your cat’s ability to generalize and display calm behavior toward all strangers
will depend on how often you can repeat these exercises and add different
elements.

Certain types of human behavior, such as loud voices and sudden movements, will
cause many timid cats to become nervous. If any visitors (adults or children) to
your home are outgoing types, you could mention ahead of time that you have a
shy cat and ask whether they could help by maintaining a quiet presence.

Learn more about cat behavior modification


HAVING PATIENCE WITH A TIMID, ANXIOUS CAT

Keep in mind that behavior modification exercises take time, and progress can be
slow. In some cases, a cat will reach their comfort limit, so we want to take
care not to pressure pets into accepting things they aren’t able to adapt to
psychologically. What this means is that some cats, for example, will never be
comfortable with being picked up by a stranger, so don’t feel that you must have
strangers physically interact with your cat.




CAT ANXIETY MEDICATION

Remember, the intent of your efforts is to help improve your cat’s quality of
life. In some cases, anti-anxiety medication can help facilitate behavior
modification. If you have questions about the behavior modification exercises or
how to apply them to your cat, please consult with your veterinarian or a
veterinary behaviorist.

Find out about feline behaviorists




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Why is My Cat Not Using The Litter Box? Part 1: Medical Issues
Slow Blinks: How Cats Show They're Comfortable



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