Heavy weight of the past
It should be understood that a street animal cannot have an ideal psyche. The same applies to pets who have been in a shelter. Unfortunately, the road to hell is often paved with good intentions. The staff does not always treat the students well. If you want to adopt a stray cat, be prepared to earn the purr's trust. Striped neighbors are more careful than dogs, so this will not be easy.
Fluffy beauties who previously lived with a cruel owner may be afraid of a certain category of people. For example, some cats only attack men. If there have been negative experiences with children in the past, the purr will begin to be wary of babies. The reaction may not only be related to the former owners. Sometimes animals' behavior changes after long-term “cooperation” with a veterinarian.
Why is the cat afraid of me?
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New cats in the home tend to be wary, and that's normal. They need to get used to the environment, people and objects. But it happens that a cat that has lived in a family for a long time begins or continues to show fear of its owner. This can be expressed in hiding in secluded places, running away or even aggression. Why is this happening? Let's try to figure it out.
How is fear harmful? When we are afraid, our adrenaline and cortisol levels increase. The latter is a stress hormone, so a frightened cat cannot be called healthy. And if fear persists for a long time, the cat develops chronic stress and anxiety, which is very harmful to both physical and mental health.
How to tell if a cat is afraid?
With a little fear:
- She arches her back;
- Her pupils dilate.
If fear intensifies:
- flattens ears;
- Grumbles or hisses;
- The fur stands on end.
With high intensity of fear:
- It falls on its side, revealing its belly, which exposes its teeth and claws.
Although cats prefer to avoid serious conflicts, they are more likely to attack if they feel there is no way to escape.
Neophobia, or when a new cat appears in the house. A cat's fear of new homes and owners is called neophobia. This is a completely normal and rational fear. After all, it is unknown what danger lurks in all these rooms, there are new smells and strange people all around. All that is required is to give your pet time and space to adapt. This period can vary from a couple of days to several months depending on the individual cat, its age and past experience.
Fear due to injury or illness. If a cat has been living with you for a long time and its fear appears spontaneously and for no apparent reason (it avoids contact with its owners, looks wary, scared, hides), we can assume that the animal is sick or injured, so habitual manipulations cause it discomfort.
What to do? To rule out injuries and other illnesses that cause pain, the first step is to take your cat to the veterinarian. As soon as he establishes that the reason is not physical discomfort, we move on.
The constant presence of a person at a reasonable distance and without negative consequences for the pet will help him get used to the fact that there is nothing to fear. But it is important to remember that a cat is not as social as a dog. Therefore, frequent petting, attention and attempts to play can be dangerous for the owner.
For some time, until the cat gets used to it, noise should be kept to a minimum. Most pets are afraid of loud noises and are wary of objects and people who make them. Approach the cat slowly and calmly, but do not stalk. It's good if your pet notices you from afar. Don't touch him until he voluntarily comes to you.
Engage in calm activities, such as reading, to relax your pet and build his confidence. Remember that any coercion will only frighten your pet more.
Explore situations that cause fear in cats. This will help you avoid them. For example, making direct eye contact or hovering over your pet.
Don't try to calm the cat down. Unlike people who need support in difficult times, animals cope on their own. The best solution if your cat is scared is to remove the frightening stimuli.
As soon as your pet becomes calmer, you can start rewarding him with treats. This is called positive reinforcement. If cats associate a behavior with a treat, they will repeat it again.
In some particularly severe cases, the veterinarian may prescribe sedatives. It is important to observe the dosage of drugs and duration of use.
If you are doing everything correctly, and the cat’s behavior does not improve or worsen, it’s time to seek professional advice from a felinologist.
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Poor care
If the owner is used to solving all problems with his fist, then there is nothing surprising in the current situation. The behavior of a purr is difficult to condemn. She is simply forced to demonstrate her strength every day so as not to die. How does the baby know that you are not going to kill her?
In the natural environment, members of a flock are subject to strict selection. At best, weak animals receive scraps and slowly die. They simply don't have a chance to get ahead. If there is a shortage of food or water, the stragglers are disposed of first. This is why it is so important for animals to demonstrate strength.
When they are forcibly held
Cats are extremely independent. This does not mean that they do not feel affection for their owners and do not want to spend time with us. This means that since they do not need attention, it is almost impossible to impose it. Our relationship with them develops like a sinusoid, now up, now down - today they adore us, tomorrow they don’t notice us.
Cats are really scared when people rush to hug them. Gentle hugs are, of course, allowed. But when we grab them in our arms and begin to squeeze them as hard as we can, they don’t at all think that it’s out of great love. Restriction of freedom is perceived as a threat: save yourself while you’re safe! A cat's way of communication is strikingly different from a human's, so it is better not to be offended by your pet, but to try to learn its language.
Behavior correction
Do we need to change anything at all? Many people think that there is no point in doing anything, just let the cat hide behind the sofa and sit there. If we exclude aggression from the purr, another problem remains - stress. After experiencing a shock, the pet may begin to mark its territory, tear up wallpaper or chew shoes. What happened will have a bad impact on your pet’s health. Now the answer is clear: you need to help the cat! How? Follow a few rules.
1. Train gradually! Try to invite guests once a week. At first, 1 person will be enough.
2. Don't force your cat to meet strangers. Everything must be on a voluntary basis.
3. If it becomes necessary to invite a group of people, take your pet to a separate room and close the doors. This will make her feel safer.
4. Buy an enclosed house for your pet so that he has his own personal territory. No one should disturb him there.
5. Organize either shelves or ladders. The cat must be able to climb up. The ideal option is a special tree with scratching posts.
How to deal with fear?
There are several effective ways to get rid of the problem of fear of strangers:
- First, determine the distance at which the mustachioed-striped feels as safe as possible in relation to a stranger and does not show any aggression towards him. This distance directly depends on the cat’s temperament, its breed, and the time when you brought it into your own home. For example, very timid pets try to run away to the next room when strangers appear;
- kittens should be trained. There are several simple techniques for this;
- when a stranger appears in your home, ask him to sit or stand without making sudden movements;
- as soon as the cat starts to get used to it, treat your furry friend with some of his favorite treats;
- if he shows concern, take him to a place where the stranger will not be visible;
- over time it is necessary to reduce the distance;
- When receiving guests, you can place the cat in a carrier and cover it. This way the cat will not be afraid of strangers and at the same time get used to a noisy environment;
- When meeting for the first time, you should not give a small kitten on your arm to guests (especially children). Initially, he must get used to the company of unfamiliar people.
If anyone has advised you to take sedatives to combat your mustachioed friend's fears, be sure to consult with your doctor.
Dogs
The sarcastic expression “loves a dog like a cat” did not arise out of nowhere. Yes, they can coexist peacefully, but this rarely happens from the first meeting. Cats and dogs that grow up together often become best friends. Then they do not perceive each other as a predator of another species, and do not fight for resources, as in the wild.
When a cat sees an unfamiliar dog, even a playful and friendly one, it flees or takes a defensive pose. He is afraid and this is natural. Even cats and dogs, who generally get along well, occasionally quarrel and fight. The owner’s task is to provide safety and positive reinforcement, then the pets will learn not to be afraid of each other.
Strangers
When meeting another person for the first time, we may have the opportunity to figure out whether the stranger is a threat; there are some signs that can make us wary. Cats are a much smaller animal than humans and therefore have some reason to be afraid of new people. They become attached to and trust their human family because they know that we will provide them with food, water, shelter, care and, importantly, are unlikely to harm them.
With strangers, many cats won't feel the same confidence. Additionally, some people may seem more intimidating than others. This may be due to body posture, smell, or a number of reasons known only to the cat. Like others on this list of things that scare cats, some are very friendly and will approach strangers without fear.
Bribery is the best remedy
You can use a not entirely honest, but very effective method of bribery. Let guests coming to the house take with them something tasty from the diet that your cat loves. Believe me, a stranger who gives an animal something to eat will immediately stand in her mind as one of his own, giving food. If you act this way, the animal will soon begin to expect from all your guests the moment when she will finally be given a tasty gift. And the negative emotions from the arrival of guests will be replaced by positive gastronomic ones.
And that’s it – your cat is cured of xenophobia and gently purrs and rolls out on the carpet in the presence of guests. And believe me, there will definitely be compliments in her direction, and this is important, both for the cat and for its owner.
Nowadays, cat owners often face the question of which cat food manufacturer to choose. Choose expensive or cheap food, a well-known brand or not. Remember, no matter what food you choose, be sure to make sure that your cat likes this food and is good for it.
Changes
Habit is second nature to cats. They like to live according to a schedule: eat, sleep, play, repeat in the same sequence. They are afraid of disruption to their usual routine. No, they don’t jump out of fear, everything is much more complicated. They are afraid that something bad will happen to them.
For example, if a cat has always been fed at lunch, and then this time is moved, he begins to worry that he will remain hungry. Of course, he will not die of hunger, but the very thought inspires fear. And most of all, cats are afraid of drastic changes: the arrival of a new family member, moving to a new house, even our new job with a different schedule.
