Helping Shy Cats

For shy cats, even their own home can be scary. You can help them feel safer by providing them with lots of hiding spaces, a predictable routine, and your quiet presence. At the same time, you can help build their confidence by slowly socializing them and by training them to do tricks.

Why are some cats shy? There are three basic reasons. The first is genetics. International Cat Care says that adult cats that are fearful have the potential to pass this behavior on to their kittens. Moreover, kittens that are genetically fearful will be more difficult to socialize. The second is lack of socialization. Kittens that aren’t socialized during their first sixteen weeks are going to be more frightened by people and new experiences later in life. The third is bad experiences. Cats that have been scared in the past may be equally wary of anything new.

Helping cats become less shy is a two-part process. The first part involves doing things to help them feel more secure. One of the five pillars of a healthy feline environment (developed by the American Association of Feline Practitioners and International Society of Feline Medicine) is a safe space. This can take many forms. For example, when you first bring a shy cat home, you should house it in a bathroom, an enclosed playpen, or even a cat cage. This will allow your cat to decompress without being overwhelmed by the vastness of a full-sized room. When you do allow your new cat to have more space, it should be one room at a time. Once your shy cat has settled into your home, there are many other ways to provide safe spaces. Cats like to get up high, and so it’s ideal to provide them with cat towers and/or window perches. Even low hiding spots will do, and a shy cat will often retreat to closets and under furniture. Whatever hiding spots you provide, be sure that they’re the right size for your cat, at least partially enclosed, and allow your cat to observe their environment.

Providing a quiet presence is harder than you might think but also important. For example, when you first bring a shy cat home, you should let it decide when to approach you. This means you may need to resist the urge to pet and pick up your new cat. If you handle a shy cat too much too soon, it may come to view people as threats instead of friends. Start by simply placing food near your new cat and then staying in the room while your cat eats. While you’re in the room, you might also play some classical music or read a book aloud.  Over time, your cat will see that only good things happen when you’re around, and you can slowly work towards initiating play and eventually touch. There are other ways to help your shy cat to feel secure with you. For example, avoid making loud noises or quick movements. In addition, greet your cat with slow blinks, speak softly, and sit sideways to your cat.

The second part of helping shy cats involves doing things to build their confidence. Heavenly Cats offers a couple of techniques for helping to socialize cats to new people. One technique is to bridge the gap for physical contact. If your cat might swat, this might mean having a friend use a back scratcher to provide food or a toy to encourage play. With less scared cats, just ask your friend to give your cat the opportunity to sniff their finger a few times before trying to pet your cat. Another technique is to reinforce your cat for interactions with treats or toys. When your cat moves toward your friend to sniff or touch, praise and reinforce, while also allowing your cat to disengage when it chooses. Your friend can even lure your cat towards them by slowly bringing food closer and closer to them. As your cat develops confidence, your friend can lure it into and across their lap. Once your cat does this consistently and gets used to your friend, then invite your friend to gently pet your cat before giving it a treat. A toy can be used in a similar way. Socialization also includes introducing cats to objects, sounds, and other stimuli. For every new situation, go slowly and use lots of positive reinforcement. Start by simply placing a new object in the room with your cat or introducing a new sound at a low volume and by giving your cat lots of treats or playtime. Eventually, your cat will see that these new stimuli aren’t a threat, and you can gradually increase exposure.

According to Jackson Galaxy, with training that positively reinforces good behaviours, a shy cat can learn to feel comfortable coming up to the front of its cage to meet a potential pet parent. In addition, whether at a shelter or at home, cats gain confidence through training sessions that will soon have them building relationships with people. The most famous trick in the Jackson Galaxy Cat Pawsitive program is the high-five, but there are countless tricks you can teach your cat to help develop its confidence. You could teach it manners such as sit, stay, go to mat, and come. Alternatively, you could teach your cat to do fun tricks, such as twirl, stand, roll over, or even fetch. More active cats might enjoy agility tricks such as jump, tunnel, and weave. To learn how to do these tricks, check out sites such as Cat School or Space Cat Academy, or my library of training tutorials at YouTube.

If you work with or own a shy cat, I thank you. Fearful cats take more time and patience to bond with than the average cat, but it’s also an incredibly rewarding experience. In the end, while your cat may always need extra understanding, there’s much you can do to help it become more secure in your home. If you’ve questions, email me at: allison@allisonhelpscats.com

Allison Hunter-Frederick

Cat Behavior Consultant & Trainer