Helping shy cat get used to new people

Discussion in 'Behaviour & Training' started by Carnold23, Oct 18, 2015.

  1. Carnold23

    Carnold23 Member

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    My baby tigger was adopted from a shelter and we believe that he was abused in his previous home.
    Because of this he hates men( he is just now really starting to warm up to my husband after a year) and he is really shy around new people.
    Is there any ways we can help him feel more secure around new people especially my husband's male friends? It makes me sad how he hides in our bedroom whenever a male comes into our house. I want him to feel completely safe in our home.
     
    Carnold23, Oct 18, 2015
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  2. Carnold23

    Susan Brown Well-Known Member

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    I am afraid that is something that Tigger has to do on his own in his own time. I rescued a cat from an abusive situation and it would break my heart to watch her hide or keep her distance. A year isn't a very long time for Tigger to adjust. Just give him time and he will eventually come around. It may take years. He had been through a lot and he is just not going to trust anybody quickly. It took him a year to get use to your husband who is there everyday. It is going to take him much longer to get use to strangers and he may never either. He goes where he feel safe don't force anything on him he will come around.
     
    Susan Brown, Oct 20, 2015
    #2
  3. Carnold23

    Trellum Well-Known Member

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    I am afraid to say that you can't do much about this, the cat might eventually stop running away when a new male enters your home, but only if he sees those new people often enough. Odds are the cat might start trusting men more after he gets to know your husband better and starts seeing him as a friend and not as a potential threat. Only time will tell, neither of us can :(
     
    Trellum, Oct 20, 2015
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    Susan Brown likes this.
  4. Carnold23

    Anne Well-Known Member

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    I'll have to research this one further. My sister never saw my cat before he departed. He would hide whenever she came by, He hid from male and female in some of the weirdest places. If you came often like my house help did he eventually eased out. It might happen that Tigger 'comes out of the closet' on his own and in his own time.
     
    Anne, Oct 25, 2015
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