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Nervous Cat Question

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  • 21-07-2009 5:35pm
    #1
    lmahoney79
    Registered Users Posts: 1,021 ✭✭✭


    There is a young cat who turns up outside our apartment for a feed every now and then, im pretty sure she has no owners. She seems in healthy condition but is very nervous around people and is definitely not used to being indoors. Just wondered has anyone any tips to make it feel more comfortable when she is feeding at our place? I would love to be able to pet her or just make some kind of contact but she wont let me anywhere near her! She is missing out on loads of cuddles!... :p


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    #2
    PinkTulips
    Registered Users Posts: 383 ✭✭PinkTulips


    The best way with a nervous stray is to go as slow as possible. Just sit near her while she eats and speak in a calm soothing voice to her. Don't try and approach her but if she comes closer to you slowely put your hand out and let her sniff it and very slowely reach round to scratch her ears. Whenever you look at her slit your eyes.. it's a cats way of smiling and will help her feel less threatened.

    Leave your door open as much as possible when she's about, she might start to make little excursions into the apartment to have a look about... often they'll do this before they really allow handling... i think they're scouting out the possible lodgings before commiting to friendship ;)


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    #3
    lmahoney79
    Registered Users Posts: 1,021 ✭✭✭lmahoney79


    Cheers for that advice.....i am doing some of that already, so i guess slowly slowly catchy monkey!


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    #4
    rediguana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,312 ✭✭✭rediguana


    I read The Cat Whisperer very recently. Food is your friend when trying to bond with a cat, apparently. Feed it by hand and use that feeding time to demonstrate that you're calm, predictable and gentle. Don't pick the cat up or be too ambitious with your cuddles, maybe just rub its head/ears/upper back.

    By the way, I would heartily recommend The Cat Whisperer to anybody with an interest in cats.


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    #5
    Sigma Force
    Registered Users Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    Got one of our previous cats a similar way she was very nervous turns out she belonged to a neighbour but they didn't mind that she deceided she liked our place better. She's become pally with one of our own cats at the time.

    I took things at her pace, bribing her with food it's a slow process and some cats take longer than others but she eventually settled in nicely. It took her a few years though to become comfortable enough to sit on a knee and she was never as relaxed as the others although as she got older she mellowed more.

    Food is deffo the way to a cats heart.


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