When I first encountered "Smoochie" on the street, this small brown tabby looked at me with dilated pupils, hair standing on end, her back arched, and her thin tail bushed to twice its size. She looked petrified and indecisive, unsure whether to run or attack. Then after I rescued her, she would not come near me. She ate warily, constantly glancing from side to side. She was afraid, but not just because I had captured her. She was afraid more likely because of fearful experiences in her past.
While cats need to feel fear to respond appropriately to potentially dangerous situations, some cats seem more shy or fearful of the non-threatening and unfamiliar than do others. They may hide, disengage in the presence of other people, new cats, or other animals, or become aggressive. As a consequence, they may not appear very sociable. However, this does not mean they cannot or will not change and become more relaxed and friendly... with a little help from you.
Shyness and fearfulness in cats tend to be primarily the result of fearful experiences. While these bad experiences make a particularly big impression on the cat during its critical stage of development (from about 2 to 7 weeks of age), such experiences later on can be traumatizing as well. Like humans, cats have to learn that they are accepted, belong, and can depend upon those conditions. They need to learn to associate people, other animals, and inanimate objects with something positive and pleasant--non-threatening--so they can become more sociable.
Of course, prevention is always much better than a cure. But when you have not raised the cat from kittenhood, given it frequent and loving handling, exposed it to positive social situations during its first 7 weeks, you can only employ counter-conditioning methods, patience, persistence, lots of love and understanding--and FOOD--to help it work through its fear or shyness.
Desensitizing a fearful cat uses essentially the same procedure as desensitizing a child who is afraid of cats, except you are probably not going to be using food to attract and reward the child in the presence of the feared object or person. Overall, you want the cat to be experiencing something positive as it sees the feared object at a distance. For the exposure to have its positive effect, it is necessary to keep the cat within eyesight of the object. You can do this by having it on a harness and leash or in a carrier. In a stepwise process, you move the feared object closer while the cat is enjoying something pleasurable. By following these guidelines, I helped "Smoochie" feel more comfortable, confident, and secure with me. In fact, now she is a "pet-aholic," frequently dogging my heels for a tummy rub. Of course, not all cats will recover to the same extent or as quickly as some others. But fearful and shy cats can lead much happier lives if you will help them tame their fears and become more sociable. That is a win-win situation.
Signe A. Dayhoff, Ph.D., is a Cat Whisperer, Social Psychologist, Cognitive-Behaviorist, Cat Rescuer, and "Kitty Mom of 20." She and her feline alter ego, "Smoochie," show you how to become "cat smart." Becoming cat smart is discovering how to communicate with your cat's "inner tiger" in order to create the rewarding relationship with your cat you desire. Your cat's "inner tiger" is that mysterious intangible, seemingly reflecting something secret and special. It is what resonates with the core of your being and magnetically draws you to your cat. Discover how you can communicate with your cat like a cat whisperer athttp://www.LoveYourCatsInnerTiger.com/. Subscribe to Dr. Signe's free weekly "Cat Smart Inner Tiger Tips" and claim your complimentary "Cat Gratitude Letter Exercise." (It's great for use with humans too!) You and your cat will be glad you did. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Signe_Dayhoff |
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