Abused Kitten Still Skittish?

Question

I have had a cat for a year or a little more. He was abused then abandoned before I got him. He has grown to trust me some....but is still very skittish/nervous around me and will have NOTHING to do with anyone else.

Other than loving him and being very gentle with him is there any other way to help him to calm down and be happier?

Thanks!

Answer 1

im sure there is a way! it sounds like ur a very responisble pet owner! Thank u for helping the animals! By the way, i think u should buy it toys and play with it more often. and as u get to know each other better, i guess he will be very comfortable around u! GOOD LUCK!

Answer 2

God only knows what ur poor little kitty went through before you got him, I have a kitty too that I rescued, took her a while to trust me, now she has seperation anxiety almost (she follows me round like a dog, and freaks if she cant see me, luckily I work from home)
just continue to love her, play with her without frightening her, my kitty also loves any toy with feathers on it, I also pick her up at dinner time and take her to the pantry and put her on the counter top to watch me opening her food etc, all these things make her trust me and give her stability
Oh she still runs and hides if I have visitors, I dont really care, as long as she feels safe, I make sure my bedroom door is always open when people come so she can go and hide under the bed
Just keep on loving her, she might never change but u are doing a good thing, does she sleep with u? mine does adn that really seemed to help her trust me for some reason

Answer 3

My last cat was 5 yrs when we adopted her. She was exactly what you described as your cat, but the difference she didn't take a year to bond with us. It took her about 5 months.

It took her many years after that to feel comfortable with new adults and children, took probably 10 months.

We are going through the same thing now with our new kitten, age 7 months.

It's been 5 weeks now and she won't let us touch her. The only thing that seems to be pleasing to her is to play with cat toys. So, I got this idea when I play with the wand feather teasers she goes crazy.

Next I thought of trying to make her come towards me and touch my body when playing with the feather.

At this time she is coming a little towards me only with her toy.

It's discouraging to have a cat that doesn't give back and is skid dish, but you are giving him the best life he could have.

I'm glad it's been almost a year that you have been committed to him, because I thought 5 weeks with my cat was an awfully long time.

From what I've read through this Yahoo group on cats is every cat is different and have an attitude or past that we don't understand.

My feeling is because they cannot communicate like us they have to fend the best way they know.

Let's just keep our little kitties happy and not expect, and that's the hardest for us humans, called patience and more patience.

Answer 4

You can try flower essences for your cat. At www.spiritessence.com Dr. Jean Hovfe has a remedy called "Scaredy Cat" which might help your cat with some of his past fear issues. A bottle is $16.95, no shipping, handling or taxes. It is easy to treat a cat - you just shake the bottle well and put three to four drops on his fur between his ears. You would treat three or four times a day if you can for a week to ten days. Then since you have the bottle anyway you can continue to treat less frequently and use the bottle up. Sounds as if your cat has been dealing with fears for a long time.

The flower essences are for emotional healing and balancing and they work very well on animals. People have used them starting back in the 19th century. They are energetic in their effect and cannot harm your cat in any way.

Answer 5

They make natural calming remedies for certain situations like this. Check at your local pet supply store to see if they have the "plug ins" that release pheremones that help relax pets. They also make a paste that usually goes by "travelease" and it helps to calm your pet in certain situations like storms, or if they are going on a long car ride. If you are going to have company over, take the cat and put it in a room where there are familiar things where the cat can hide and feel safe. Never force the cat to meet people that it doesn't want to meet. The key is to make the cat feel comfortable, while slowly introducing it to new situations.

Answer 6

I also have a previously abused skittish cat. She even hisses and swipes at my guests when she is scared and cornered.

I tell my company to ignore her. If they don't try to pet her, she will eventually come and check them out on her own.

Make sure your cat has a "safe" place. A place where your cat can go and NO ONE - not even you - bothers him. This will give him a wonderful sense of safety. He will be braver to explore his world and your guests if he knows he can quickly get back to his "safe place" when he gets scared. Cats love to be in boxes of any kind with only one opening to guard. A warm blanket would help also.

Answer 7

I don't know--I'm not a kitty psychologist, but I have an 11 year old cat who was about 6 months old when I got her from the humane society. She's scared of EVERYTHING and EVERYONE!! I just let her hide in the laundry room and give her plenty of love. She's not much of a lover. She's the only cat like that I've ever had, and she's about the 15th one I've owned.
I hope your kitty isn't this way, but even if she is, she's yours now, and you owe her your care.

Answer 8

Try cat nip, and playing with him, maybe if he gets use to playing he will become less fearful. Don't be to aggressive. It may be that loving him is all you can do, I had a cat that i found after someone threw him off a bridge it took him time and finally he came around and lived a long independant life.

Answer 9

Always let him smell your hand before you pet him.
Invite a single mild-mannered friend over to visit while he acclimates to them. If you go through enough friends, there will be one he is most comfortable with. Give him treats when he eventually comes out. Tell your friends to keep a level tone, do not make sudden moves and do not to reach out for him until after he has sniffed them for at least a minute.

Answer 10

If you let him sleep in the same room with you it gives him a family feeling to sleep with ya. Plus, when you hold it try and keep it close to your heart on your chest because the heartbeat makes it feel like its next to its mother. The heartbeat reminds them of when they were in there mother. That will help ALOT!