My cat is very unfriendly to everybody... what can I do?

Question

Socks is our 1 year old cat. We have had him from when he was a very small kitten (I live in a house shared with 4 other students).

Socks is very happy when there is just one person with him and everything is quiet - he will often purr and rub against people and act like a normal cat.

However it's quite busy and noisy in our house and Socks doesn't like it - he jumps at small noises, runs off and rarely shows affection to anyone in a group of people. If he is picked up by anyone apart from me he struggles to get down straight away. He never bites or scratches but he just seems to be so unhappy with so many people around.

Is there any way we can make him less nervous and more comfortable with people? He's a very sweet cat when he's not feeling crowded.

Answer 1

Awwww cute little socks! He is just nervous and gets afraid when there are too many people around! How would you feel being a foot tall with loads of giants walking around? Maybe give him is own room when you have a group of people about and letting socks decide if he wants to come join you and asking your friends not to handle him he will then start to feel a little safer. Good luck and give him a purr kiss from me.

Answer 2

Try the treat!! Most male cats over 1 year old loves it. Try being alone with him. Let him lay next to you when you sleep or watch television. Spend more time with him. When your friends comes home, ask them to be silence for a while so Sock can get used to them. Ask your friends to pet Sock and play with him. Enventually, socks will have his courage grown and start to get along with every one. But the noise, ALL THE TIME, I dont know about that. Because cats are animals whose does not like loudness. Just ask your friends sometimes to give Sock cat treat and be friendly. Then everything should work out. GL though

Answer 3

Our two couldnt be more different to each other. One is like yours definitely and a 1 to 1 cat, cant tolerate more than a couple of people in the same room, all his attention is on just one person. The other one is the opposite, the more the merrier it means more interaction, more fuss and attention, she laps it up and happily goes to everyone. So there's nothing wrong with Socks. It's just his way.

Answer 4

He sounds like he's just nervous around crowds. A lot of cats are - if you put yourself in his place, you can probably see why. After all, there are all these strangers around, they're all huge to him, and they're making a lot of noise and running around like crazy. A little kitty like him could easily get stepped on by accident.

Introduce him to your friends on a one-on-one basis if you can. If he's used to them, then he won't be quite as nervous. Also, provide a place where he can go and hide when he's feeling pressured - a little kitty retreat from the craziness will help him feel less stressed. It could be an enclosed basket, his pet carrier or a little nest in the back of your closet - it just needs to be somewhere dark and quiet where he can rest and feel safe. If he knows there's somewhere safe to go he won't feel as threatened when all these people are in the house making a racket.

Answer 5

There are some anxiety meds you can get. But some cats are just scared around people. My parents have 2 cats one comes out only when it's me and my parents there and the other one doesn't care if there's noise he loves all the attention he can get. Just like some people are shy and other are outgoing the same goes with cats. And unless they were always accustomed to a ton of people they are usually very nervous.

Answer 6

I don't know if there's anything that you can really do - cats are like people some are happier in social situations then others.

We have to cats, one positively demands attention from everyone, whereas the other is my cat and no one elses - or should that be that I'm her human and he's not willing to share.

Have you tried getting someone else to feed him over a period of time, this would help him develop a sense of trust and attachment to someone other then you.

Hope this helps

Answer 7

Just spend a lot of time fussing !!! My cute and very affectionate kitten turned into a young cat that jumped at her own shadow and wouldn't come to anyone but as she got a bit older, she's now only 2 1/2, she's back to her soppy self..... He'll calm down... he is a teenager after all !!

Answer 8

I have a cat that is exactly the same way... or at least he used to be. My cat Dillinger was really friendly to me and my boyfriend but to anyone else you had better watch out for those claws. Dillinger has a very prickly nature. However Dillinger has changed in the last year. He has become affectionate to everyone and loves to sit in anyone's lap. All that changed was that we got a dog and I think he became jealous and felt he needed to be a nicer kitty. Or it is just because he is getting older (he is 4) and he is just mellowing out.
Don't worry your kitty will mellow out too... just give him time.

Answer 9

Some cats are just 1 to 1 cats, like people often are. There's nothing wrong with it, he probably feels misunderstood. Is there a quiet room he can go into? I'd let him be himself. I don't think you can change him. Just pamper him lots when you've got him on your own!

Answer 10

cats need to feel independent. don't try to change their behavior -- they don't like it. cats usually open up to different people at their own pace. i had a roommate with a cat that would only come out from under the kitchen cabinets at night and then snuggle with you in bed. just let him find a good corner away from crowds and don't worry too much. as long as hes using the litter box you really don't have much to worry about with cats.