Help your shy cat make friends
It’s been a weird few years, for us and our furry friends. Now that the world is opening again and we’re all able to have people over, this is the perfect opportunity to start socializing your pets! If you’ve noticed your cat is a little nervous or shy around other animals and people, here are some tips to make sure they can properly fraternize!
Socializing with Other People
1. Motivate
Helping them socialize by giving them an incentive is an extremely beneficial option. Find out what the proper motivation is for your cat! Try toys, treats, special foods, or anything that your cat has found particularly enjoyable. Start out by giving the item to your cat, then let another person try. This can help ease them into the environment and with the treats and toys found in our Purfect Cat Gift Box, they will be extremely motivated!
2. Use positivity
Animals are extremely sensitive to the attitudes and emotions of their owners. If you are comfortable with the people around you, chances are your cat will pick up on your emotions and relate. Your cat will be more likely to interact with another person if you are nearby, so make sure they can see and sense you regularly.
3. Avoid too much noise and large groups
If you know your cat is shy, it is best to start small and slowly get them familiar with larger groups. Maybe only having a few friends over for a quiet movie night is the best way to start. Eventually, after you can see your cat is becoming more comfortable with other people you can increase the noise level and the number of people.
4. Understand your cat’s comfort zone
Knowing just how much physical contact your cat is ok with can help them become better socialized. If your cat tends to shy away from touch at first, don’t allow someone to pick them up immediately. It’s important to keep your guests informed about how your cat will act and specify when you can touch them.
5. Let your cat explore
Animals like to understand their surroundings. When new people come over, they bring things with them, whether it’s a bag or a new smell, it’s important to let your cat explore the new in order to get to know the new people around them.
Socializing with Other Pets
6. Take it slow
The number one mistake people make when attempting to socialize their pet with a new animal is doing too much too fast. This is a very scary process for animals so helping them to socialize with other animals must be done little by little. There may even be times where there are setbacks, but even then it is progress!
7. Cats are territorial
Most animals consider their owners to also be their property. Your cat will be extremely protective of both you and their space when meeting a new animal. Be mindful of this and make sure you display comfort with the other animal so your cat doesn’t become concerned.
8. Introduce sound and smell before sight
Cats are sensitive, which means they will know when another animal is nearby before they can physically see the other animal. A good way of helping them socialize is to bring the smell and sound of the other animal around your cat as much as you can before they can actually see each other. This will allow your cat some time to become comfortable with the other animal.
9. Pay attention to body language
If your cat is uncomfortable with another animal, they will show it. Typical signs of discomfort for a cat include their hair standing up, their body will be rigid, their tail will be stiff or curled under their body, they will hiss or growl, their pupils can dilate, and their ears will flatten, or they will try to crouch and hide. If your cat does any of these things, chances are they are anxious or uncomfortable.
10. Look into various options
Every animal is different, they won’t act the same across the board. You might need to look into a few different training options depending on the way your cat reacts. Sometimes the animals need a little extra help figuring out how to act together, so getting a trainer or putting them through training can be extremely helpful!
Being social is hard work
We hope these options helped you out! Shy cats may just need a little extra time to get used to someone or something else, there’s no problem with that! Using these tips and strategies will ensure your cat is socialized well. And once they are, don’t you think they’ll deserve a little treat for being such a good baby? You can get them a treat, some new toys, a grooming set, and so much more with our Purfect Cat Gift Set! If you’re interested in seeing what else we have to offer, check out our full website!
