What to do if your cat is afraid of people

Unlike domestic dogs, cats have a less “plastic” character. Much is known about the training and habituation of dogs, as well as their socialization, but there are few clear recommendations about cats.

Pet lovers and professional breeders agree that if an animal is afraid of a person, the consequences can be disastrous not only for the person, but also for the animal itself.

A cat's fear of strangers or its owner is quite common. The pet tries in every possible way to avoid contact with people, preferring to hide in quiet places, hide in a corner or under furniture. Attempts to catch the cat end in scratches, bites and threatening hisses.

Living under the same roof with a person, an animal that is frightened by him cannot completely avoid contact, which leads to constant psycho-emotional overload. The cat is in a constant state of stress, which negatively affects its health. The owner’s task is to understand the reason for this behavior and take appropriate measures to eliminate the animal’s fear of people.

Heavy weight of the past

It should be understood that a street animal cannot have an ideal psyche. The same applies to pets who have been in a shelter. Unfortunately, the road to hell is often paved with good intentions. The staff does not always treat the students well. If you want to adopt a stray cat, be prepared to earn the purr's trust. Striped neighbors are more careful than dogs, so this will not be easy.

Wild and domesticated cats

Usually, when talking about wild cats, we mean animals born on the street. The four-legged animals stay in the nest for up to 1.5–2 months and do not see people or other animals. Afterwards they explore the world under the strict control of their mother. Naturally, the “two-legged giant” seems like a threat to the little kitten. The reaction is quite predictable - run for cover, and if caught, then scratch, hiss, bite and call for the mother.

Important! Even a 1-2 month old wild kitten is capable of causing serious scratches and bites, and if the mother comes to the cry of the baby, you will have a very hard time. Not only will the mother cat attack, but she will also chase you until you leave her territory.

Tamed cats are animals that lived in human company for some time, but suddenly began to be afraid of people. In addition to bites and scratches, you can receive gifts from a frightened animal in the form of piles and puddles, torn wallpaper or torn curtains. It is more difficult to correct the behavior of a domestic cat than a wild one. A kitten on the street can be accustomed to itself gradually, because the main reason for fear is mistrust. The domestic cat already knows people, but harbors a grudge (fear).

Important! Overly aggressive behavior also indicates fear, but the reason may not lie in fear of people.

Poor care

If the owner is used to solving all problems with his fist, then there is nothing surprising in the current situation. The behavior of a purr is difficult to condemn. She is simply forced to demonstrate her strength every day so as not to die. How does the baby know that you are not going to kill her?

In the natural environment, members of a flock are subject to strict selection. At best, weak animals receive scraps and slowly die. They simply don't have a chance to get ahead. If there is a shortage of food or water, the stragglers are disposed of first. This is why it is so important for animals to demonstrate strength.

Consequences of cat phobia

Water is one of the main cat fears

The set of external manifestations of fear is standard: the cat presses its ears and tail, meows, tries to run away from the irritant and hide.

There is no more dangerous animal than a scaredy cat

Showing anger and aggression in cats is the first reaction to fear. The behavior of the owners should depend on how the frightened cat behaves.

The cat needs shelter

There are several ways to help your cat cope with fear:

Provide your cat with a place where he feels safe

If panic attacks intensify and occur on an ongoing basis, in addition to misunderstanding and ridicule from society, serious health problems may also arise. Such consequences are fraught with the appearance of serious somatic abnormalities such as:

Ulcers;
Bloating;
Colitis;
Hypertension;
Heart failure;
Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Behavior correction

Do we need to change anything at all? Many people think that there is no point in doing anything, just let the cat hide behind the sofa and sit there. If we exclude aggression from the purr, another problem remains - stress. After experiencing a shock, the pet may begin to mark its territory, tear up wallpaper or chew shoes. What happened will have a bad impact on your pet’s health. Now the answer is clear: you need to help the cat! How? Follow a few rules.

1. Train gradually! Try to invite guests once a week. At first, 1 person will be enough.

2. Don't force your cat to meet strangers. Everything must be on a voluntary basis.

3. If it becomes necessary to invite a group of people, take your pet to a separate room and close the doors. This will make her feel safer.

4. Buy an enclosed house for your pet so that he has his own personal territory. No one should disturb him there.

5. Organize either shelves or ladders. The cat must be able to climb up. The ideal option is a special tree with scratching posts.

How to deal with fear?

There are several effective ways to get rid of the problem of fear of strangers:

First, determine the distance at which the mustachioed-striped feels as safe as possible in relation to a stranger and does not show any aggression towards him. This distance directly depends on the cat’s temperament, its breed, and the time when you brought it into your own home. For example, very timid pets try to run away to the next room when strangers appear;
kittens should be trained. There are several simple techniques for this;
when a stranger appears in your home, ask him to sit or stand without making sudden movements;
as soon as the cat starts to get used to it, treat your furry friend with some of his favorite treats;
if he shows concern, take him to a place where the stranger will not be visible;
over time it is necessary to reduce the distance;
When receiving guests, you can place the cat in a carrier and cover it. This way the cat will not be afraid of strangers and at the same time get used to a noisy environment;
When meeting for the first time, you should not give a small kitten on your arm to guests (especially children). Initially, he must get used to the company of unfamiliar people.

If anyone has advised you to take sedatives to combat your mustachioed friend's fears, be sure to consult with your doctor.

Overcoming visitors' fear

It may be a slow process, but you can train a fearful cat to no longer be afraid of visitors. Many of the same techniques that are used to prevent fear of visitors are useful in overcoming a cat's existing fear.

Treats, verbal praise and affection, pheromones, supplements, and encouraging visitors to be calm and slow can all help show your cat that she has nothing to fear.
It can be helpful to let your cat come out of hiding rather than forcing her to come out.
Visitors who stay for an extended period may have a better chance of your cat warming up to them since the cat will have more time to get used to them.
Having frequent visitors instead of just one or two visitors a year during the holidays will also help reassure your cat so that she knows that visitors are not scary as they are a normal part of life and not something new or unexpected.

What are cats afraid of at home?

Fear in a cat can be caused by working equipment - a hair dryer, shaving machine, blender, drill. A particularly strong reaction to a vacuum cleaner. This is a very noisy unit associated with danger. When pets hear a hum, their survival instinct is triggered, which explains why cats are afraid of the vacuum cleaner.

Other pet irritants include:

new people;
children;
bathing in the bathroom;
suspicious sounds;
some odors;
complete darkness.

Why are cats afraid of humans?

Fear of people is more common in wild cats that live on the street and have little contact with humans. If an animal is naturally dominant, it may be aggressive towards people. When he has a compliant disposition, he will simply run away from them.

Domestic cats may run away from a person if they have had a negative experience with each other. This can be either a consequence of abuse or simply an unpleasant contact (for example, vaccination at the veterinarian). If the cat avoids hands, it may have been beaten, or does not like the touch of strangers.

Fear may be a reaction to a new person who:

is too noisy;
smells unpleasant to the cat;
I accidentally hurt my pet.

The cat at home is afraid of the child, if he is too active, constantly climbs on her, suppresses her. Do not allow children to pester pets when the animals do not want it. Fear can develop into serious behavioral and health problems.

Sounds that scare a cat

Cats are very sensitive to noise, so if they were isolated as children from the everyday sounds of people and animals, there will be fear. They will react especially strongly to loud, fast, sharp sounds.

What sounds are cats afraid of?

fireworks, salutes;
thunder;
noise from equipment (vacuum cleaner, lawn mower, motorcycle, drill, etc.);
growls;
loud bang, bang;
whistling;
doorbell;
sirens.

Cats can react to high-frequency sounds from appliances that we don't hear, don't pay attention to, or don't even know are making a sound. The list includes computer monitors, televisions, fluorescent lamps and even remote controls.

Cats may be wary of hissing. It is a territorial, defensive, attack sound made by another cat. Of course, this is very alarming for the pet; he is looking for the source. If he doesn’t find it, he prefers to leave.

What smell are cats afraid of?

A cat's sense of smell is 14 times more acute than a human's, so pets do not like strong, pungent odors. They easily distinguish aromas that are toxic to them, and will never voluntarily approach their source.

Cats are afraid of the following smells:

Lavender, geranium, eucalyptus are toxic to cats, causing increased salivation, nausea, vomiting, depression, and dermatitis.
Citrus fruits - cats can eat the pulp without negative consequences, but the peel causes vomiting, diarrhea, and dermatitis.
Coffee grounds, mint, rosemary, thyme – I don’t like the smell.
Predator urine - commercial cat repellers often contain this scent.
Ruta – can cause poisoning.
Pepper, curry and cinnamon worsen a cat's sense of smell.
Mint, menthol - causes vomiting and diarrhea.
Pine, cedar - some pets are scared off by their smell. Therefore, if you bought a cat litter with a pine scent, but the cat refuses to go there, try buying another product without the scent.
Chemicals (paints, varnish, pest repellent, etc.) – if you are planning renovations or pest control, ask your friends to let your cat live with them for a while.
Cleaning products (for toilets, sinks, etc.). If you have a cat in your house, buy odorless products.

Cats are picky eaters, so they won't go into a dirty litter box. They can also refuse the litter box if there are several cats in the house and one of them goes there regularly. To solve the problem, buy each cat a separate litter box.

Cats are afraid of the dark

Cats see well at night due to the special structure of their eyes. But if cats find themselves in complete darkness (for example, in a closet without a light source), they can become disoriented and afraid. Especially if there are dangerous, suspicious sounds around.

Territorial infringement

Cats are quite territorial, and it is important for them to have their own, safe place. If your furry friend physically cannot hide from guests or children, at first he will be under prolonged stress, then you will observe passive-cowardly behavior and only then will you feel anger on yourself.

By the way, a pet may worry about the inviolability of its territory and is not afraid of people, but it may take out its anger on bipeds. For example, seeing a cat outside the window, your ward will get angry at him, but will scratch you or your child. There is only one reason - the cat does not feel safe. Correct this and the behavior will return to normal.

Cats and other animals

Cats can be afraid of both strong (dogs) and weak (mice) animals. They may also be afraid of their equals - other cats.

Why are cats afraid of dogs?

Cats have every reason to fear dogs because they are larger than cats and smell like predators. Many dogs instinctively chase moving objects, especially those that are smaller than them. Even dogs that have lived with cats since childhood can attack a cat. They don’t touch their own people, but they don’t touch strangers easily.

Cats see the predator's gaze, smell it and run away. Some cats under stress are capable of attacking a dog. This can be fatal, especially if the cat attacks a bull terrier, shepherd or other large dog.

Cats are afraid of mice

Fear of rats and mice is not uncommon. The reason is simple - rodents bite. When the prey begins to resist and hurts, the cat understands that the hunt must be approached with caution and a realistic assessment of the enemy’s strength. Some cats refuse to hunt rats and mice altogether.

The cat is afraid of the new cat

If your pet did not grow up with other cats, it will be wary of them due to a lack of communication skills. A stronger and more confident cat will send a signal: “Stay away from me.” Your pet takes the warning into account and moves away from contact.

Why are cats afraid of water?

Cats are not so much afraid as they do not like water. It makes their fur wet and heavy, making the animal vulnerable to other predators. They especially do not like to get under cold water due to the sudden change in temperature.

Another reason cats don’t like water is the smell, especially when it comes to an outdoor pond. They can be put off by the smell of chemicals that they consider toxic. Therefore, a cat’s refusal to drink water that you pour for him is a reason to be wary and check the quality of the liquid.