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Got a Scaredy Cat?

Having a “Scaredy Cat” is never a fun experience for you or your cat. Whether the cat is afraid of you or something in your house, having a fearful cat in your home can be stressful for you and your pets. You and your foster both want to be comfortable in your home, but if your cat is too scared to explore her space with confidence, use the following tips to give your cat his courage back (note: this is with inanimate objects not for fear of people or other animals).

Start you cat off close to the scary thing, but not so close that she is showing fear.
1. Give her lots or rewards (food, toys, and attention) for being brave and not showing fear towards the object.
Slowly, over a period of days or even weeks, move toward the scary thing while continuing to give treats. If you get too close and your cat starts to show fear, go back to the last place she was comfortable and start again there.
If the scary thing is something that makes noise, do this first with the object quiet and then repeat from further away with the object running.

What Not To Do

Avoid a “See, it won’t hurt you” approach to resolving your cat’s fears. This technique, known as flooding, is only useful for very mild fears. It involves exposing your cat to the thing or place she fears— by keeping her near the object or in the room she fears—until her fearful reaction dissipates and she relaxes. For anything more than the mildest fears, however, flooding causes enormous stress and often backfires, making the cat’s fears even worse.
Avoid punishing your cat for being afraid, even if she shows her fear through threatening or aggressive behaviors like hissing, growling, swatting, scratching or biting. Punishment will only heighten her fear and anxiety and can provoke more serious aggression.
Avoid trying to pet or touch your fearful cat to reassure her. In a state of fear, many cats become defensive and even aggressive. They could bite anyone who tries to touch them. Your cat will feel better if you just allow her to avoid the situation or hide rather than if you try to reassure her.

Crate Fear

One of the most stressful times for you and your cat can be vet visits if your cat is afraid of her crate. All cat owners at one point or another have probably done the “hide and seek/chase” game. As soon as the crate is taken out of its storage place, the cat runs and hides and now you have to drag her out of her hiding place, hissing and scratching to get her to the vet! If your cat is afraid of the crate, put the crate down a few days before you need to use it and get the cat used to its presence. You can also take the top off of the crate and turn it into a bed for your cat to lie in to increase comfort levels.

Fear of People

Many foster cats will experience fear when going into a new foster home. Many of the cats in our foster system have undergone many scary changes, including multiple trips in a car, vet exams, and leaving a home they have lived in for years. Something to keep in mind when helping these cats adjust to new people is to not force it. Forcing the cat to be held or repeatedly going up to the cat that is hiding is not ideal; this may just create more fear for the cat. Haven’t you ever noticed that the more shy cats tend to warm up to and want attention from the people who ignore them the most? This is because the person is not forcing the relationship and is letting the cat approach on their own kitty terms.

Some cats never warm up completely to people. Here are some tips and tricks you can use to hopefully lessen their fear.

Make sure there are plenty of safe hiding places and exit points for kitty to get away from strangers.
Add paper bags or cardboard boxes around in each room so kitty can always have a space to dive into.
If kitty wants to run away and hide, just let her. Forcing interaction can be detrimental.
Try Feliway Calming Spray or diffuser.
Have small sessions where a enter the foster room and just stay calm and ignore the cat
You can try to check on the cat periodically and toss some treats or even try to engage her in play if she isn't too scared. It’s ok if she doesn’t play.
Repeat the “checking-in” with the cat periodically. But don’t ever pull kitty out from hiding or force her to interact.
If kitty comes to investigate, just continue to remain calm and greet the kitty with your voice only. Don't make eye contact or pay any attention to kitty.
Any progress kitty makes: reward with treats! Kitty came to sit in the doorway? Treat. Kitty moved closer to sniff you? Treat.
Keep up the very slow, gradual progress and make sure you do this multiple times or during multiple sessions.
Keep it casual. Keep it slow. Keep the rewards coming for brave behavior.

Extra Tips to Help Your Foster Cope with Stress

Engage in interactive play regularly (if kitty is comfortable enough) using wand toys that allow the cat to keep her distance.
Make any additional changes slow and gradual and only change things if completely necessary.
Never force a cat to “get over” a fear.
Make as many safe places throughout the foster area as you can.
Give cats more vertical space to climb and observe from.
Be understanding, they don’t communicate stress the same way we humans do. Learn to read your cat’s body language.

Additional Resources

VIDEOS

How to Socialize a Fearful Cat by Humane Society of Sedona

READING

Starting from Scratch by Pam Johnson Bennett

Cat Sense by John Bradshaw

Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss by Pam Johnson Bennett

SUGGESTED TOYS / RESOURCES

Feliway Products

Cat Wands for Interactive Play

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