My shy girl is still making big improvements
Quick background: She got taken to the shelter at 3 months old, after she made a 17 mile (28km) trip in the engine compartment area of a car down a stupidly fast freeway and was found at the destination near our local shelter. Poor baby was freaked out, dehydrated, and definitely not fully socialised.
We adopted her and she was sooooo shy, and she seemed to get even more shy for a few months. We wondered if she just didn't like us for a while, because she was so scared. She adored Stumpy though, and she eventually started to improve.
She still won't let us approach her, she runs in fear, and always has a wide eyed scared look on her face. Any loud noise and she goes running.
She's always been incredibly affectionate once we go to bed - we're quiet, still and at her level which is comforting to her. She mews and purrs and snuggles and nips at our arms if we try to ignore her
She started also letting us snuggle her if we're on the toilet - also still and quiet...
Now, if she's upstairs at all, she'll often let us pat her, and in the last couple of weeks, she's actually let us approach her while DOWNSTAIRS and had big cuddle sessions. We had someone over during the week and she even let HIM pat her! That's the first time she's ever let someone other than us pat her
She always lets us know when she's ready to accept cuddles, she mews at us, and stands side on to us and puts her head out to accept a pat
Then once we pat her, she rolls and purrs and has a lovely time.
We discovered she really likes wet food, and I think that's what has made her more comfortable when downstairs, when I bring dinner out, she comes running, and purrs and mews, and often rubs against my legs when I'm getting it ready.
I have never had a shy cat before, and it's taken a lot of patience and work - we've had her for 9 months now), but gee it's worth it. I now realise we're the perfect home for her. She's scared of outside, and our townhouse is big enough for her to run around in, but small enough for her to not get too overwhelmed by it. She has kitty sisters who she adores, and our place is generally pretty quiet.
It's so incredibly rewarding seeing her improve. Almost every night when I wake up in the night, she's snuggled up against me, and when she realises I'm awake, and gets straight up, and comes up toward my head for some cuddles
Sorry, this is longer than I meant for it to be, but I am sooo proud of how far my shy girl has come. I am so completely in love with her
Quick background: She got taken to the shelter at 3 months old, after she made a 17 mile (28km) trip in the engine compartment area of a car down a stupidly fast freeway and was found at the destination near our local shelter. Poor baby was freaked out, dehydrated, and definitely not fully socialised.
We adopted her and she was sooooo shy, and she seemed to get even more shy for a few months. We wondered if she just didn't like us for a while, because she was so scared. She adored Stumpy though, and she eventually started to improve.
She still won't let us approach her, she runs in fear, and always has a wide eyed scared look on her face. Any loud noise and she goes running.
She's always been incredibly affectionate once we go to bed - we're quiet, still and at her level which is comforting to her. She mews and purrs and snuggles and nips at our arms if we try to ignore her
She started also letting us snuggle her if we're on the toilet - also still and quiet...
She always lets us know when she's ready to accept cuddles, she mews at us, and stands side on to us and puts her head out to accept a pat
We discovered she really likes wet food, and I think that's what has made her more comfortable when downstairs, when I bring dinner out, she comes running, and purrs and mews, and often rubs against my legs when I'm getting it ready.
I have never had a shy cat before, and it's taken a lot of patience and work - we've had her for 9 months now), but gee it's worth it. I now realise we're the perfect home for her. She's scared of outside, and our townhouse is big enough for her to run around in, but small enough for her to not get too overwhelmed by it. She has kitty sisters who she adores, and our place is generally pretty quiet.
It's so incredibly rewarding seeing her improve. Almost every night when I wake up in the night, she's snuggled up against me, and when she realises I'm awake, and gets straight up, and comes up toward my head for some cuddles
Sorry, this is longer than I meant for it to be, but I am sooo proud of how far my shy girl has come. I am so completely in love with her