How do I get my kitten to not be afraid of me?

You recently got yourself a new cat. You were very excited for your new kitten to see you as the source of everything wonderful, from play to treats. You were incredibly happy and thinking: "Can't wait to have my kitty purring on my lap!"

On your way home from the breeder, your kitty was laying quietly in his carrier. He didn’t seem to be too afraid. The trip from the breeder to your house went relatively well.

However, since you got home and let him out of his carrier, it was almost impossible to get close to your new furry friend. You tried your best to pick him up, but your efforts ended up in scratched arms and legs and a kitten hiding under your bed.

After many attempts, so many questions pop up in your head: why is he so afraid of me? Will I ever be able to get him to accept that I pick him up and pet him? How can I help my cat overcome his fear? With food, toys, natural remedies or pills?

This is usually nothing to be worried about. It can be very normal for your cat to be scared after seeing his new home for only a short period of time. Just like us humans, cats need some time to adapt to new places. If you are experiencing this, whether your cat is a kitten or even if he is fully mature, here are a few tips to help you find the best approach to help your scared kitty:

Positive Reinforcement

This is a very powerful technique that can be used to change your cat’s fear into something more positive. We want your kitty to associate you with something positive.

Is there a yummy treat your fuzzy friend loves especially? If your cat associates you with something he loves, he will certainly find you less scary. 

Another positive reinforcement technique that you can try is to make an effort to always greet your cat in the happiest way you can when you come home. This will certainly have positive consequences on his behaviour.

Don’t push!

The more you try to force it, the more you push your kitty away. You must be as gentle and unthreatening as possible to him.

Try this:

-        Sit down on the floor as close to him as he allows you to.

-        Hold something in your hand such as food, a treat or a toy and don’t move.

-        Speak with your cat gently.

-        Wait for him to approach you.

At first, you’ll spend a lot of time on the floor. With time, your kitty will want to approach you. This is a great way for him to understand that you are no harm or threat to him. He should slowly learn to see you as someone he can trust.

Patience, patience, patience

Patience is really the main thing to remember. There are no secret short cuts: it will take time. A relationship can take a long time to establish.

Within their first two months of life, the experiences that kittens have during their socialisation period will influence their behaviour the rest of their lives. If your kitten has had very little human and physical contact during those first two months of his life, it could be what affects his behaviour. The good news is that his behaviour can be changed. It takes a lot of patience and love until he is comfortable enough with you and his surroundings.

It’s true that patience and understanding are crucial to overcome your cat’s fear, but in the end, this will be extremely rewarding and you may get a lot of purrs in return.

Alternative therapies

If his behaviour continues, then you might want to reach out to natural products and homeopathy.  Your cat can safely use and benefit from homeopathy and other natural remedies.This is a great way to address the underlying cause of the problem and help overcome it permanently.

Why? Because with homeopathy, every day we help every kind of animal relieve their physical and psychologicalproblems such as anxiety, separation, fears, dominance, or aggressiveness.

These tips should help your cat come out of his shell. Stay consistent, be patient and the fear should subside slowly. He should very feel more comfortable and at home around you with time. 

Suzie

www.HomeoAnimal.com

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