Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Making Your Cat Comfortable
• Method 2 of 3: Understanding your cat's body language
• Method 3 of 3: How to pet your cat properly
• Tips
• Warnings

Petting a cat may not be as easy as it sounds, especially if it is very stressed. A nervous, aggressive, or shy cat may not know how to react to your affectionate actions, mistaking them as aggression. You should overcome your sudden desire to stroke, caress and cuddle your pet; Consider the nature of the animal and act in accordance with it, gradually achieving the location of the cat.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Making Your Cat Comfortable

1. 1 Create safe places for your nervous cat to feel safe. It may be tempting to convince a scared cat to come out of hiding at times, but this will not improve your relationship with the animal. Luring the animal out of the shelter, you are, as it were, throwing the ball into its half of the field, and now it should make a decision about communicating with you. In shelter, the cat feels protected, experiencing less stress; it is better that she decides to come out of the hiding place on her own, being ready to communicate with you.
   • When setting up a shelter for your cat, make sure there is nothing around it to disturb it. Also, make sure that the animal cannot escape elsewhere.
2. 2 Give your cat some freedom. Do not annoy the shy cat with excessive attention. Of course, it is not very pleasant if the cat does not trust you and shuns you, but make it a goal to achieve a good relationship with the animal in the long term. Forcing your cat to do something unpleasant for her will not lead to success and will further scare her away from you.
3. 3 Stimulate your pet's physical activity and provide food for his mind. Purchase toys and various cat accessories (such as a cat tower) that will keep the animal entertained and entertained. Despite the fact that the cat may be a little afraid of you, she will be able to play with inanimate objects, gradually getting used to you. A satisfied animal will more easily overcome its shyness and get used to your presence.
4. 4 Remember that a nervous cat can feel tension in your presence. Some cats grew up outdoors or experienced trauma that made them fearful. It is important to create comfortable and calm conditions for the animal, however, this does not guarantee that all neuroses will be overcome. Do your best to socialize your pet, but do not blame yourself if the cat does not constantly fondle you.
5. 5 Make the animal see what you are feeding it. Food is a strong motivator for cats, so if your pet sees that you are a food source, he will feel bOgreater affection for you. If your cat is very shy, food may be the only time she will let you close to her. Get close to the cat's bowl, not getting too close, so as not to interfere with the animal, but at the same time so that it senses your presence.

Method 2 of 3: Understanding your cat's body language

1. 1 Watch for signs that your cat is scared. You should not annoy an already alarmed animal. If your cat's fur puffs up and hisses at you, it means that she does not want to come into contact with you. In this case, you can act in two ways: just step aside and let the cat calm down, or try to calm it down by offering some kind of treat and also stepping aside. However, you should not try to pet an animal against its will. This will only shake the cat's confidence in you, and it may scratch or bite you.
   • Remember that cats, sensing danger, instinctively attack or run away. If the animal tries to hide or defends itself, it is frightened.
   • Take a closer look at the tail of the animal to understand how it feels. A straight, upturned tail indicates that the cat is scared, but if the tail is relaxed and moves from side to side, the cat, most likely, feels normal in your presence.
2. 2 Keep in mind that your cat's mood can change at any time. Stop stroking her at the first sign of displeasure. Usually the cat shows its excessive excitement with a light bite or growl. If these signs appear, immediately stop stroking the animal and give it free space.
3. 3 Watch for signs that your cat is enjoying your petting. The most obvious sign of this is a contented rumbling. At the same time, the cat's body should be relaxed, it can press against your hand, increasing the pressure.
   • The animal can also tell you where to stroke and scratch it. This is a sure sign that your cat loves your petting, but would like you to pet her elsewhere.
4. 4 Remember that when a cat rubs against you, it does not always mean that she is ready to be petted. The animal may even growl, but then change its intentions. When petting a nervous cat, be prepared for the fact that she may suddenly change her mind and even scratch or bite you - this is the price of communicating with an overly shy cat.

Method 3 of 3: How to pet your cat properly

1. 1 Lure the animal towards you. Once you've spotted a cat, sit nearby (but not in close proximity) on the sofa or on the floor. Try to be on the same level with the animal without hanging over it. You can look at the cat, but avoid direct eye contact. Call her by name. She will respond by looking at you, turning her ear in your direction, distracted from the current activity, or slowly getting up, stretching and leaving the room; the animal may not respond to your call.
   • If the cat turns her attention to you, pat yourself on the knee and call her again in a gentle, gentle voice. You can even attract her with something tasty.
2. 2 Let the cat sniff and rub against you without stroking it yet. It will take a nervous cat a while to get used to your scent. If an animal came up and rubbed against you, it recognized you as its territory. While friction against your feet does not necessarily mean that your cat loves you, it does indicate that she is comfortable with you.
   • After the pet rubs against you several times, extend your palm to him so that he sniffs it. The cat may rub its cheek against your palm, and then you can gently try to pet it.
3. 3 Before attempting to pet your cat, try to let her see you approach her. Do not approach a shy cat discreetly, otherwise you will not be able to build a trusting relationship with her. Try to let the animal see you approaching. At the same time, if the cat does not slip away from you, you will make sure that she does not mind petting.
4. 4 Pet your cat in specific areas of its body. Start by stroking along your back or under your chin. Also try rubbing it lightly between the shoulder blades and behind the nape. These places are difficult for cats to reach, so they usually like to be petted there.
   • Run your palm gently along the coat: many cats don't like being petted against the coat.
5. 5 Do not pet the animal in particularly sensitive areas. For example, try not to touch the stomach of a nervous cat. While some cats like it when their belly is stroked, it is likely that the shy animal will instinctively try to defend itself. What's more, some cats will take it as an invitation to a playful fight and will scratch your hand.
   • Many cats also dislike being touched by their claws.
   • Some cats may bite you without warning if you pet them for too long. In such cases, it is safer to restrict yourself to stroking the head, neck and area under the chin.
6. 6 Be patient. If you have recently adopted a pet, pet it gently and try to find out which areas of stroking and scratching give him the most pleasure. If the cat is gone, pretend that you are doing another important job.
7. 7 Gradually increase the time you spend with your pet. Don't expect a shy cat to fondle you right away. First, lightly pat her on the back and let her move away from you unhindered. So you will not break the trust of the animal, and this will begin a rather long process of its getting used to you.

Tips

• Do not be afraid of your cat, otherwise she will also feel scared.
• Cats love to be stroked on the top of their heads, under the chin, on the back and on the nape (especially if they are wearing a harness). Stick to these treasured spots if you want to endear your cat. Do not touch their paws, tail, lower back and especially the tummy.
• When the cat begins to wake up, she is usually calmer and more likely to allow you to touch her. Likewise, a tired animal is also less likely to reject petting.

Warnings

• It is possible that the cat becomes overly agitated when stroking due to the feline sore throat syndrome. If this is the root of the problem, petting and scratching causes pain instead of pleasure. There are various ways to overcome this problem, including (but not limited to) clicker training, more time to play, and medications.
• Do not try to pet your cat while she is eating or busy in her litter box, as she may perceive this as an invasion of her personal territory and scratch you.
• Sometimes cats may playfully nibble or lightly scratch your palm and wrist. Remaining calm, firmly say "Stop!" Your cat will most likely stop and look at you. Take this moment to remove your hand and pet the animal elsewhere, continuing to build the bond between you.
• If the animal catches its claws on your hand, do not pull your hand back, otherwise you will have one or more long ragged scratches on your skin. Let the cat pull your hand towards him. In such cases, cats usually bite their hand lightly and release it by pulling it close enough.