How to gain the trust of your cat? You feel you lost your kitty cat’s trust, Do you find yourself wishing that your new kitty cat would be more friendly and trusting of you? If you want to fix this, you will have to be patient and understanding. Your kitty cat is wild at heart and instinctively is not a pack animal. They are not like dogs who will forgive you over and over for the same action.
Here are a few things you can do to ensure your rescue cat learns to trust you.
#5 –Respect your cat’s space
Your cat will need some time to settle in if she’s new to the home; some take longer than others to do this. Let your cat find comfortable spots to hang out, and don’t invade those spaces. This general rule will continue even after she becomes comfortable in her home. Cats enjoy their independence and will let you know when they would like your attention (or give you clues as to when they don’t want it if you are a space-invader!).
Cats rely heavily on their sense of smell. You can use this to your advantage by planting your scent around their favorite things. Use one of your shirts or a blanket that smells like you to line their crate or cat bed. Strategically place your sneakers near their food dish and mix a sock into their pile of toys. They’ll smell you even when you’re not around, and they’ll start relating your scent to their favorite things.
Don’t force a friendship – let your cat decide how comfortable she is and when she wants to interact with you (although you can do some things to encourage interactions, see below). Cats learn a lot just through observation, so even though you may not be directly interacting with her, she’s learning a lot about you if she’s simply watching you from a window perch or the couch. Let her watch and learn about your movements, smells, and sounds!
#2 –Observe body language
Your cat will communicate first and foremost with her body language (see cartoon below). Respect what she is telling you. Has she crouched away from you or is her body-oriented towards you and more welcoming? Is she flicking her tail as a sign of annoyance, or is it relaxed? Pay attention to her ear positions, how wide her eyes are, and body position.
#1 –Learn your cat’s limits to being touched
Take a gradual approach to learning where and how your cat likes to be touched. Never poke or tease when attempting to touch or pet your cat; always use predictable movements. Be aware of her body language to learn where and how your cat likes to be stroked or petted. If your cat has petting aggression, try to limit petting sessions both in terms of where you pet her and for how long.
