Part III - Create Positive Experiences with Food

The way to a cat's heart is through her stomach

The next step in the quest to get your shy kitty to trust you is to start creating positive food experiences for the cat while you are with him. Offer treats like tuna, baby food (meat flavors with no onion powder or garlic), Fancy Feast, or even deli meat. Be sure that you don’t give him these items at any other time except when you are with him, so he learns to associate you (the thing he fears) with the food (a positive experience).  Begin each socialization session with about 1 tablespoon of the treat and talk softly to your cat while he eats it. If the cat has not eaten the treat by the time you leave the room, take the treat with you. It may take a few sessions before the cat will eat the treat in your presence – remember to be patient, and let your cat learn at his own pace.

If your cat is an extreme case, further steps can be taken to associate you with the positive experience of yummy food. Contact us for guidance in that case.

Provided this step goes well, you can move on to Part IV - Creating Positive Experiences Through Play.