Really timid cat!!!

[hotstepper4]

Hey I'm just going to some advice from anyone who knows about cats really.

My cat is nearly 6 years old we've had her since she was six weeks old. She has always been timid but seems to be getting even worse she grows older. What I mean is that she spooks all the time even if I'm sitting on the sofa and I move positions she spooks and runs away, or I'm in the kitchen and open the freezer door while she's in her litter box, she spooks and has even been known to try and run away mid wee, just because of the sound the freezer door makes.

She's also very loving and affectionate, in fact she is probably the most gentle and loving cat of ever had. When we're sitting on the sofa quietly in the evening she loves to jump up and get some affection it's just whenever we are moving around the house doing housework or anything like that she is so unsettled.

We have 4 DC between us, one is here 50/50, two are here every other weekend and once a week, and one just pops in when she feels like it. None of them have ever been nasty to my cat. In fact they love her and try to pet her. They are aged between seven and 12, so not babies and always treat her well.

Does anyone else have a cat like this? I was thinking maybe there was some kind of plug-in to maybe help her or do you think that a trip to the vet is in order? I hate just to see her so spooked and scared all the time

You can get Feliway pheromone plugins which are really supposed to help. I think its unlikely to be medical, though it might be worth getting her eyesight or hearing checked? A behaviourist may also be able to offer some advice.

It sounds more like nature or stress, though.
Does she have somewhere she can go to be alone? Somewhere high up or enclosed where she can "hide" may help her a little.

How is she around the DC usually - does she enjoy their attention or does she seem wary or like she would rather be left alone?

A couple of ours are timid and prone to stressing, and I find that a noisy or chaotic environment really makes that a lot worse! Things that I've found seem to stress them out include:

• wind (not a lot I can do about that one!)
• strange cats in the garden. Theyre normally not too bad, but a recent arrival unfortunately leaves them skittish and stressed even when in the house - they seem to think our local bully cat is hiding around every corner in the house
• children - they love babies and sleeping children, and tolerate being stroked, but 4yo Dnephew in particular terrifies them. He's a lovely child, but he's loud, moves unpredictably and is prone to running or jumping around or making sudden noises (like most 4 year olds!). They're protective of him when he's sleeping or they think one of us is being mean to him, but usually make themselves scarce when he's awake and round for a visit.
• raised voices. Whether arguments, telling DC off, siblings bickering or even just DC getting over-excited

Some of these can be mitigated a bit (luckily in our case the DC are all grown and left home and Dnephew doesn't visit very frequently), but others warrant seeing how you can help the family and Dcat adapt - eg providing a "safe" hideaway, letting them have somewhere they can go when visitors are around, making sure DC don't overwhelm the cat or crowd/chase/trap her.

• sudden drastic changes in routine

These may be completely different in your dcat's case, but it's worth finding out what does stress her out and see if there are ways you can either help her to adapt, or adapt the house or family's behaviour to accommodate her. It's worth noting that what seems to stress cats out isn't always obvious - eg I've noticed ours might seem to warily tolerate strange cats or people whilst they're present, but then seem on edge and jumpy once they've left, usually for a while afterwards.

Of course, it may just be that she's timid and stressy by nature. A feliway I think is definitely the first port of call!

Thank you so much for that!

Will definitely look into a Feliway.

She actually comes up to the dc for affection. It's more any sudden noises or moves we make and she is terrified!

She does sleep in a suitcase in my bedroom a lot, so she does have a quiet place to go.

Thanks again!

One of mine is the same, if not worse than you describe. I found her in the middle of the road at 8 weeks old, took her straight to the vet, who told me that she would always be a very nervous cat. I did wonder how the vet could possibly know this, but she wasn't wrong. She is so highly strung. She is terrified of almost everything and I'm amazed she's actually lived as long as she has, 8 years. She scarpers at every unexpected noise, movement, she even scares herself sometimes. I tried the feliway plug in, but it didn't help. I have to constantly look out for her, to make sure she's safe and hasn't run off. She can't be outside on her own, cos if she gets spooked and runs off, she probably won't survive. She won't even go near anyone, apart from me and even I have to approach her very gingerly. I do try to just be normal around her, but it makes no difference. One of my other cats absolutely detests her and I have to keep them separate all the time. It drives me bananas

Friend has a cat who is terrified of world & hides constantly. Makes for some amusing Facebook updates.

I have a cat like this, he literally jumps at his own shadow. He is a rescue who had a traumatic early life. This is what helps. A number of baskets which are his and a tall scratching post with a sleeping station on top. He is very territorial and likes his 'own' things, his baskets are on sofa, but he feels calmer inside them. He is super sensitive to sound. He hates loud noise but loves classic music if it's slow and melancholy. Debussy, Chopin, Schubert. He also really likes Armenian Duduk, which is very calming. This has a trance like effect on him. Maybe try some of those?

A vet told me that their reaction to Feliway is determined by their past, tried it with mine, not a success.

Mine is the same, worse in fact because she will hide from visitors she's seen at least once a week her whole life (she's 10 now).

No reason for it at home as she's been here since 9 / 10 weeks old but I sometimes wonder if she wasn't socialised properly in her early weeks as she came from a rescue having been found in a shed (I met her mum and she was a lovely friendly cat).

I just try to keep her happy and reassured if she gets spooked e.g. close the windows if the noisy neighbours are on one, or I pretend to check outside if something blows over in the garden or a noise in the house - if she's spooked I always say 'its ok, its ok' and stroke her if I can while saying and she now seems to understand they are calming words! She also has plenty of little hidey spots that I never force her out of and I avoid rushing about as much as I can as that definitely unnerves her.

She's hard work sometimes, as well as being the softest most loving little thing, but I'm glad she's mine as I can humour her funny little ways and she could have been so unhappy had she gone to a busy bustling household.