I have a 12 year old cat, that my DH and I rescued as a kitten. She's always been extremely shy and nervous - we think mainly because she didn't have human contact for the first few weeks of her life. She's fine with me and DH, but only really when we're seated on the sofa in the living room in the evening. She absolutely loves sitting our laps and having her belly stroked and is extremely relaxed and affectionate.
However, pretty much anywhere else in the house, we can't really go near her, or she'll run out of the cat flap. So, for example, today was freezing cold, and she was obviously desperate to come in and sit by the kitchen radiator, but every time I went in the kitchen, she bolted. This isn't a new thing - she's always been this way, in our current and old house, so I don't think it's to do with the room. I also don't think she's actually scared either. She's a creature of habit, and is unsettled if anything is out of the ordinary. So my theory is that she has this behaviour ingrained.
It does make it extremely difficult to change though. I've managed to get her of other habits (i.e. going on the kitchen worktops) but because she won't let us near her unless it's in the living room, we can't even begin to try in any other room.
Can anyone relate? Any advice on things that might work?