"CeeCee has been through some stuff. Kittens need to have interaction with humans early in their lives to be comfortable with humans, and CeeCee probably missed out on that, making her wary of us two-legged, furless critters. Her broken tail might also have created a negative association with people. Whether a human was responsible for the break or not, it was humans that put her through surgery and lots of handling, and she might associate people with pain."
"You can overcome these beliefs, but it will take time and a whole lot of patience on your part. The first thing to know is that you should never try to force interaction with CeeCee. It's important that she directs the show. You can start by sitting quietly near her when she's in her tree. Look her in the eye and blink slowly."
"When we first got her she had a broken tail that ARF fixed they had to amputate it. Ever since we got her, she hides all day long. We have never been able to pet her, other than the first day we brought her home. She hides and runs if we get close to her, and she looks so scared of us."
CeeCee is a six-year-old feral cat with an amputated tail who hides during the day and only emerges at night to accept treats cautiously. Kittens require early human interaction to become comfortable with people, and lacking that can produce lasting wariness. A prior tail injury and surgery can create negative associations between humans and pain. Overcoming those associations requires substantial time and patience. Owners should never force interaction; the cat must choose engagement. Progress can begin by sitting quietly near her cat tree, offering gentle eye contact and slow blinks. A returned slow blink indicates increasing trust and cautious acceptance of human presence.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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