3 Tips to Make Your Cat More Sociable
Does your cat get along well with you and the other people in your house but isn’t the slightest bit interested in guests or other animals? Here are a few tips to make your cat more sociable.
Using patience to make your cat more sociable
The reason your cat has problems with strangers is because of a lack of socialization at an early age. It’s quite likely that he didn’t have enough contact with strangers when he was a kitten, and possibly not enough of a relationship with other cats or animals.
Therefore, you might well wonder if there even is a solution. Luckily there is, but it’ll require a lot of patience. If you want to try, we’ve prepared some tips for you.
It might seem difficult, but it’s not impossible to get your cat to be more sociable. Below you’ll find some advice, even if your cat didn’t receive socialization at an early age.
1. Make your cat feel safe
The first important thing is for your cat to feel confident in his surroundings. To do this you should pamper him and stimulate him with different games.
So, without going overboard:
- Stroke him
- Talk to him in a gentle and affectionate tone
- Groom him
Playing games with your cat also helps him to develop his curiosity and his natural intelligence.
Not all cats need the same level of attention. But if you observe your cat closely, you’ll be able to tell whether or not he’s comfortable or whether you need to continue working on your bond.
2. Don’t rush your cat
If he’s not socialized enough, he’ll likely run and hide when the doorbell rings or when he hears strange voices. The worst thing you can do is force him to be present. Give him time. Maybe curiosity will get the better of him sooner or later, and he’ll come to see who it is that’s come into his territory.
If he doesn’t appear after a good while, you can go and look for him. But remember that cats normally hate loud noises and people can sometimes talk loudly. It’s even worse if there are noisy children involved. Give him time and let your cat decide how he meets guests.
Ideally, if your cat disappears every time there are guests and doesn’t reappear, go and look for him and bring him into the room. Little by little, he’ll start to get used to other people and will stop hiding.
3. Take him for a walk
If everything’s going well and your cat has stopped hiding from strangers, you could even go a step further. How about taking your cat for a walk? It’s a good chance to explore different environments and relate with other people and animals. But you need to get him used to this gradually.
Obviously, unlike dogs, cats don’t need walks. They can be quite alright inside the house. But if they go out, they should be neutered.
If your cat likes the idea of going for a walk, be sure to keep him on a special leash for cats. This way, he won’t run away if he gets scared. You should also make sure that his vaccinations are up to date. Check with your vet if he needs any extra vaccinations.