Expert: Karen Craft - 5/30/2011

Question
Hi Kate,

We've had our 10 month old Russian Blue (Mimi) for about 6 months now, and still to this day, she runs away from us every time we try to pet her, give her a treat, or just spend time with her. She has been extremely skiddish from the first day we brought her home. We tried to do all the things that we were supposed to when introducing a cat into a new home. Even had her confined to our bedroom for the first 3-4 weeks so she would get used to our home and our scent, however, she spent (and still spends) most of her time under the bed, which made/makes it very difficult for us to grab her. She follows us around the house at times, but the moment we reach out for her or get down to her level to play/talk to her/give her a treat even, she quickly runs away to hide. When taking her to the vet a couple of months ago, it took us an hour to get her into her crate. We have to trick her with her squeaky mouse toy in order to get her into the bathroom where she can't hide anywhere and then get her to go into the crate. It's funny, but it can be a lot of work and very frustrating. We simply wish she wasn't as scared of us all the time.

We bought Mimi from a breeder who specializes in Russian Blue cats because my husband and his family are allergic to most cats. When researching the personality traits of Russian Blues, we were excited to learn that they are affectionate cats who cling to one or two people and that they are even tempered. She is beautiful and we love her so much, but desperately yearn to hold her and be affectionate with her. We've come to the realization that she probably wasn't socialized with during the critical age of 3-4 months old when she was in the hands of the breeder. Do you have any suggestions as to what we can do in order to get Mimi to be less afraid of us? Any tricks we can do to maybe get her to let us grab/pet her? We would love to spoil her with the treats we have for her, but we don't want to just leave them in her bowl.

Thanks in advance for your advice/suggestions/help!!!

Answer
Hi Stefanie,

This sounds like this will be a long term project. I have one cat that took me two years to get her so that now she comes to me to be petted and scratched. First off stop reaching for her. She has to come to you on her terms. If you keep on trying to grab her she will continue to run from you. Next I would get some rotisserie or deli chicken and use that as your special treat for her. When you see her following you just drop a piece by you, walk away and call her name. As she takes the food keep talking to her using her name.

Over time you want to get her to take the treat right by your feet. Don't grab for her. When she comes to take the treat at your feet you move on to the next stage. You need to be sitting down and try the same. Eventually you want to lead her to take the treat from your lap while you are sitting down. Again keep talking to her calmly. You can try to pet her while she is on your lap. If she accepts all of this then you can try to hold her. But don't do it for long and if she wants down let her go gently. She may not accept being picked up. Some cats never do. But she should accept loving from you. It will just take time. Good luck and take care.

Ciao, Karen