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Progress by: Kisses’s Owner Things have gotten a little better. She still hides at night but when my brother or mother are in the room with myself and my boyfriend, she’s grand. I realized that my boyfriend’s aftershave played a big part in it- he wears Brut, which I love but one morning he forgot to put it on and the litten was fine. She still didn’t go near him but she happily snoozed on the couch opposite him!
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Ways to Relax Cat by: dina In the U.S. there’s a synthetic pheromone product that mimics the pheromones that cats release when they rub up against things. It’s called Feliway and it’s available online as a spray or plug-in diffuser. The plug-in is more effective as it constantly releases the scent, which only cats can smell. The effect is very soothing and calming, and it is very effective in resolving problems with peeing/pooping out of the litterbox and helping cats get along. Try that, as well as homeopathic calming remedies, also available online. Instead of having the boyfriend try everything, have him be consistent and predictable in his behavior around her. Don’t force her to be near him. He needs to enter the room quietly and speak in quiet tones, sitting on the floor and making only slow, careful movements. If there are treats she likes, try luring her out of her hiding place with a trail of treats, a very short trail at first, then gradually increasing it by one treat when she seems okay with the current length. The goal is to very gradually lead her near your BF. He has to be sitting absolutely still during this process. It may take a long time and you’ll both need to be patient. If you get some early success and then try to rush things, you’ll wind up having to start over, so be careful. His size and voice can be intimidating to her, I’m sure. But since you have friends of similar size and voice, I’m wondering if there’s something about his scent that’s scaring her. Scent is SO important to cats; it’s how they become familiar with and ‘recognize’ everything. Try altering his scent by having him wear something that smells like you. Wear something of his for a day or sleep in something of his (after washing and removing his scent), then have him change into that as soon as he arrives. She should be at least somewhat reassured by your scent. Your vet might even be willing to put her on a mild tranquilizer or sedative briefly while she gets used to him. If there’s a good cat behaviorist nearby or even one you can contact online, see if you can get additional ideas. Poor baby!
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