Get your timid cat used to strangers

Exposing your timid cat to new people will help them get used to strangers.

Stranger danger!

Unless you plan on adopting your scaredy cat yourself, they’re going to need to be somewhat comfortable with strangers to get adopted. Adopters will expect to at least see them, if not touch them, when they come to meet them. Weird, right?
 
Being OK with strangers will increase your kitty’s adoption opportunities.
 

How to get them used to strangers

Once they’re comfortable with you and don’t hide all the time in their crate or sanctuary room, start exposing them to other people. This will gradually ‘desensitise’ them.
Timid cats will often hide with strangers
 

Start off by having your friend ignore them

Have your friend quietly come into the room, sit down on the ground and completely ignore your kitty. They won’t look at them or try to touch them. They’ll just ignore them.  Have a coffee, chat, do whatever you do with your friends. Pretend Scaredy isn’t there.

Your kitty will probably hide in their igloo or hidey hole, but will be keenly studying the person and assessing if they’re a threat or not.
 
Over time, your kitty will learn that you’re not the only human who’s safe.
 

Get your friend to offer treats

Once they’ll let themselves be visible to a stranger, have the person offer Kitty extra special treats.  It’s OK if they retreat to their hidey hole. They’ll still remember it was the stranger who brought good things to them.

Get your friend to play with them

Having your friend play with them with a fishing pole toy – so kitty can keep their distance from the stranger – is also a good idea.

Work up to touching

Once your kitty will take treats out of your friend’s hand, and play with them, get them to very gently stroke them, perhaps with a taming wand.

Try different people

The more ‘safe people’, your cat is exposed to, the less likely they are to be terrified when your potential wonderful adopter comes to meet them.
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