. They are truly...
August 7th, 2009
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I have a friend whose cat suffers from agoraphobia. She is an indoor cat and she prefers to keep her world confined to those four walls, which means vet and grooming trips are rather difficult.
A great way to acclimate her to the outside is to take her out in her carrier a little bit each day. Eventually, you can graduate to a halter but always stay close to home. Try to find a vet and groomer close by. Go early in the morning before it’s busy. Reward your kitty with treats along the way and praise her, making it a positive experience. Give her something extra special when you get home, like tuna. And if she runs under the bed to hide for awhile, let her be. She just needs a little time by herself. Kelly is a dog columnist and pet writer. She lives in the Boston-area with her three pit bulls and one neurotic cat. |
This tip was VERY helpful. My 4 year old female cat is the light of my life. In fact, she has literally SAVED my life 4-5 times now. She is my care taker. But at the age of about 2 weeks she was thrown away outside. Thank God she was discovered by people who were responsible for her being put with Friends of Ferals……. a non kill agency who fosters the cats/kittens for as long as they need it…… forever if necessary. But she is extremely afraid of the outdoors. I’ve tried takinng her outside in my arms as she trusts me, but if she had claws she would have ripped me to shreds trying to get back inside !!!!!!!! I’m going to try using your tips as so many others have help ‘us’ in the past. I hate that her world is so small. She even dives under my bed or hides else where when ever someone comes in from the outside !!!!! Especially a stranger. She’s gotten better about this part of it, at least with some people who come regularly. Again, thanks for your help.
Cheryle
What a wonderful story about her rescue and finding her forever home with you! Good luck!