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Can a traumatized kitten learn to trust humans again?
My neighbors have two cats that they don’t really pay much attention to. They spend all day and night outside roaming the woods surrounding our neighborhood. When the cats aren’t exploring, they’re hanging out on my porch. Because of that I’ve formed sort of a friendship with one of them. I give it rubs and cuddles and fresh water, and it gives me unlimited kitty cuteness. The other one though is really shy and scared. He naps on my porch and drinks the water, but it always seems sad and afraid when humans are around. I asked my neighbor about him and she said as a kitten he was abandoned in a gutter and never got over the trauma. I want this cat to have a good quality of life, and I want it to be happy. Is there a way I can help him trust humans again? Or is it too late because of his sad early life?
3 Answers
- J CLv 72 years ago
The cat isn't traumatized - he is not socialized towards humans. You certainly can take him in - get him in to the vet to be examined, wormed, flea treated, started on vaccines, and schedule a neuter. Take him indoors - if you allow him to stay outdoors he will always be the way he is now. Put him in one room with food and litter and shut the door. Spend lots of time in there with him. Ideally you bring his brother in too. Cats learn from observing and when he sees you interacting positively with his brother, he will start gaining trust in you. Try playing with him with a wand toy, gently at first. Toss him good treats like small pieces of deli turkey. Don't make him come to you - just have him associate you with good things. In time, you will start to see a change. Outdoor cats can take quite a while to come around - but again, he is not traumatized for life, he is just not social.
- PRLv 72 years ago
It may not actually be that this can was abandoned, but that he did not get socialization, so does not trust humans.
This site, specifically explains just what to do, if that is the case, in a point-by-point explanation:
