>>> Petting a cat has a positive calming effect. <<<
One of my current 5 cats absolutely HATES being handled by human. We’ve had her for 8 years, so far she only permits me stroking her fur while she eats her chow.
She doesn’t come out to play, she doesn’t respond to treats, she hides all day (not because other cats dominating her, she could stand her ground). We’ve tried Jackson Galaxy’s tips and tricks, no success.
We think we might be able to finally rub her tummy when she’s 20.
“One of my current 5 cats absolutely HATES being handled by human.”
Same for one of our 6 cats, who we rescued from raccoons about three years ago and brought inside. She’s still wild. We sold our home and bought another one. Our biggest worry was how we’d get her in a kennel to move. It wasn’t pretty.
Vet gave us drugs to put in her smelly tuna in oil, which she loves. Moving day morning two days ago, I put the drugs in the tuna, she sniffed it, turned up her nose, and sauntered away. Oh, NO! Now what do we do??
Hubby had had the foresight a month ago to buy one of those critter-getter nets, just in case. Chasing a wild cat around a 5,000-square-foot house, arms flailing, net waving in the air... it would’ve been funny if it weren’t happening to us. Thank Heaven for the fact that it’s difficult for a cat to get traction on a hardwood floor, which opened up a one-second window of opportunity.
He trapped her, snapped the pole to close the net, and she was done. Then it was a matter of getting her into the kennel.
No calming effect in the entire scenario. Now, in the new house, she’s adjusting, but has a few choice scolding words for us once in a while. No petting ever.