How To Properly Bond With & Pet Your New Furry Friend
We all are already familiar with the fact that when it comes to interaction of any kind, some people are more introvert, some more extrovert. When it comes to cats, there’s a certain saying going around about their cattitude - harder to bond with, more cold and individualists. And to that we (and experts) say LIES!
Cats can be just as loving pets as any other, you just have to know how to get close and bond with your new furry friends the right way. And the most important step in that is learning how to properly interact with your feline and pet them in the correct way. That’s right - but don’t worry, as always, we have you covered and will spill all the secrets in this article here.
Establishing Trust
Almost a no brainer right? When you want to bond with someone in your life, you first want to make sure you can trust them and the other way around. Well, same goes for you furry friend. In the beginning you are nothing but a stranger to your cat, so of course there’s gonna be a bit of cattitude there. Petting a cat is one action placed very high on the ladder of trust so you should be actively aware of that and try to build trust between the two of you in the beginning. Here are some tips on where to start!
1. Take it easy
Unlike school, there’s no deadline on this assignment. Trust takes time, so make sure to give time to your cat, be patient and start with little steps - slowly getting closer to your cat, allowing your feline to get comfortable around you and remember, every cat is different - just like us - so this will take time.
2. Let the cat come to you.
Cats are very unique creatures, so you have to let them lead here. If your new furry friend will want attention, or petting trust us, she will let you know. They have a specific behavior for almost everything so really, you just have to pay attention to their action and you’ll basically know how to properly react every single time. That’s easy, right?
And if you’re still new at this, taking a quick look at our article here about cat behavior could really help you out right now.
3. Slow and small steps will take you a long way.
Yes, we know, we are repeating ourselves a bit. But that’s only because this is how important it is to not immediately grab your cat, or be sudden in movements around here because she could get extremely scared very fast. And there goes the trust between you two, right out the window!
A good way to start petting them is by gently scratching the top of their head, never start with the ears or tail until the cat gets familiar with you, that will most probably irritate them.
A monumental mistake
And yet, everyone does it. Never touch or pet a cat while she is laying on her back. Many people see their rolling on their back as an open invitation to scratch their belly, just like dogs do! But this can be a hisslarious trap and chances are you’ll end up getting bitten and with a few “love” scratches on your hands.
Irritated Cat Alert
Do you fluently speak Cat? Then you should. Understand a cat’s behavior and language is fundamental in building a bond and trust-based relationship with your feline friend. Although you might want to cuddle, love or have the best intention for your cat, sometimes it can end up in a claw fight if she is not in the mood for attention. But do not fear, the SØDE Design team is here and we compiled an easy to follow guide for you to become fluent in Cat in no time - check it out here.
Our job is done here, so go out there and start bonding with your Best Cat Friend!
See you around!
