Mouse, the shy cat has been jumping up on my bed, and the minute I look at him

[KitchenWitch]

He jumps off again.

I want to pet him.

He is too shy for that.

:cry:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Hang on a minute, my dear KW!

Isn't this a new behavior?

So give him time...

It sounds as though he's coming around, although slowly!

Try making little wheedling noises with your lips...

Eventually, he will respond!

He wants to be petted, but he's still afraid...

:hug:

[KitchenWitch]

2. This is indeed new behavior.

I will just let him come around at his own special pace.

He WILL love me.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Oh yes, he will come around!

And I suspect he already loves you!

He's just too shy or afraid to really show it yet!

That is excellent news!

[SeattleGirl]

4. Give him a little more time.

He'll come around.

I mean, how could he resist you? :loveya:

[Bear down under]

5. Blink slowly as you look at him

Cats interpret what people regard as a friendly interested look-in-the-eye as a hostile stare. Blinking defuses the hostility.

[stuntcat]

7. blinking!

for real, very important :headbang: slow and easy blinking.

[DeepBlueC]

14. you are right on

I mirror the slow sleepy-looking blink of my cats all the time.

[Duppers]

6. that's funny!

and, here's an odd coincidence: I had a Siamese cat named "Mouse" too!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Be careful what you ask for.

I have three non-shy cats. They follow me everywhere. If I go to the bathroom they follow me there and watch me. If I try to use my laptop, at least one of them, sometimes all three, will try to join it in my lap, pinning my arms down so I can't type. When I'm in bed they pile on me, and if they find an uncovered hand they rub their faces against it to get me to pet them and whine if I stop.

Your shy cat will warm up eventually, and then you'll have to peel him off you.

Seriesly, I love my Velcro kitties.

[bertha katzenengel]

9. Try this, buddy:

Get a string. Next time Mouse gets on the bed, toss it his way. Make it a long string so he doesn't have to get too close. Play with him with the string slowly - I mean, just jiggle it, don't yank it away. Let him get used to having it there, to playing with it at a safe distance from you. Then gradually - I mean, over a number of days & weeks - pull it closer to yourself to jiggle it. Then closer. You get the idea.

That's how I tamed Mildred, a feral cat who wandered in one day at "feeding time" and said to herself, "wow... it's warm in here... and there's better food... perhaps I'll stay." :)

Good luck!

PS also make him a 'nip sock. Get a sock with no holes in it, put some catnip in the toe, and tie it off. Some cats don't like 'nip but most do. Throw sock on floor, sit down, prepare to laugh.

[littlebit]

10. Be patient with him

My little lucy wouldn't come near me for months. Now she sits up on my desk and lets me pet her for hours. I can even pick her up now without her flipping out. It just takes a little while with some cats.

[zanne]

11. You're doing great. The trick is to let the kitty come to you...

Let him take his own sweet time. He'll come to see that he can trust you. (I've done that four times now).

[DeepBlueC]

12. don't look directly at him

it alarms a scaredy cat. Best to let him direct all the interactions until he is comfortable. Eventually he will come up and rub (mark) you. I have been through this process with 2 of my 4 cats; this is progress.

[applegrove]

13. Get some of those irresistible cat treats and pet them when they come

to eat.

[Parche]

15. I Need Petting....

:rofl: :rofl:

Kitty who?

:hi:

[SPKrazy]

16. Hold him down

and pet him

or not

:shrug:

:hug:

[KitchenWitch]

17. HAHAHAHA

You funny!

:rofl:

[huskerlaw]

18. I have a cat that does that

and I've had him for 2 years!

Some cats are just super shy. My Spencer really, really hates being held. He enjoys petting only on his terms. He allows me to pet him when he's on his bed (it's like a security blanket), but he'll only come to me for pets if I'm laying down and haven't moved for quite a while.

I have no idea why he acts this way, but he's done it since I got him. He's just...odd. ;)