There are six cats clearly visible in the image below. Can you guess which ones are shy? (Answer: Of course not. I’ll tell you what I think about who’s shy after I write some stuff.)
I define “shy cat” as a cat who wants to engage but is too hesitant or fearful. A shy cat is like the kid at the pool who climbs the ladder to the high dive, but then stands there, shivering, unable to take the plunge.
There are cats who might seem shy at first but they really don’t fit my definition, like feral cats, who tend to be more angry and defiant than shy or afraid. They are like a kid at the pool who refuses to climb the high dive ladder and bites you when you suggest it.
Then there are some cats who just aren’t into people—they don’t care to engage with us. They might go up to the diving board ladder, then shrug and walk away. Those cats aren’t necessarily going to respond to the tips I’m gathering here on this blog. (They might, though.)
By shy, I mean those cats who wait for the bolder cats to eat first, and who watch while the more extroverted cats interact with the feather toy. They scurry into hiding when a new person enters the room, but come out after a while, too curious to miss what the people are doing. The kid who watches the other kids dive and wishes she had the courage to try it. That, to me, is a shy cat.
In the image above, I would say that only Ginger (bottom right) and Maris (standing) are shy cats. Dancer (upper right) and Glory (above Ginger) aren’t into people much, and the others are all pretty friendly and outgoing. My point is, it’s really hard to judge a cat based on first impressions. Your best bet when adopting a cat is to ask a knowledgeable shelter human about the personalities of each cat. More on that later.
Please comment—would love your feedback!
Shy Cats 