Why adopt a shy cat when you know she might hide for days (or weeks) when you first get her home? Why waste time with a pet who won’t become a lap cat right away? I’m here to tell you, the rewards are beyond anything you might imagine, like:

• the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve rescued a cat who really needs a champion.
• the pleasure of giving joy to a creature who otherwise might have lived out a lonely existence in a shelter or on the streets.
• knowing that, by your persistence, you’ll have earned the trust of a bashful animal.
• the satisfaction of taking on a challenge that most people would have avoided.

There is nothing like that first time your shy cat climbs on you, starts to purr, eats out of your hand, or runs to greet you when you come into the room. It may not happen right away, but it can happen. It does happen.

Just recently, I had a breakthrough with a kitten who came into my home directly after living with her feral mother outdoors.  The little girl, whom I named Rock ’n’ Rye, seemed especially resistant to human contact, but I persisted. I continued to use the techniques that I hope to lay out over the next few weeks on this blog. I  was trying not to despair, even though at one point “Rye” seemed more shy than when I first started.

Then there came that magical moment a few day ago. I cautiously reached out to run my fingers along her back. I’d done this same move before many times, but this time, a light bulb seemed to appear over her head. She arched her back and leaned into my hand. “Oh, I like this,” she seemed to say. “I like this person and I like to have my back scratched!” I felt like I’d saved the world in that moment.

You can, too.