The following comes from “Helping a Fearful Cat,” an article written by Pam Johnson-Bennet, author of numerous books on cat behavior and founder of Cat Behavior Associates in Nashville, Tennessee (and a million other things). Be sure to check out the article, which has many terrific ideas for helping your kitty. Actually, her books and the entire website look pretty amazing. If you’ve read any of them, please share in the comments!
A list of reasons your cat may have become shy:
- Lack of socialization as a kitten
- Being the target of aggression by other animals
- Pain and illness
- Being the target of abuse
- Stressful living conditions (too many cats, dirty conditions, tense family environment, etc.)
- A move to an unfamiliar environment (new home, being relinquished to shelter, being rehomed, etc.)
- Change in family (new owner, death, divorce, new baby, etc.)
- Excessive ongoing noise
Excerpted from “Helping a Fearful Cat,” an excellent article that goes into how to help a shy cat get acclimated on https://www.catbehaviorassociates.com
Shy Cats 