Skittish Cat

Question
My cat Molly is very skittish with everybody except for me, its taken her a few years but she is learning to warm up to people (off and on, she'll come out in a crowd of 2 or more ppl until somebody notices her than she runs) and even let them pet her from time to time (I'm happy to say this is becoming more frequent) but she still runs from every loud noise and most movements i would love to break her of this so she can relax and enjoy all the attention ppl want to give her i would also love to be able to pick her up or move her with out her getting all freaked out and running away (she'll have absolutely nothing to do with being picked up or carried) but I'm not sure how to do this.

to possibly help you understand a little I received molly in a very special way. it was about 2 years ago when the water was beginning to ice over i was walking to my car with some friends and we heard her crying. it took us a minute to find her in the canal franticly trying to swim and latch onto a chunk of ice she was near. long story short we were eventually able to scoop her out of the freezing water & i brought her home to live with me. she has always been very in my face loving to me and i would love for her to be more trusting of others. its been a while I'm not clear as to if the trauma has led her to be this way or if skittish is just her personality.. i was hoping you could help clarify thank you for your time

Theresa & molly

Answer
Theresa,

Oh, the poor kitty! What a horrible experience for her! She was so lucky to have you save her.

More than likely she had one or both parents who were feral. Her personality, sad to say, will not change. They are inbred to distrust humans and it takes a LONG time, especially the older they get, to get them to trust people, and they will always remain skittish. They are one-person cats and they usually only bond to their owner. They take special handling because they are not like domesticated house cats and won't behave like one.

Feral cats can be loving but they DO NOT like to be petted or held. When you can pet them, do it only briefly. They do not like it for very long. Watch their tails and ears. If their tails wag or ears go back stop NOW.

I have 3 ferals (2 years old) that I have had since birth. One, if she hears a strange noise or sees someone, she will run under the bed and hide for HOURS. No one visiting me has ever seen her! They are all loving but I can't hold them for more than a minute before they are struggling to get away. I understand how they are so I don't force it, and I know that is the way they are always going to be.

They are natural hunters and enjoy being able to do it. If you keep them inside all the time then you have to satisfy that hunting urge inside to keep them mentally well-balanced. Giving them a raw beef rib bone (I have the butcher cut them in half) satisfies the "fresh kill'. Plus the fibers help clean their teeth. They need stuffed toy mice you can throw so they can chase it and "catch" it. A pet laser light is great for letting them try to catch the "little red bug" on the walls, floors, and ceilings.

I hope this helps.

Tabbi