Be Polite! Cattitude and Guests

Some cats do not like strangers in their home and do not hide their feelings. They may hide if they are shy, hiss and stare at your guests if they are aggressive, or if they happen to be super social they may climb and crawl all over them like they do to you. As their pet owner or their servant, depending how you see it, you need to help your cat and guests feel comfortable. If you have family coming for the holidays or friends who are allergic to cats you can thoroughly clean your house and place an air purifier in the guest bedroom and keep the door closed so the cat doesn’t hang out in there. Remind your guests to bring their allergy meds in case they start feeling sniffly or congested. However, if your cat is just not a fan of new people in their territory you’ll also need to do some behavior modification.

Here are 6 tips to help cut down on the cattitude.

1: Let your guests know that your cat needs to inspect their things and them but to not force a friendship. If your cat is super social and will try to jump on their lap or shoulders, let them know so they don’t get scared or scream. Let them know that your cat has some habits and what they are so they aren’t surprised and don’t accidentally scare your cat as well.

2: If your cat has some major cattitude and becomes aggressive, try using a calming remedy like a plug-in that emits a scent to help calm your cat. You can also try giving your cat some extra play time and TLC to help your cat stay in a cheery mood. A few minutes a day can make a difference to a cat’s mood.

3: You may want to move the litter box a few days before your guests come so your cat isn’t disturbed. If you keep the litter box in the bathroom, you may want to move it to a new place so your guests don’t accidentally lock the cat in the bathroom while they shower or scare the cat from entering the room entirely.

4: Ask your guests to treat your cat gently and not challenge or over-zealously try to make friends. Remind them that if the cat comes near them, let the cat sniff them, inspect them, and to stay calm. Remind them to pet gently and if there are children staying over, to try and not squeal too loudly around the cat as that typically frightens cats.

5: If your cat is shy, your guests may want to help you bring your cat out of its shell. If that is the case, let them try to engage the cat in play with a few treats and a toy. Show them what works best to bring out the play side of your cat. Let them know they can and should reward your cat if your cat starts to show interest and plays.

6: Remind your guests to not leave windows open without a screen or something to keep your cat from jumping out. If they open the door to leave, ask them to remember to keep an eye out for your furry friend.

When the house is quiet at night you may hear your cat walking around inspecting all the new scents and items in the house that your guest has brought. This is a good sign but make sure she doesn’t try to scratch and leave her scent on something like a pocketbook or leather jacket!