How To Make a Cat Like You?

Each cat’s personality is unique, so what works with one cat may not work with others. However, some tips on how to make cats like you are universal.

Apart from knowing how to act with a new cat in the house, you should know how not to act. Many people unintentionally do goofy things that scare the cat.

Some cats instantly let new people pet them; others need years to get used to their owner. Don’t give up and respect the cat’s privacy – you will become friends eventually.

Watch Your Body Language

Cats don’t understand our language, so the only way for them to determine your intentions is by observing your body language. You can tell “kitty, don’t be afraid” as much as you like, but the cat may still hide under the sofa.

A cat’s fear is understandable because cats are tiny compared to humans, even though they have claws and sharp teeth to protect themselves. By the way, aggression towards people is just another expression of fear in cats.

So, how do you make a cat stop fearing you? Get on the same level. Crouch down to the cat to greet it, making yourself less intimidating. Avoid direct eye contact because the cat may consider it aggressive.

If it’s your first interaction, avoid any movements directly focused on the cat, such as stretching your hand towards it.

The best strategy is to show the cat you’re present in their space but largely ignore it, giving it time to get used to you.

Most importantly, be predictable in your actions. Don’t make sudden moves or sounds – move at your regular pace and repeat the same actions multiple times to make the kitty trust you.

Observe The Cat’s Likes & Dislikes

Each cat’s personality is unique, despite many cats sharing specific traits and habits. Paying attention to the likes and dislikes is one of the best ways to establish good contact with people, and this strategy works equally well with animals.

Observe the cat’s behavior from a distance. If the cat is already used to someone in your house, you can also track which interactions the little one enjoys and which cause it to feel fear, anxiety, aggression, or mild irritation.

Note which toys the cat likes the most, its favorite spots in the house, which body parts the cat allows to touch, and which not.

The first interactions are important. Suppose the cat likes to be brushed behind the ear. When the cat allows you to touch it for the first time, brush behind the ear. If you know the cat doesn’t like when someone touches its tail, don’t do that.

If you’ve just brought in a new cat from a shelter or street and no one can advise you on its preferences, start by rubbing the cat’s forehead, behind the ears, under the chin, or cheeks – most cats enjoy that.

Watch Your Tone of Voice

Cats may not understand what you say, but they can analyze how you say it. Therefore, watch your tone of voice when interacting with a cat. You can talk complete baloney but do it quietly and positively.

However, don’t hiss because the cat may perceive it as aggression. Simply talk with your regular voice, slightly lowered, as if you were talking to a baby or your loved one.

In contrast, you can say, “you’re a good kitty, beautiful kitty, I like you,” a dozen times, but if your voice is loud and sharp, the cat is likely to perceive it as intimidating and be afraid of you.

Overall, remain confident and friendly in your actions and your thoughts. Practice shows that cats can sense human feelings one way or another – or, more likely, they notice micro-movements and slight voice undertones people don’t.

Don’t Be Pushy

Many people wonder – how to get a cat to like you if it’s intimidated or shy? If the cat is scared, don’t push your friendship on it. Give it time to get used to you, and let it make the first moves.

We get it – cats can be irresistibly cute, and if the cat isn’t aggressive, you may be tempted to rub or hug it regardless of its fear. However, that’s one of the biggest mistakes in interacting with a cat.

After all, you wouldn’t hug a person who doesn’t want it, so why would you do this to a cat? Don’t disrespect the cat’s feelings only because the cat is weaker than you and can’t do you much harm.

Let the cat make the first moves. Stay in the same space with the cat but don’t try to touch it until it comes to you first.

Don’t expect it to jump on your knees right away – the curious little creature will likely first smell you and walk away. You may slowly reach toward the cat with the palm of your hand, but don’t make sudden movements.

Give The Cat Space

Cats are territorial animals who aggressively protect their space even from creatures ten times bigger than them. Moving to a new house is a lot of stress for a cat, partially because it doesn’t yet have its territory and thus is vulnerable.

If you’ve just brought the cat to your territory, give it personal space. Get a warm, soft cat bed and place it in a cozy place, for example, on the windowsill or near the fireplace. Ideally, the area should be secluded and private.

You should make the cat bed approachable and appealing to the cat without showing it to the cat yourself. Don’t move anywhere close to the cat’s personal space to show it that you respect its privacy.

Personal space is essential for the cat because it allows the animal to calm down when it’s stressed, anxious, or intimidated.

If you want to become friends with someone else’s cat living in the house for a while, avoid touching the cat’s bowls, bed, or favorite toys until the animal gets used to you. The cat can see it as an invasion of its territory.

Know When To Stop Rubbing or Playing

Suppose you’ve achieved success, and the cat approaches you. If the cat doesn’t show any signs of aggression and anxiety, allows you to touch it, and seems friendly, it may be up to a play or allow you to brush it.

However, remember that a cat’s trust builds up over time. Safely interact with the cat but know when to stop. Keep the first real interaction short – the cat will come back if it likes you and wants to play or be petted more.

Every novel cat owner should know when to stop playing with a cat. Pay attention to changes in the cat’s behavior. The most common signs of anxiety in cats are excessive meowing, hiding, panting, trembling, and avoiding eye contact.

The cat may shift its head away, keep the tail close to its body, hold its ears back, or completely freeze in place. However, aggression in cats is significantly more common than anxiety after an overly long play or petting.

If the cat has dilated pupils, flashes its tail, holds the ears back, hisses, growls, backs into a corner and crouches, or tries to bite your hands, pause the playing or petting and let the cat calm down.

Use Treats Strategically

Feeding the cat is one of the most effective ways to make a cat like you. By giving the cat food, you show that you care about it. However, note that not all cats are equally food-motivated.

In a home environment where a cat can’t hunt, the owner becomes the only provider of food and, therefore, the cat’s best friend. Any cat will start to like a person who feeds it daily eventually, but it may take a while.

To speed up the process, you can use treats. You can give the cat a piece of tuna, chicken breast, cheese, or anything else that won’t disrupt its digestion.

Don’t give human food to a cat, such as chocolate paste, peanut butter, chips, or cookies. Chicken, fish, and meat in a marinade or with spices also aren’t good for the cat’s stomach. Be careful not to overfeed your four-legged friend.

Use treats strategically – give them as a reward for positive interactions or to encourage a shy cat to move closer to you. Don’t just throw the treat at the cat. Ensure that the cat notices who gives it the treat.

Take Care of The Cat

If you’re the cat’s owner, simply do what all owners do – clean the cat’s litterbox, feed it, and play with it. In other words, continuously make small things that make the cat feel better.

Taking care about of cat is the only real answer to how to get a cat to trust you. The cat will get used to you eventually and understand that you don’t pose a threat but care about it.

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