We’re using playtime to help Squishy overcome her fear of me. Playtime lets her simulate apex predator behaviors like pouncing and “killing” her “prey.” She still keeps an eye on my hands when I move the toy, but she half-pounced in my direction twice today and that’s a big deal.
I’m also spending time just sitting in the room with her (like now, while I post this lol) because it lets her get used to my smell, movements, and what it sounds like when I move around, cough, sneeze, etc. I play quiet music or videos, too, so she gets used to human sounds. And I’ll ignore her for a lot of this, so she gets the idea that none of it means she’s in danger.
She’s old for a kitten (maybe close to two months, although I’m crap at kitten ages) which makes socialization harder. But the fact that, when given the opportunity, she’s curious about me and open to the idea of me being fun, not scary, is exceptionally promising.
I really think a foster home with a more relaxed kitten or adult cat would go a long way to helping her feel comfortable around people.
Sometimes you just need to know you’re not alone in this big world, especially when you’re a little kitten.
