How come that some cats appear to vanish right before our eyes at the shelter no noise, cavity at the end of a kennel, all the noise is made and then whoever raised a hue and cry?
The cats which are the first to touch their noses tend to be introduced first in a busy adoption room. In the meantime, the “mute” cats, the timid, shy, under-socialized or the simply too frightened can freeze, conceal, or not make eye contact. A rescuer may be aware that a cat may have a funny personality after settling, but an adopter will merely see a tense body and an unwilling cat. An example was of a scruffy black-and-white cat called Archie, who was friendly to those who knew him well, but avoided those who did not, forcing visitors to “politely nod their heads” and go to meet other cats.
The gist of that incompatibility is that shelters are not home, loud, and filled with random noises and smells. Fear is not a defect in many cats, but rather is a normal and adaptive behavior but when in an open place, it may appear to be indifference.
The quiet work entails the staff and volunteers getting close without making any demands. This is the routine that one shelter writer celebrated in his/her celebratory photos: “Sitting quietly on the floor because a cat will not come out from behind a litter box.” Even in that constant presence, little things will be enormous sensitivity of receiving a treat, a slow blink, a single interested pace.
The first step to assisting quiet cats is to alter the appearance of “adoptable”. Instead of assuming a love at first sight, shelters turn into more of a match-making process: explaining what the cat requires, what makes them feel safe, and what progress may manifest itself like in the long run. Director of behavior programs at San Diego Humane Society, Amanda Kowalski said, Although it takes time and patience to make a shy cat trust and have confidence in their new environment and with their new owners, it is so rewarding to see them bloom. One more shelter leader stressed the power of expectation-setting but did not attempt at transforming the temperament of a cat: “We recognize [shy cats] for who they are, and we don’t try and turn them into something else.”
To the adopters, “help” may be the act of being patient, rather than being effective. A cat that fears tends to enjoy its presence in a small noisy room where there are safe places to hide and where the schedule is very predictable. Interaction is best achieved in a non-invasive manner where the cat is sat at his level, slowly moved, talked in low tones and the cat should be given the opportunity to contact him or her. Hiding cat pulling or obtruding handling is likely to make the cat more frightened and may make the home another thing that the cat has to live with but not to trust.
Even touch can be re-conceived as a dialogue rather than an examination. Consent-based handling motivates individuals to observe signals, i.e., approach, pause, and leave the cat to choose what to do, i.e., body language as the yes or the no. That will save the pride both the cat and the adopter, particularly in the sensitive initial stages a cat is trying to figure out what is safe.
By showing them their most secure areas, even before adoption, shelters can make it easier to have an easier time accomplishing this with the silent cats. Powerful bios and improved media is a good idea: particular personality notes, photos that do not reflect panic, and little video of a pet in a familiar environment. Video meet-and-greets are also used by some organizations in order to allow the adopters to see the cat acting normally as opposed to being afraid of a stranger and showing up at the most awkward time. Pety mute cats are not deprived of character. They are biding their time till it can be smooth enough to show.
