I've never had cats around me. I've always been a dog guy. A year ago I had to move out and started living with a flatmate. She has a cat. Since I did not know how to interact with cats... I just let him be: no touching him, just respecting his space. He loved it! In a couple weeks he was always around me and checking what was I doing. Sat on my lap while I was working from home and we were best buddies for the time I lived there. Now I am 100% a cat guy :)
A 4 month old feral kitten wandered into our garage one cold winter. We put some tuna out for her and left, since she wouldn't come out from where she was hiding while we were there. My then 17 year old son wanted to keep her. I said no, we have a dog, it's more expense etc. My son took more tuna, spread a blanket on the floor of the garage sat down and waited. 2 hours later we looked out and she was curled up in his lap. My husband looked at me and said, "I think we're keeping the cat". 4 years later she's sleeping on the arm of my chair which is one of her spots. My son's in college now. When he comes home on break she races to him!
I lived in a townhouse complex and i always saw this fluffy black cat around, Id talk to and pet all the local cats and knew where most lived but i started to noticed she was outside alot more than usual, and i saw her owner let one of her cats in but shoo'd her away She started to have scabs on her and i assumed she had fleas, I started feeding her and interacting with her more and i grew attactch Winter was comming and she was still constantly outside so i started planning.. A catnapping... I talked to my mom and dad on how she was being neglected (They are separated so we have 2 homes) took videos of her following me up to the mailbox and how skinny she was and they agreed to let me Me and my older sister drove up, she came right up to me, put her in my sweater snd we drove off to moms house 😂 Shes been with us for 6 years and shes so loving, and she dosnt ever try to go outside She clearly didnt want to be out there, and im so glad shes happy and healthy now 😢❤
I generally treat new animals the way I’d like new people to treat me. Don’t look at me. Don’t say hi. Don’t come close. Just ignore me and occasionally throw food in my direction.
21 years ago, i brought home a young tuxedo that was hurt with broken bones on the streets because he was hit by a car. It took me 4 days to catch him. He was operated and neutered, i already had 1 cat (lived 27 years) and i decided to keep him. He was the most stressed and traumatized cat that i ever saw but i always respected him and give him space to heal. It took 2 YEARS for all the traumas to pass and when that happened he became a such a special sweet, funny, intelligent, commutative cat. We had developed such a special bond between me and him that i always call him my soulmate for 20 years ❤. Unfortunately he passed away and i miss him so much. I was so lucky to meet him ❤😻
This gives me so much hope! Please read my comment above about my sweet boy, Chai, that I adopted four months ago. If it took you two years, I know I can wait for as long as it takes Chai to realize all his trauma and worries are over.
Yeah his "how to make a cat hate you" was very false in my experience doing what you just said, he (cat I had closest relationship ever) started coming up and standing there and I would talk at him, he would meow back. Before that no relationship at all, first week or so in house.
@@gwildordipkin6504maybe you need to rewatch it. The context is very clear, he's talking about a guest in a house with a cat. And he is right, you don't stand over a cat and try to pet them as soon as you get there, they will run from you. You need to let them smell you first and it's always a good idea to get down to their level by sitting or kneeling down.
@gwildordipkin6504 all cats are different and there are many cats that are already pretty chill without much effort needed. The point of this video is a safe way to meet most cats without stressing them out, not to say that all cats require this approach for you to have any involvment
My kitty loves me. He sleeps with/on me, goes to the restroom with me, eats his food when I eat, watches TV with me, he is like my shadow. He is black, 7 lbs, and was feral. I saved him and now I have a permanent companion; every second of the day, he even talks to me. What a little charmer!
I have recently adopted a kiiten, and she's been my saviour. I'm now on atidepressants, but 2023 was a hell of a year, I wanted a cat so bad but couldn't even take care of myself. I was visiting family while adapting to my new medication, and when I came back home, the next day she was here with me, kind of like a fresh start. We've been together 30 days now, and she's my little motivator, without her and the meds I probably wouldn't be doing so well, and juggling life to make it work out. These videos have helped me understand her behaviour better, and, despite still biting too much, she's getting calmer and more used to our life together. I can't wait until years have passed and I can share much more beautiful moments with her.
Cats also tend to prefer people who are quiet, calm, and predictable. If you’re loud and animated, cats are less likely to approach you or want to hang around you.
I burst out laughing at the #2 Person who's avoiding the cat to end up be the one attracting the cat. Tracks with the ones who didn't want to be approached by cats to end up being the one the cats find more interesting 😂
Last year I adopted 2 rescue cats. 1 was terrified of me and now he sleeps with me/on me/or near me depending on his mood. It didn't happen over night. The key thing was being consistent with them, giving them (each) their own dedicated spaces, and respecting their boundaries. Slowly but surely the bond formed and trust started to form. It's not perfect, there are clear still signs of their PTSD from the past. I get it. But we work through that as a family.
❤also been adopting cats from the street, have four now and all are friendly, but the oldest is sick and not being able to put her on the box to take to the vet 😢 I'm struggling 😢
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful! Hearing about people who are patient, loving and empathic enough to learn to understand a cat's ways will continue to be music to my ears no matter how many times I read about it! 😊 😺 ❤🌸 thank you for your comment, love from England ❤
Your expertise and wisdom has saved my cat! I was thinking of placing him in a shelter to re home him because of constant aggression and some serious wounds. I've been implementing your techniques have worked, and my precious feline baby and friend is changing his behavior. Because I've changed mine. Thank you so much, Jackson! God bless you.
I've been socializing a *mostly* feral mama cat for the last year. She put her babies in my car engine thinking it would be a safe spot. All three of her babies were fixed and adopted out. Now I just have mama. With a ton of treats, patience, and *waiting for consent*, I am now able to walk up to her, put my hand out, and have her bump my hand with her head for pets and scritches. We can only do a little at a time before she pulls away, but that is ok. She pulls away, I thank her for being sweet, give her some treats or canned food, and we coexist in our home just fine. She has her stand-up crate that is always her safe spot if she wants to get away from everything, but she spends less and less time in there and more time out with the family. She may never be a super cuddly house cat, but she is no longer terrified of me and appreciates her warm bed and plentiful food. She is actually pretty sweet considering that she was wild before. I learned a lot from Jackson Galaxy and was able to apply that.
It can just take more time. Gradually I think you will see a shift where she is more friendly. You have already seen progress, that is likely to slowly continue
We adopted a feral mama and her two babies, two and a half years ago. Mama is now the cuddliest, most affectionate little girl. Our boy is still fear aggressive but sleep on the bed and is starting to tolerate being picked up, reinforced with a reward each time. He’s _very_ good motivated!
I fed a feral for a year before I could lure her into sunporch. She still didn't let me touch her for a really long time then she could be handled go to vets ( though it is a bit of a fiasco getting her in a carrier) and now she sleeps on me every night! She was completely feral and it took a few years to be like a regular pet and more than 5 years before she slept with me and now she never leaves me alone 😂 Can't use toilet alone can't sleep in position I want if I'm not facing the direction best for scratching her ears.... Hope your skittish mama cat becomes as cuddly and invasive of personal space as mine is! I'm so glad you were able to save them all!
@@stefs3460 It's been about 2 months since i commented this, and I am happy to say that I am able to pet her more and more each day. She has started to follow me around the house a little bit, even. My Siamese rescue cat is her best friend and she's been teaching her how to be a house cat. :D
Your explanation is the exact reason I don’t trust people who say they hate cats because they’re unapproachable. Those people have a problem with the fact that cats require consent. Big ol red flag to me
I spend money on an animal that hates me. Ifvi can't pet it like my dog it can go back to the street life. I saved it's life, bought it good food n toys n I get nothing from it.
There is a cat in the neighbourhood that walked right up to me and my kids in a super calm manner. We let him smell us and he rubbed his head on us and laid down. We gave him pets and he got up and walked into the bushes just as calmly. He was the calmest most relaxed cat I’ve ever seen. Made our day.
How amazing cats are that teach us humans about consent! That's why I think they are such great animals to help kids learn about this kind of stuff. They learn empathy, respect, consent, boundaries...
Yes! I think every kid deserves both the unique bonding experiences with animals like cats and dogs and rabbits and horses (etc) and the unconditional love they give us. Not right away, for some, but that kind of love is all the sweeter when it's earned. So many animals really LIKE kids, especially ones who are able to slow down. Our vet clinic has a program for schoolkids -- they come in and read a book, or a chapter of a book, to a cat in a nice big room with lots of levels. They sit for the whole time and are coached on letting cats come to them and respecting their boundaries/learning cat body language. It's a literacy program for kids, and a very good socialization program for adult cat rescues. And the look on a kid's face when the cat they've been seriously reading to sneaks into their lap and starts purring? Oh, that's just golden.
Hello from the UK…I inherited 2 cats a month ago from a friend who passed…never having had anything to do with a cat before … meeting them for the first time while my friend was ill was a first…your videos have been invaluable…a fantastic guide for me…they are eating well..coming and going as they please as I have a large full garden…and they sleep on my bed..I realise this will be a journey…all I can do is try my best and follow your advice…thank you so much…
@@midnightcat6116 thank you for your message…this is all so new to me…it’s so nice of people to comment on posts…as I mentioned Jackson has been a god send…xxx
My adult daughter asked us to take in her cat for a time, and I had never owned one but had developed an interest in them in the months before. I watched quite a few Jackson Galaxy videos and they were immensely helpful. A base camp, a room for them to start, letting them initiate contact, recognizing their space, litter box near a key area and above all respect. Getting down to their height, not staring, slow blin/chin nod, etc. it all helped and we now have a beautiful loving cat sharing our home. We now scent each other regularly, I dread giving her back but we will have a home for a new cat friend!
I find sometimes the sudden vocalization of speaking aloud to a weary cat makes then tense at the sudden voice. Sometimes instead of reolying in response i've found a light hum in acknowledgement or in mimicing their sounds they kind of play a telephone game of back-and-forth with brrt, mrrrt? Meow! And once they are either playful/haooy and intrested in friendly exchange it's easier to "oh hello beautiful fur baby" your way to affection with the cats. As well, when you're the Santa/Treat giver, if the kitty is alright with it, serve the treat out if the Santa's hand rather than just giving it to them. Put it on the back of your hand and let them nom it up, another gentle scent exchange and treats too as reward for the cat ❤🐈
I freaking love kitties!!! 🐱 just got one this Sunday, she sadly had a sinus infection and wasn’t very affectionate. Got her her meds and she’s starting to feel better now. She is all over me! I love it! She even sleeps in my bed now with me 😊😁 got her a week ago and just started her meds 2 days ago. So glad she’s feeling better! So playful now!
Another thing to note is when they're sniffing you out, they can detect by smell if you're angry, even if you aren't acting like it. That can be a reason for a cat to be hesitant with someone. So it's best to calm yourself down before trying to interact with them.
Happy Caturday! If you have other cats, keep new kitty in a safe place where she can watch the other cats and you interact; I find that calms her down, and eventually she will come and play, on her terms. Patience is the key.
While lying down and watching this, about 6 minutes into the video, got me some purring cat cuddles. Orange boy Ollie decided to lie down on my chest and get in my space for cuddles because I wasn't paying attention to him. 😆 I like watching these videos because even if I don't learn something new, review never hurts!
I've finally understood that pets deserve to be treated with respect. The same way humans don't want to be touched without permission, I have no right touching my cat without her permission. I feel bad for how I kept petting her and giving her scratches when she clearly wasn't liking it. 😢
Patience, time and caring slowly wins over the most scared and untrusting kitty. Don't force yourself on them but let them know you care and give them their space and be persistent......BUT....without forcing yourself on them (meaning trying to pet them, pick them up or even chase them to try to grab them...big NO NO's) Talk softly and make the loving eye contact...the "I love you" eyes and be extremely patient...eventually they'll come to you little by little and they'll seek out your attention and they'll learn to trust you. This could take years!!! But slow steady with extreme patience wins their trust and affection. That is how I eventually gained the trust and love of a shelter kitty that I'd adopted. She'd been extremely badly treated by her former humans and it ended with them dumping her in a park ravine (a park in the suburbs but with a river system that ran the length on the city right out into the country...hence the wolves and coyotes!) complete with wolves & coyotes at nighttime! Thankfully theses wild pups never caught her, at least they never killed her, but her trust of humans was destroyed!!! It literally took about three (3) years to completely gain her trust and affection. Thankfully I had other cats at the time so she could see me give them love and affection a most importantly that I treated them well! Without the other cats it might have taken more than three years to win her over. It was a long slow process but ...OH!!!... once I gained her trust and affection it was BEAUTIFUL ‼️ she was the BEST MOST LOVING KITTY ON EARTH!!! Well worth the work and wait!! She was the kitty love of my life, my soul mate kitty!!! I've had many gorgeous kitties but the relationship with this one girl was special and so beautiful and extremely loving and thankfully quite long! I was fortunate enough to have her for about twenty (20) years!!! She was estimated to be 3-4 when I'd gotten her. She passed away at around 24 years young from cancer!😭 She was sooo special that I'll never find another kitty like her!! But I love all of my kitties past and present. Patient & time work wonders!!! They did in our case! 🥰💖🐈⬛💖🐈💖💖
I'm always honored & delighted with others' cats liking me. If they want space, it's their place & decision. I respect them & they seem to know they can trust me.
Felis intelligence, ,persistently, denigrates canis' instinct!!! I prefer intelligent entities/organisms , , thus my rationale, for possessing,,a felis for my domestic, nonhuman, cohabitant!!
I posted my Bombay cat's bail. He was in the rescue agency (Paws and Claws) in Oro Valley for 4 weeks!!! It's a perfect match! When I got him home, he NEVER ran and hid. Slept with me the first night. About 4 hours after bringing him home. He is THE BEST sweetheart EVER!!! His shiny black coat and his bright yellow eyes stole my heart instantly. Perfect match! I hit the jackpot, and he did, too! He'll be 2 years old on August 6. Yeah, this cat pets me, too, mostly by bashing himself against me when I walk through the door after work and sending me off when I leave for work. He loves to show me what he created while I was gone- papers everywhere, his toys all over out of his basket, and LOVE! He ALWAYS must be near me. I am SO SO SO FLATTERED by our only 3 month relationship. He's my STARBOY! Match made in heaven! On my way out to work, I always tell him, "I love you, sweet boy, I will be home later.... and don't you be tearing up the house." He never tears up furniture or anything. He loves me back. He is the friendliest cat and was obviously well-treated before I adopted him! To his last human, I say 'thank you!"
That “other way” at 15:15 is my way. I just sit on the floor and look away from them until they start to investigate me. Using this approach, I’ve had a number of people over the years say (after a friendly encounter), “What is it with you and cats?? My cat *never* is friendly with people!” But I’ve lived with them all my life, and we just *understand* each other. It definitely works.
This is already helping me strengthen my relationship with my cats, and I just started these techniques of asking for consent this morning. My anxious cat is now cuddled up by my head, and my little void has her tail high and confident.
Hi Jackson, I’m a newbie cat owner (adopted 4 cats off the streets) 8:08 and your vids have been my encyclopedia to understanding cats. They’re so different than dogs (long time dog owner). I’d be lost without you.Thank you so much ❤
I’m still learning cat language, thanks to your wonderful videos Jackson Galaxy. All our babies are very affectionate except one, whom we fostered from a feral mama with babies, to adopting her. She’s well socialized with the other cats, but has yet to let us touch her. She doesn’t hide, but she keeps “ her space”. Only once has she come to my fingertip. She’s as sweet as she can be ♥️🐾🐾 if she decides she’d like to be petted one day, cool, if not, we accept her terms. It took me months to get 2 other ferals ( brothers) kittens to trust, and accept my touch, they now love being petted. One day, maybe she will want that same affection.
There’s one group of cats around my college who is being taken care of the community, and there’s this one cat, I call Toni, who would be the friendliest. Took three years but I finally got her/his trust. Now whenever I’m around the group’s territory, Toni would walk right up to me, nuzzle my legs, then hop on on my lap making biscuits, which is apparently a good sign because Toni really only does that with me. No one else. It’s funny cause up until recently, the other cats had started to warm up to me, even getting closer when I put food out. I’ve grown up with dogs, love being around them, they’re affectionate, and so I’ve never understood cats. The distaste stemmed from being scratched and always looked like they wanted to murder me. HOWEVER, as I hang out with Toni, I realize I have a lot more in common with cats than with dogs. My dog unfortunately passed away months ago and that got me thinking; Best of both worlds: own both a cat and dog and have them get along
I’m “the cat whisperer” 😂 Have had cats my whole life. Just got 2 kittens this week. Absolutely in love. My tactic to get cats to like me (more so cats that are strangers/friend’s cats) is to simply ignore them. I acknowledge them and say hey I know I’m a guest in your space and I respect you. I don’t stare at them. Just go about my business. Then they’re like okay I see you’re not a threat let me come up and smell/greet you. Works every time. Just giving any living being their space and that respect is paramount to a good relationship 🩵
Aside from what you said, I think one of the reasons cats tend to like me is that I'm quiet and soft-speaking, I don't make a lot of sudden big movements, and at least for cats I share spaces with for longer periods, my routine is consistent and predictable. I may be a generally anxious person, but my general presence is relatively calm. At least, that's I think how I won over the cat who - was at first just my spouse's cat, and I came along later - I was told she was very anxious and not super keen on people (she doesn't *love* people, but I managed to win her affection, which really does feel like I've hit the jackpot).
This is so lovely and charming! I know that same feeling, when you've clearly been accepted into a cat and your partner's house (it's always kind of the cat's house first) and you all form a new family unit together. It's delightful 😻
I thought you meant you had many cats that were 40+ years old, but now I think you just meant you've had cats for 40+ years but different generations. XD I was just surprised coz the oldest cats I've read/heard about were like 38 years old or something, but under 40 in any case.
And then there are the super social trusting friendly kitties, who just run up and nonconsensually pet themselves on you before you're even half inside the door.
After watching your videos for a while I took in a timid and a bit broken little cat and just did exactly what you said, not least all about getting consent, respect boundaries and read the body language. It worked like a charm, thank you so much!
it's so refreshing to see someone committed to understanding cats and their nature. I have two cats and Jackson has helped me navigate the murky waters around cat behavior. Through his wisdom I began to grasp the complex relationship between cats and humans. I have developed a deep respect for respect. Respect for territorial integrity.
After years of wanting a cat, I finally have one. My dad however "doesn't want" a pet. (He's one of those dads who pretends to hate the pet and has a mini "war" going on but secretly likes them.) Yesterday she was sleeping next to him and cuddling on his clothes for ages and he was like "this is why I didn't want a cat because cats get attached to me. I knew she'd love me"😂 he's warming up to her though and I'm so glad that I've finally gotten to rescue a kitty😻
Cats always like me. I never had a problem getting cats to like me. I find kindness and love is what cats respond to. They just know when a human loves them and they return the love.
Anytime someone gets a cat, I point them in your direction as you are the one I trust to teach people how to properly care for a cat, almost everything I know about taking care of a cat, I learned from you, and also my own cat experiences having grown up with cats a lot throughout my life. Number 1 rule I tell people, "don't look at a cat with dog lenses, cats are not dogs." and that's something people seem to forget. Oddly enough, my cat loves belly rubs, her brother on the other hand, "don't you dare touch me ANYWHERE on my body except for MAYBE my head... You are NOT the mama, so don't even think about it!!" The mama is my mom, and we call her the mama because it's cute and kinda funny. The only other person who can get away with petting Ozy anywhere is the dog grooming him... Every cat is different, nothing is a one size fits all for cats, but there is a baseline that can help you learn and grow with your cat.
I know it’s been a year, so you probably won’t see this, but thank you so much for all that you do! I’m a pet sitter, and all the years of watching you has helped me be a better cat guardian, but also better as a temporary guardian when I sit. Animals generally just like me, so it’s pretty easy, but having the knowledge you share has helped so much to make every sitting situation better. From introducing my two new sibling cats to my older cat after her brother passed away suddenly, to knowing how to introduce myself to new cats I’m sitting, your advice has helped so much. Thank you. You are just the best and I’m so glad you do what you do with so much passion and love.
When you sit down near them, ignore them at first. Don't look at them directly, give them an opportunity to look at you without having to make eye contact. Take in a big breath and let it out in an audible sigh, relaxing your body as you do so. Cats understand that kind of body language and they know that it means that you're chill.
I'm so happy you talked about the over the head pet people do! When I introduce my cat to people, many times I see that the cat was very friendly, belly up, or eager to investigate and get pets from that person, and then the person tries to pet her and did the overhead pet first thing! It used to be very frustrating because then the cat demeanor would change drastically and she would swipe or bite (lightly) while things were on a great start. After a few times I started telling people right before they even approached the cat to not do the overhead pet and offer their hand from a lower point. It's crazy how small things to us translate very differently to cats.
Jackson I really appreciate you. Watching cats is interesting, maybe amusing. Understanding my cat is heaven. Thanks to you Jackson I have an amazing relationship with my tuxedo companion. He tells me he loves being with me every day and thanks to you I can understand him and I now know how to tell him that I love him. Thanks ❤
I work at a place where i am inside and outside in a garden type setup independent living facility. There are several outdoor cats that are closer to domestic than feral. If you saw them, you wouldn't call them feral. I used this technique to more tame the large tortoise shell cat at work. Slowly over a few months she went from food only behind closed door to lettinge pick her up and hold like a baby. When a large dog attacked her and left nasty wounds on her nack legs and stomach she let me treat her wounds, even the stomach ones. She clearly didn't like the treatment but then i wasn't enjoying doing the treatment. She still lets me pet, carry and hold her. No one else at work can carry her. The technique does work.
I rescued a cat that was outside my office 2 years ago now while I was out for a walk. I brought her home & she ended up gravitating towards my husband (he was not a cat guy) & it made me feel sad cause I had really been wanting a cat & she found her way to me. I had started playing with her more often using one of those teaser toys that has an insect on the end of the line (she loves to hunt bugs) & ever since then, she comes to me for more play time & has become more affectionate with me. I’m so happy that we started bonding more. We even got her a playmate (we brought home a kitten) & they are super bonded now as well. He is also a very affectionate cat. I have watched every episode of My Cat From Hell & I feel like through other people’s experiences on the show, I’ve gotten to know & understand my cats so much more. I love seeing them feel so comfortable, confident, happy & loved. I can’t imagine my life without my kitties. They are like my children.
Great video Jackson! When I first met my cat in rescue shelter, I just sat with her and spoke to her in low quiet voice and didn't attempt to touch her. She loved this and we're best buddies now. I think cats like us talking to them in a gentle manner, and sometimes they like to talk back which is a lot of fun!
I managed to get my kitten to love and trust me very quickly by always getting down to her level, asking for consent by holding out my hand, listening to her cues and making my movements very relaxed and calm
I can't express enough how much I adore this video, it's incredibly helpful! In my family, we have this adorable ritual where we present the tops of our heads or our phones to our cat for a sniff. And you know what? After a good hair sniff, our little furball slow blinks or even lovingly bunts our heads. It's seriously the cutest thing ever. 🥰
My rewards to my darling cat was spoken... you're such a good boy, beautiful boy, etc. Pat on the head, kisses & a quick cuddle, he loved it & didn't need the treats. Always given respect & time out when needed, as even we need this ourselves lol. ❤️🐾❤️
I watched your videos and read your Mojo book before getting a kitten friend for my cat and I managed to help them go from total distrust to best buddies in 48 hours 😄
Been a "Cat Daddy"/whisper'r for decades now, just recently started fostering a 12y/o male and it turned into this past week that he's "ours". He's a sweet boy who's had a bit of a rough time before he came to us. His transition and acceptance to the crew went way better than I would've thought so we're dealing with a gregarious boy and an accepting clowder...your vid...and other vids are always loved and helpful!
We recently picked up a new 2 years old cat from the RSPCA. She had been dumped at a centre in London with an infected, degloved tail tip and had to have all but 1 inch of her tail amputated. The Centre told us that she was very timid and shy and would need somewhere very quite to stay until she was comfortable. When we brought her home she ran into the little igloo bed we got for her, but that's the only time she ever went into it. Withint 5 minutes she was exploring the house and coming up to everybody in it to bash her head and rub against us. Within 2 days she was demanding belly rubs and loving them. She lays in the room with me every day while I work from home, and sleeps by my head and belly everynight. I make sure to play with her every day with various toys, which she loves. We have been so lucky, she has neve once spat at or scratched any of us. It has been just the most joyous experience. She is just wonderful.
My friends just moved to a new house and a feral adopted them 😂 he just walked in and claimed the couch. I'll keep all of this in mind when I go visit!!
My Henry is my shadow. He follows me everywhere. He is a strictly an indoor cat. When I go out, I tell him, and when I come back, I make a huge deal that " mom is home. I've had every animal possible when my kids were young, but I never had such a bond with Henry. I didn't know that I could love my little family member so much. He is my world. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
This was a great reminder for me. I adopted a stray several months ago and, while I used these techniques to get him to be okay with me outside, I have forgotten to really keep it up now that he's inside. Cid and I thank you :D
My 3 yr old cat actually was so territorial, as you were speaking of their extreme territorial personalities, she pushed open a screen window in the night, as a COUGAR was on her territory 3 wks ago! Our other cat made unbelievable noise, growling hissing and these screams, not sure, as I only heard from the bed who was doing what...by the time I got to the living room the cougar quickly ran off, my kitty was unharmed outside, my noisy cat inside. This caused "misdirected aggression", for 10 days with them, really bad....now they are as loving and cuddly as ever. Just wanted to share, JUST how incredibly territorial they can be! My cats will not make friends with anyone who comes in the house, maybe something bad happened when they were kittens, taken away too soon etc....but friendly and lovable as can be with each other now, and always were with us....what a fright! Could you do a video on misdirected aggression. Think we did ok, but, what a scare! Thanks for all your great help, as always:)
I remember watching your show on Animal Planet when I was a kid, it was really fun. I would rather watch the channel instead of cartoons. I've had cats my whole life. Learning about them and making sure they're happy has always been a great passion for me. I'm in my twenties now but there's still so much to study and learn about them, it never gets old. I love cats and I love people who teach others about them. Love your work man, sending love! ❤
We select roommates based on how Kitty likes them. 9/10 times if someone sits down in our living room she will get up and leave. The 1/10 who pass her evaluation take the time to follow this advice. Our last candidate actually got told to pet her through a move we call "the paw" - Kitty gives a little pet to the human to signal she wants to be petted. So far her judgment has been excellent.
My cat hates my ex she hides as soon as she hears his car pull into the driveway, she doesn't do it with anyone else just him she said he is evil, boy I wish I had her when I met him all those yrs ago she could've warned me he is evil
Oh I see!! Just moved into a house with a cat and on my first night it sneaked into my room and slept on my bed. The next day it just stayed with me in bed. When I sent it out, few minutes later it starts scratching my door.
I'm telling you, before I picked up my cat, I have learned so much from you and your show "my cat from hell" from back in the days. I wanted to be ready. Then I picked him up and I can't describte to you, what awesome feeling it is having such a special bond with my cat. He is 7 years old now and I don't even want him to age any further but the bond we having, it's soooooo cool. He greets me at the door, he tries to block the door when I have to go, he shows me his belly and I am allowed to give him a few belly rubs cause I learned from you, over stimulation exists, so I give it a few rubs and then leave him be. I appreciate the love and respect he gives me and I give him the space he wants and needs. Every now and then I do force a kiss on his head cause he so cute and I love him but he starts purring immediately. That tells me everything I need to know. Thank you for your content.
I have found while pet sitting and I have gotten the trust of a cat. I have a special toy. It's a real peacock heather and usually they love it. My older cats that don't play as much we just sit on the floor and hold paws or sit together. It's a special bond you form with all your animals.
This video was great for me, as I just adopted my first cat yesterday! He's warming up to the house quite well, and he seems very comfortable with us as well 😁
I'm 18 and I just moved out my mama's house, And people I live with said I can't get a dog which is fine because it only I can commit to a dog. But I've always been a dog person. So I went to the shelter about a week ago and I picked up my first cat. Never owned one before. This is my one. So far she's like me but I'm still confused as to how to make her have the perfect little house. So I appreciate your channel and videos like this being able to help guide me around owning my own little furry fuzzball
All right! I am finally ready for my mission to befriend all outside cats near my house! (now managed only one, who even sat on my lap and visited my apartment, but didn't like, that there are other cats there)
I use these techniques at the shelter I volunteer at! Sometimes have to use treats between step 2 and 3 of the handshake. It has been 5 months since my cat passed. Last week, I adopted a bonded pair of 6 year olds that were surrendered. One is a wallflower, the other is a mojito. I went into their Basecamp room once I brought them home and just sat there. He came up and rubbed against me right away, she took another day. Now that it has been a week, they're pretty settled, and judging by all the cuddles, I think they like me ❤ I have been enjoying getting to know them. Thank you Jackson for the videos which have taught me everything I know and set me up for success! 😊
I do like a lot how you mention that some cats you will meet are just NOT properly adjusted to behavioural stuff, that is a very important thing in practice. My dad has a cat, and yeah, they just let their guests run after her to pet and I've never seen so many warning bites in a day in my life. But, as I am taking care of few stray cats - all TNR'd! - (and I've gotten two slight warning scratches in a year of doing so, and only lately the friendliest gal just nibbled on my wrist very gently - swiftly demanding more petting after) I'd love to see more "what to accustom a stray you feed and pet to". It's gonna be very every-cat-sensitive, of course, but I have a cuddly girl who loves being on my lap, demands pets, but I can't afford to take her in. It's just something I don't find many resources on, I don't want them to keep on killing local wildlife, and, well, be able to be picked up and such. Also I do want her just to be okay with being fine with being measured for a walk harness, honestly
I have and am still using all of these steps to make my rescues feel at home. I gave them a room of their own where humans don't go unless it's to be with the kitties. Everything outside of that room is their choice. Don't touch my cat without his consent, please. They aren't ready for aggressive people.
My cat shoulder-charges and head-butts some people. They think it's scent marking but I can tell the difference. He's trying to knock them over. He's only hissed a couple of times at other people. Usually, he hides under the bed when other people turn up.
Thank you so much for all the amazing info you put out into the cat and kittenverse. Last week a tiny kitten was pulled out from behind a wall at the school where I teach. Being the resident "cat lady" they brought him to me and I, of course, took him home. Your videos have been so helpful in taking care of him. Also, he seemed really sad after losing his mom and littermates and my other 2 older cats want nothing to him right now, so after watching your "don't adopt just one" video, I decided to get him a little friend. It "just so happened" that this past weekend, my local animal shelter was having an "adoption fees waived" weekend and I was able to adopt a new little friend for him. He's about 4-5 weeks and his new friend is about 10 weeks, but he'll catch up. They are already snuggling up together in their little bed at sleep time!!
My precious Kitty is in the vets with a life threatening illness right now. I'm not sure why I'm watching this video at this point but it's comforting to remember how we became close friends, so much so that when she was in immense pain today she let me handle her completely without resistance because I built up our trust. She has a 50/50 chance apparently to make it to tomorrow. I won't report back sadly because I'll either be too happy or too devastated to remember.
I learned about the i-love-you-slow-blink a while go in one of your vids and I'm doing it as often as I'm interacting with my cats. And their loving it. Usually when I'm slow blinking my cats will respond with a slow blink, come over to me, sit down on my legs or my chest and fall asleep right there. It's amazing. And also the Michelangelo-Technique is an amazing thing. I have a cat here that is very easily overstimulated. Thatswhy I usually let HIM guide my hand, where he wanted to be touched and also, when he is turning his had away from me I now, that he had enough and I have to stop.
Well this video was well timed for me at least, I'm off to adopt my next senior cat tomorrow, and this is a useful refresher. Sadly I lost my previous elderly best friend to cancer some months ago, but when he first arrived in his new home I adopted every technique I'd learned, and he settled in within 15 minutes. So I'm hoping the new cat I'll be caring for will settle into their new home successfully.
a pinch of treats after every time i clean his litter box. 3 days, and he was coming to get his box cleaned after he used it. our house does not smell like a "cat house", and he always has a clean box to use. if you are cramped for space, and can only fit in one box, this is a god-send! good kitty!
I’m both the “cats love me” person, and the “allergic” person 😂 I adore cats, despite the allergies, but I’ve always been conscious of respecting their boundaries like you’ve laid out here and not rushing in, which I think translates to cats also liking me. A couple of years ago I went to visit my friend/ex-partner, who had a brand new kitten (Mango) - adding to the cat family of a 7 month old brother of this new kitten (Simba - same parents, different litter), plus a 7 year old cat who had been pretty happy about being a solo cat until Simba burst onto the scene and wanted to pounce and play and fight the whole time. In stark contrast to how bouncy and boisterous Simba had been initially, Mango had been very shy and quiet to start with, and took a good while to warm up to her new people, from what I heard. I think she’d been there for a couple of weeks when I visited and had settled in, but I took those tales to heart and made a point of giving her all the control in the situation of me meeting her, and let her come to me. My patience paid off - I put in the work of patience that whole evening, and that night she came to find me, and initially curled up to sleep in the crook of my knees, then gradually made her way up the bed until she was nestled all the way under my chin, purring deeply in my ear, with her paws both tucked under my neck 😻🥰😻
We rescued a cat someone left at our apartments. She was already tamed, but she had a feral baby we couldn't catch. Finally the cat started coming in to eat and sleep, but we still couldn't touch her. She had 3 kittens, one she never let leave her side. Rosy (1 yr) is now an under the bed cat, we have never touched. I would love to be able to show both of them the love I show Bailey. Even if it is just not to have them run when I put down there food.
A kitten just found me and I’m a dog person and never been around a cat. Basically, she’s awesome and I’m trying to learn all I can. Awesome videos and I seriously had no idea how cool these little souls are ❤
this consent thing (which totally makes sense) would makes it a LOT tougher for a feline-ignorant “dog person” like me to make a connection with a shelter cat while looking to adopt. we rip them out of their kennels, toss them into the “play room” while tossing donated treats at them, and we wonder why they dash under a table in the corner. That Tinsel didn’t scratch our eyes out that first meet and greet was a miracle. She came in as a pregnant stray and i fell in love with her pregnancy/birth/welp/wean story the shelter followed by daily video updates on their web page. 3 days after her spay we went to meet her, and seeing this we did EVERYTHING wrong. we struggled through, and 9 months later she rules the roost above 4 dogs and 5 humans
Great video! Other things I find helpful are to be mindful of not blocking the room's exit in case they don't even want to be in the same space, being careful not to corner even my own cats, and especially for unfamiliar kitties when I'm kneeling to pet them I stay towards their side instead of directly in front blocking their path, so they'll more easily be able to get away from me if they want to. All that plus the things in this vid and I've gotten a pretty high first meet success rate so far ^.^
Okay, subscribed today. It's almost frightening how aligned our philosophy and approach to our feline friends is. I've always been a cat person, but have participated in things I'm not proud of with them, as well (before I knew better, I had one declawed). Cats have always been my favorite animals, from the Siberian Tiger to the little Devon Rex. It took a really special relationship to fully realize my talents with them, but it also drove me to learn more about their behavior, and modify my own to be even more empathetic with them. We have two, now, and it annoys my wife that they give me so much more attention than her. Also, please please please forgive me for the declawing. I really had no idea the impact it would have on her. It is, literally, one of the biggest regrets in my life. Rest in peace my little Mistletoe!
Hey, it's okay, don't beat yourself up about it. Now you have the knowledge to help others see why they shouldn't declaw their cats! We all do the best we can with the knowledge we have, and I'm sure you loved Mistletoe very much and I'm sure she loved you too.
I'm a most experienced with dogs but love all animals and usually they like me too. The technique you use for cats is applicable to dogs and for every animal in general. When I enter the place, I never approach them directly, never look them in the eyes directly, just "ignore" them and sit down away from them, givnig them time and place to evaluate and get confidence to interact if they want. most of the time their curiosity takes over, works almost all the time.
My cat (first time cat owner here) doesn't like sudden movements. So keeping my movements slow and predictable is what keeps her comfortable (she's a recent rescue). Same with sounds, it helps if I use a calming voice to anounce myself before entering the room or approaching her.
Cats are WONDERFUL Beings!! I just had to put down my 19+ Year old today, and I am sad, but it had to be done. I "Think" that I did the right thing for my little friend.. The Vet said that if she could talk, that she would Thank me! She was unable to walk anymore and became blind a few months ago.. She had a good life, my mother and I saved her from deathe row many years ago. A Great Friend and the house is kinda empty without her! I am just dealing with the first night.. I ADORE Cats!
Thanks J. Galaxy!! Just discovered you a few months ago. Have learned so much already!! Thanks for the posts, keep them coming!! I especially love the slow blink. Cheers!! 👍👍👍
I found a cat outside Friday night and brought him into my bathroom. Sat down. He rubbed on me and laid in my lap. It's been 4 days and he hasn't left my side. I feel honored to be chosen. I've been watching your videos/show since I was a kid and have just been constantly gathering info until the right time has come. Thank you for teaching me so much I now have a furever friend from the very first night 💜 (vet and microchip app is scheduled for the soonest date and catification is a top priority for Sunshine, any suggestions on pet insurance would be great! I also have a dog, they are...getting to know each other slowly lol)
Congrats on your new fur baby. I'm not sure you need pet insurance. Your annual visits probably aren't covered. Spend that money on making real food for your baby. There are 2 great videos on RUclips showing how to make healthy cat food at home. Good luck.
I got a new kitten from a feral mom and he is very loving and sweet except when he winds up. Your videos have helped me understand him better. I am now working with him. At 72 I can't afford to be bitten and scratched. I thought I might have to give him up. Now I know I can work with him. I've had cats all my life but he is the wildest kitten I've ever had. I can't afford to get a playmate for him. I'm relieved to have an idea of how to work with him. His name is Artie and he really is so loving and sweet. Thank you
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I've never had cats around me. I've always been a dog guy. A year ago I had to move out and started living with a flatmate. She has a cat. Since I did not know how to interact with cats... I just let him be: no touching him, just respecting his space. He loved it! In a couple weeks he was always around me and checking what was I doing. Sat on my lap while I was working from home and we were best buddies for the time I lived there. Now I am 100% a cat guy :)
love this!
😻
Welcome to the wonderful world of felines!! ❤😻
Cat guys are 🔥💜😼.
I did the exact same thing with a cat who loathed being touched. And as with you, two weeks later she was like Velcro.😄
A 4 month old feral kitten wandered into our garage one cold winter. We put some tuna out for her and left, since she wouldn't come out from where she was hiding while we were there. My then 17 year old son wanted to keep her. I said no, we have a dog, it's more expense etc. My son took more tuna, spread a blanket on the floor of the garage sat down and waited. 2 hours later we looked out and she was curled up in his lap. My husband looked at me and said, "I think we're keeping the cat". 4 years later she's sleeping on the arm of my chair which is one of her spots. My son's in college now. When he comes home on break she races to him!
Very special memory Glad you helped your son experience this.
I love stories like that! And they lived happily -ever- after😻💕💕💕🐈🐾🐾💕💕
I lived in a townhouse complex and i always saw this fluffy black cat around,
Id talk to and pet all the local cats and knew where most lived
but i started to noticed she was outside alot more than usual,
and i saw her owner let one of her cats in but shoo'd her away
She started to have scabs on her and i assumed she had fleas,
I started feeding her and interacting with her more and i grew attactch
Winter was comming and she was still constantly outside so i started planning.. A catnapping...
I talked to my mom and dad on how she was being neglected
(They are separated so we have 2 homes)
took videos of her following me up to the mailbox and how skinny she was and they agreed to let me
Me and my older sister drove up, she came right up to me, put her in my sweater snd we drove off to moms house 😂
Shes been with us for 6 years and shes so loving, and she dosnt ever try to go outside
She clearly didnt want to be out there, and im so glad shes happy and healthy now 😢❤
Sweet.❤😻
I generally treat new animals the way I’d like new people to treat me. Don’t look at me. Don’t say hi. Don’t come close. Just ignore me and occasionally throw food in my direction.
21 years ago, i brought home a young tuxedo that was hurt with broken bones on the streets because he was hit by a car. It took me 4 days to catch him. He was operated and neutered, i already had 1 cat (lived 27 years) and i decided to keep him. He was the most stressed and traumatized cat that i ever saw but i always respected him and give him space to heal. It took 2 YEARS for all the traumas to pass and when that happened
he became a such a special sweet, funny, intelligent, commutative cat. We had developed such a special bond between me and him that i always call him my soulmate for 20 years ❤. Unfortunately he passed away and i miss him so much. I was so lucky to meet him ❤😻
I love tuxedos! They are plain on the outside but oh so sweet inside!
This gives me so much hope! Please read my comment above about my sweet boy, Chai, that I adopted four months ago. If it took you two years, I know I can wait for as long as it takes Chai to realize all his trauma and worries are over.
Awesome story - but holy shit 27 years! You clearly give your furry buddies the best care and love
What generally works for me is to sit down, act calm, speak softly, and ignore the cat. They eventually come around to see what I'm all about.
Yeah his "how to make a cat hate you" was very false in my experience doing what you just said, he (cat I had closest relationship ever) started coming up and standing there and I would talk at him, he would meow back. Before that no relationship at all, first week or so in house.
I've found that this works. Just stay calm and cool. 😊
@@gwildordipkin6504maybe you need to rewatch it. The context is very clear, he's talking about a guest in a house with a cat. And he is right, you don't stand over a cat and try to pet them as soon as you get there, they will run from you.
You need to let them smell you first and it's always a good idea to get down to their level by sitting or kneeling down.
@gwildordipkin6504 all cats are different and there are many cats that are already pretty chill without much effort needed. The point of this video is a safe way to meet most cats without stressing them out, not to say that all cats require this approach for you to have any involvment
Ignoring is an active form of flirting, to a cat.
My kitty loves me. He sleeps with/on me, goes to the restroom with me, eats his food when I eat, watches TV with me, he is like my shadow. He is black, 7 lbs, and was feral. I saved him and now I have a permanent companion; every second of the day, he even talks to me. What a little charmer!
I have recently adopted a kiiten, and she's been my saviour. I'm now on atidepressants, but 2023 was a hell of a year, I wanted a cat so bad but couldn't even take care of myself. I was visiting family while adapting to my new medication, and when I came back home, the next day she was here with me, kind of like a fresh start. We've been together 30 days now, and she's my little motivator, without her and the meds I probably wouldn't be doing so well, and juggling life to make it work out.
These videos have helped me understand her behaviour better, and, despite still biting too much, she's getting calmer and more used to our life together. I can't wait until years have passed and I can share much more beautiful moments with her.
Cats also tend to prefer people who are quiet, calm, and predictable. If you’re loud and animated, cats are less likely to approach you or want to hang around you.
I burst out laughing at the #2 Person who's avoiding the cat to end up be the one attracting the cat. Tracks with the ones who didn't want to be approached by cats to end up being the one the cats find more interesting 😂
Last year I adopted 2 rescue cats. 1 was terrified of me and now he sleeps with me/on me/or near me depending on his mood. It didn't happen over night. The key thing was being consistent with them, giving them (each) their own dedicated spaces, and respecting their boundaries. Slowly but surely the bond formed and trust started to form. It's not perfect, there are clear still signs of their PTSD from the past. I get it. But we work through that as a family.
I just think of Jackson saying “play with your cat!” Patience, affection, respect, time, play play play. Still learning but it is worth it❤❤❤
@@sleepykiss1that sounds amazing❤❤❤
❤also been adopting cats from the street, have four now and all are friendly, but the oldest is sick and not being able to put her on the box to take to the vet 😢 I'm struggling 😢
U are awesome to do that. May u 3 be Blessed ❤
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful! Hearing about people who are patient, loving and empathic enough to learn to understand a cat's ways will continue to be music to my ears no matter how many times I read about it! 😊 😺 ❤🌸 thank you for your comment, love from England ❤
Your expertise and wisdom has saved my cat! I was thinking of placing him in a shelter to re home him because of constant aggression and some serious wounds. I've been implementing your techniques have worked, and my precious feline baby and friend is changing his behavior. Because I've changed mine. Thank you so much, Jackson! God bless you.
The same thing happened with me and my cat. Jackson saves lives.
🥺🥺🥺🥺❤️
Thank you for not giving up on him
💖💖💖
yay❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉
I've been socializing a *mostly* feral mama cat for the last year. She put her babies in my car engine thinking it would be a safe spot. All three of her babies were fixed and adopted out. Now I just have mama. With a ton of treats, patience, and *waiting for consent*, I am now able to walk up to her, put my hand out, and have her bump my hand with her head for pets and scritches. We can only do a little at a time before she pulls away, but that is ok. She pulls away, I thank her for being sweet, give her some treats or canned food, and we coexist in our home just fine. She has her stand-up crate that is always her safe spot if she wants to get away from everything, but she spends less and less time in there and more time out with the family. She may never be a super cuddly house cat, but she is no longer terrified of me and appreciates her warm bed and plentiful food. She is actually pretty sweet considering that she was wild before.
I learned a lot from Jackson Galaxy and was able to apply that.
It can just take more time. Gradually I think you will see a shift where she is more friendly. You have already seen progress, that is likely to slowly continue
I adopted a female feral cat last year too. Patience seems to be the key.
We adopted a feral mama and her two babies, two and a half years ago. Mama is now the cuddliest, most affectionate little girl.
Our boy is still fear aggressive but sleep on the bed and is starting to tolerate being picked up, reinforced with a reward each time. He’s _very_ good motivated!
I fed a feral for a year before I could lure her into sunporch. She still didn't let me touch her for a really long time then she could be handled go to vets ( though it is a bit of a fiasco getting her in a carrier) and now she sleeps on me every night! She was completely feral and it took a few years to be like a regular pet and more than 5 years before she slept with me and now she never leaves me alone 😂 Can't use toilet alone can't sleep in position I want if I'm not facing the direction best for scratching her ears.... Hope your skittish mama cat becomes as cuddly and invasive of personal space as mine is! I'm so glad you were able to save them all!
@@stefs3460 It's been about 2 months since i commented this, and I am happy to say that I am able to pet her more and more each day. She has started to follow me around the house a little bit, even. My Siamese rescue cat is her best friend and she's been teaching her how to be a house cat. :D
I did not expect to come into a cat video and hear about human consent, but I love it.
Cats are truly curious by nature. If you show consistently that you arent a threat whatsoever they will venture towards you and what you are doing
Your explanation is the exact reason I don’t trust people who say they hate cats because they’re unapproachable. Those people have a problem with the fact that cats require consent. Big ol red flag to me
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
I spend money on an animal that hates me. Ifvi can't pet it like my dog it can go back to the street life. I saved it's life, bought it good food n toys n I get nothing from it.
There is a cat in the neighbourhood that walked right up to me and my kids in a super calm manner. We let him smell us and he rubbed his head on us and laid down. We gave him pets and he got up and walked into the bushes just as calmly. He was the calmest most relaxed cat I’ve ever seen. Made our day.
How amazing cats are that teach us humans about consent!
That's why I think they are such great animals to help kids learn about this kind of stuff. They learn empathy, respect, consent, boundaries...
Yes! I think every kid deserves both the unique bonding experiences with animals like cats and dogs and rabbits and horses (etc) and the unconditional love they give us. Not right away, for some, but that kind of love is all the sweeter when it's earned.
So many animals really LIKE kids, especially ones who are able to slow down. Our vet clinic has a program for schoolkids -- they come in and read a book, or a chapter of a book, to a cat in a nice big room with lots of levels. They sit for the whole time and are coached on letting cats come to them and respecting their boundaries/learning cat body language.
It's a literacy program for kids, and a very good socialization program for adult cat rescues.
And the look on a kid's face when the cat they've been seriously reading to sneaks into their lap and starts purring? Oh, that's just golden.
@@Jockdog that is so wholesome and wonderful ❤️
My cat is 22 yrs old. He gets angry when I use my phone.😾But he looks when I order his cat treats. 😻
Of course!😂
He takes his supervisory role seriously.
Morena was 15 last year. She also got angry at me when using the phone. I miss her ❤
Lol mine tooooo so cute right?😸😸
Mine sits on my chest to block my view of the phone 😾 hates it!
Hello from the UK…I inherited 2 cats a month ago from a friend who passed…never having had anything to do with a cat before … meeting them for the first time while my friend was ill was a first…your videos have been invaluable…a fantastic guide for me…they are eating well..coming and going as they please as I have a large full garden…and they sleep on my bed..I realise this will be a journey…all I can do is try my best and follow your advice…thank you so much…
Wow, you are an amazing friend.
I'm sorry for your loss and hope for all the best for you and your new family.
Thank you for being kind. I know you were an awesome friend
I’m so sorry about the passing of your friend 😢
Thank you for caring for the kitties. We don’t know each other but sending supportive vibes your way ❤
@@midnightcat6116 thank you for your message…this is all so new to me…it’s so nice of people to comment on posts…as I mentioned Jackson has been a god send…xxx
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE listening to Jackson teach us all about consent. Applies to everyone and everything, not just cats. Thank you Jackson! ♥♥♥
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
So true. 😌
My adult daughter asked us to take in her cat for a time, and I had never owned one but had developed an interest in them in the months before. I watched quite a few Jackson Galaxy videos and they were immensely helpful. A base camp, a room for them to start, letting them initiate contact, recognizing their space, litter box near a key area and above all respect. Getting down to their height, not staring, slow blin/chin nod, etc. it all helped and we now have a beautiful loving cat sharing our home. We now scent each other regularly, I dread giving her back but we will have a home for a new cat friend!
I find sometimes the sudden vocalization of speaking aloud to a weary cat makes then tense at the sudden voice. Sometimes instead of reolying in response i've found a light hum in acknowledgement or in mimicing their sounds they kind of play a telephone game of back-and-forth with brrt, mrrrt? Meow! And once they are either playful/haooy and intrested in friendly exchange it's easier to "oh hello beautiful fur baby" your way to affection with the cats.
As well, when you're the Santa/Treat giver, if the kitty is alright with it, serve the treat out if the Santa's hand rather than just giving it to them. Put it on the back of your hand and let them nom it up, another gentle scent exchange and treats too as reward for the cat ❤🐈
I freaking love kitties!!! 🐱 just got one this Sunday, she sadly had a sinus infection and wasn’t very affectionate. Got her her meds and she’s starting to feel better now. She is all over me! I love it! She even sleeps in my bed now with me 😊😁 got her a week ago and just started her meds 2 days ago. So glad she’s feeling better! So playful now!
I adopted sisters in August (It’s now December) and it has taken one of them this long to finally open up. It makes her affection that much sweeter. 🥺
Another thing to note is when they're sniffing you out, they can detect by smell if you're angry, even if you aren't acting like it. That can be a reason for a cat to be hesitant with someone. So it's best to calm yourself down before trying to interact with them.
Happy Caturday! If you have other cats, keep new kitty in a safe place where she can watch the other cats and you interact; I find that calms her down, and eventually she will come and play, on her terms. Patience is the key.
👍💯💯❤️😸❤️
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
While lying down and watching this, about 6 minutes into the video, got me some purring cat cuddles. Orange boy Ollie decided to lie down on my chest and get in my space for cuddles because I wasn't paying attention to him. 😆
I like watching these videos because even if I don't learn something new, review never hurts!
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
I've finally understood that pets deserve to be treated with respect. The same way humans don't want to be touched without permission, I have no right touching my cat without her permission. I feel bad for how I kept petting her and giving her scratches when she clearly wasn't liking it. 😢
Patience, time and caring slowly wins over the most scared and untrusting kitty.
Don't force yourself on them but let them know you care and give them their space and be persistent......BUT....without forcing yourself on them (meaning trying to pet them, pick them up or even chase them to try to grab them...big NO NO's)
Talk softly and make the loving eye contact...the "I love you" eyes and be extremely patient...eventually they'll come to you little by little and they'll seek out your attention and they'll learn to trust you. This could take years!!! But slow steady with extreme patience wins their trust and affection.
That is how I eventually gained the trust and love of a shelter kitty that I'd adopted. She'd been extremely badly treated by her former humans and it ended with them dumping her in a park ravine (a park in the suburbs but with a river system that ran the length on the city right out into the country...hence the wolves and coyotes!) complete with wolves & coyotes at nighttime!
Thankfully theses wild pups never caught her, at least they never killed her, but her trust of humans was destroyed!!!
It literally took about three (3) years to completely gain her trust and affection. Thankfully I had other cats at the time so she could see me give them love and affection a most importantly that I treated them well! Without the other cats it might have taken more than three years to win her over. It was a long slow process but ...OH!!!... once I gained her trust and affection it was BEAUTIFUL ‼️ she was the BEST MOST LOVING KITTY ON EARTH!!! Well worth the work and wait!! She was the kitty love of my life, my soul mate kitty!!! I've had many gorgeous kitties but the relationship with this one girl was special and so beautiful and extremely loving and thankfully quite long! I was fortunate enough to have her for about twenty (20) years!!! She was estimated to be 3-4 when I'd gotten her. She passed away at around 24 years young from cancer!😭
She was sooo special that I'll never find another kitty like her!! But I love all of my kitties past and present.
Patient & time work wonders!!! They did in our case! 🥰💖🐈⬛💖🐈💖💖
I'm always honored & delighted with others' cats liking me. If they want space, it's their place & decision. I respect them & they seem to know they can trust me.
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
Felis intelligence, ,persistently, denigrates canis' instinct!!! I prefer intelligent entities/organisms , , thus my rationale, for possessing,,a felis for my domestic, nonhuman, cohabitant!!
I posted my Bombay cat's bail. He was in the rescue agency (Paws and Claws) in Oro Valley for 4 weeks!!! It's a perfect match! When I got him home, he NEVER ran and hid. Slept with me the first night. About 4 hours after bringing him home. He is THE BEST sweetheart EVER!!! His shiny black coat and his bright yellow eyes stole my heart instantly. Perfect match! I hit the jackpot, and he did, too! He'll be 2 years old on August 6. Yeah, this cat pets me, too, mostly by bashing himself against me when I walk through the door after work and sending me off when I leave for work. He loves to show me what he created while I was gone- papers everywhere, his toys all over out of his basket, and LOVE! He ALWAYS must be near me. I am SO SO SO FLATTERED by our only 3 month relationship. He's my STARBOY! Match made in heaven! On my way out to work, I always tell him, "I love you, sweet boy, I will be home later.... and don't you be tearing up the house." He never tears up furniture or anything. He loves me back. He is the friendliest cat and was obviously well-treated before I adopted him! To his last human, I say 'thank you!"
That “other way” at 15:15 is my way. I just sit on the floor and look away from them until they start to investigate me. Using this approach, I’ve had a number of people over the years say (after a friendly encounter), “What is it with you and cats?? My cat *never* is friendly with people!” But I’ve lived with them all my life, and we just *understand* each other. It definitely works.
This is already helping me strengthen my relationship with my cats, and I just started these techniques of asking for consent this morning. My anxious cat is now cuddled up by my head, and my little void has her tail high and confident.
Hi Jackson, I’m a newbie cat owner (adopted 4 cats off the streets) 8:08 and your vids have been my encyclopedia to understanding cats. They’re so different than dogs (long time dog owner). I’d be lost without you.Thank you so much ❤
Same here. Plus kitten lady. I had to watch so many videos lol.....
I’m still learning cat language, thanks to your wonderful videos Jackson Galaxy. All our babies are very affectionate except one, whom we fostered from a feral mama with babies, to adopting her. She’s well socialized with the other cats, but has yet to let us touch her. She doesn’t hide, but she keeps “ her space”. Only once has she come to my fingertip. She’s as sweet as she can be ♥️🐾🐾 if she decides she’d like to be petted one day, cool, if not, we accept her terms. It took me months to get 2 other ferals ( brothers) kittens to trust, and accept my touch, they now love being petted. One day, maybe she will want that same affection.
There’s one group of cats around my college who is being taken care of the community, and there’s this one cat, I call Toni, who would be the friendliest. Took three years but I finally got her/his trust. Now whenever I’m around the group’s territory, Toni would walk right up to me, nuzzle my legs, then hop on on my lap making biscuits, which is apparently a good sign because Toni really only does that with me. No one else. It’s funny cause up until recently, the other cats had started to warm up to me, even getting closer when I put food out.
I’ve grown up with dogs, love being around them, they’re affectionate, and so I’ve never understood cats. The distaste stemmed from being scratched and always looked like they wanted to murder me. HOWEVER, as I hang out with Toni, I realize I have a lot more in common with cats than with dogs. My dog unfortunately passed away months ago and that got me thinking;
Best of both worlds: own both a cat and dog and have them get along
I’m “the cat whisperer” 😂 Have had cats my whole life. Just got 2 kittens this week. Absolutely in love.
My tactic to get cats to like me (more so cats that are strangers/friend’s cats) is to simply ignore them. I acknowledge them and say hey I know I’m a guest in your space and I respect you. I don’t stare at them. Just go about my business. Then they’re like okay I see you’re not a threat let me come up and smell/greet you. Works every time. Just giving any living being their space and that respect is paramount to a good relationship 🩵
Aside from what you said, I think one of the reasons cats tend to like me is that I'm quiet and soft-speaking, I don't make a lot of sudden big movements, and at least for cats I share spaces with for longer periods, my routine is consistent and predictable. I may be a generally anxious person, but my general presence is relatively calm. At least, that's I think how I won over the cat who - was at first just my spouse's cat, and I came along later - I was told she was very anxious and not super keen on people (she doesn't *love* people, but I managed to win her affection, which really does feel like I've hit the jackpot).
This is so lovely and charming! I know that same feeling, when you've clearly been accepted into a cat and your partner's house (it's always kind of the cat's house first) and you all form a new family unit together. It's delightful 😻
Owner of many cats over 40+ years. I still learned something. Thanks, Jackson!
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
I thought you meant you had many cats that were 40+ years old, but now I think you just meant you've had cats for 40+ years but different generations. XD
I was just surprised coz the oldest cats I've read/heard about were like 38 years old or something, but under 40 in any case.
And then there are the super social trusting friendly kitties, who just run up and nonconsensually pet themselves on you before you're even half inside the door.
I have one of each. Friendliest cat of all time and the least trusting cat in the world.
After watching your videos for a while I took in a timid and a bit broken little cat and just did exactly what you said, not least all about getting consent, respect boundaries and read the body language. It worked like a charm, thank you so much!
Just bear in mind, if they have had trauma in their lives, they may still need the slow consent thing for a while to come.
@@davinasquirrel7672 Yes, so true. He is doing so well but I never forget where we started and I respect that.
it's so refreshing to see someone committed to understanding cats and their nature. I have two cats and Jackson has helped me navigate the murky waters around cat behavior. Through his wisdom I began to grasp the complex relationship between cats and humans. I have developed a deep respect for respect. Respect for territorial integrity.
After years of wanting a cat, I finally have one. My dad however "doesn't want" a pet. (He's one of those dads who pretends to hate the pet and has a mini "war" going on but secretly likes them.) Yesterday she was sleeping next to him and cuddling on his clothes for ages and he was like "this is why I didn't want a cat because cats get attached to me. I knew she'd love me"😂 he's warming up to her though and I'm so glad that I've finally gotten to rescue a kitty😻
Cats always like me. I never had a problem getting cats to like me. I find kindness and love is what cats respond to. They just know when a human loves them and they return the love.
Anytime someone gets a cat, I point them in your direction as you are the one I trust to teach people how to properly care for a cat, almost everything I know about taking care of a cat, I learned from you, and also my own cat experiences having grown up with cats a lot throughout my life. Number 1 rule I tell people, "don't look at a cat with dog lenses, cats are not dogs." and that's something people seem to forget. Oddly enough, my cat loves belly rubs, her brother on the other hand, "don't you dare touch me ANYWHERE on my body except for MAYBE my head... You are NOT the mama, so don't even think about it!!" The mama is my mom, and we call her the mama because it's cute and kinda funny. The only other person who can get away with petting Ozy anywhere is the dog grooming him... Every cat is different, nothing is a one size fits all for cats, but there is a baseline that can help you learn and grow with your cat.
I know it’s been a year, so you probably won’t see this, but thank you so much for all that you do! I’m a pet sitter, and all the years of watching you has helped me be a better cat guardian, but also better as a temporary guardian when I sit. Animals generally just like me, so it’s pretty easy, but having the knowledge you share has helped so much to make every sitting situation better. From introducing my two new sibling cats to my older cat after her brother passed away suddenly, to knowing how to introduce myself to new cats I’m sitting, your advice has helped so much. Thank you. You are just the best and I’m so glad you do what you do with so much passion and love.
When you sit down near them, ignore them at first. Don't look at them directly, give them an opportunity to look at you without having to make eye contact. Take in a big breath and let it out in an audible sigh, relaxing your body as you do so. Cats understand that kind of body language and they know that it means that you're chill.
I’m convinced Jackson is in fact a cat who transcended to human form only to share his wisdom with us
I'm so happy you talked about the over the head pet people do! When I introduce my cat to people, many times I see that the cat was very friendly, belly up, or eager to investigate and get pets from that person, and then the person tries to pet her and did the overhead pet first thing! It used to be very frustrating because then the cat demeanor would change drastically and she would swipe or bite (lightly) while things were on a great start. After a few times I started telling people right before they even approached the cat to not do the overhead pet and offer their hand from a lower point. It's crazy how small things to us translate very differently to cats.
Jackson I really appreciate you. Watching cats is interesting, maybe amusing. Understanding my cat is heaven. Thanks to you Jackson I have an amazing relationship with my tuxedo companion. He tells me he loves being with me every day and thanks to you I can understand him and I now know how to tell him that I love him. Thanks ❤
I work at a place where i am inside and outside in a garden type setup independent living facility. There are several outdoor cats that are closer to domestic than feral. If you saw them, you wouldn't call them feral.
I used this technique to more tame the large tortoise shell cat at work. Slowly over a few months she went from food only behind closed door to lettinge pick her up and hold like a baby.
When a large dog attacked her and left nasty wounds on her nack legs and stomach she let me treat her wounds, even the stomach ones.
She clearly didn't like the treatment but then i wasn't enjoying doing the treatment.
She still lets me pet, carry and hold her. No one else at work can carry her. The technique does work.
I rescued a cat that was outside my office 2 years ago now while I was out for a walk. I brought her home & she ended up gravitating towards my husband (he was not a cat guy) & it made me feel sad cause I had really been wanting a cat & she found her way to me. I had started playing with her more often using one of those teaser toys that has an insect on the end of the line (she loves to hunt bugs) & ever since then, she comes to me for more play time & has become more affectionate with me. I’m so happy that we started bonding more. We even got her a playmate (we brought home a kitten) & they are super bonded now as well. He is also a very affectionate cat. I have watched every episode of My Cat From Hell & I feel like through other people’s experiences on the show, I’ve gotten to know & understand my cats so much more. I love seeing them feel so comfortable, confident, happy & loved. I can’t imagine my life without my kitties. They are like my children.
Great video Jackson! When I first met my cat in rescue shelter, I just sat with her and spoke to her in low quiet voice and didn't attempt to touch her. She loved this and we're best buddies now. I think cats like us talking to them in a gentle manner, and sometimes they like to talk back which is a lot of fun!
I managed to get my kitten to love and trust me very quickly by always getting down to her level, asking for consent by holding out my hand, listening to her cues and making my movements very relaxed and calm
I can't express enough how much I adore this video, it's incredibly helpful! In my family, we have this adorable ritual where we present the tops of our heads or our phones to our cat for a sniff. And you know what? After a good hair sniff, our little furball slow blinks or even lovingly bunts our heads. It's seriously the cutest thing ever. 🥰
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My rewards to my darling cat was spoken... you're such a good boy, beautiful boy, etc. Pat on the head, kisses & a quick cuddle, he loved it & didn't need the treats. Always given respect & time out when needed, as even we need this ourselves lol. ❤️🐾❤️
I watched your videos and read your Mojo book before getting a kitten friend for my cat and I managed to help them go from total distrust to best buddies in 48 hours 😄
I lost my cat 2 months ago and 30.10.23 i get a new kitten. I cant wait thnx for the nice vid
Been a "Cat Daddy"/whisper'r for decades now, just recently started fostering a 12y/o male and it turned into this past week that he's "ours". He's a sweet boy who's had a bit of a rough time before he came to us. His transition and acceptance to the crew went way better than I would've thought so we're dealing with a gregarious boy and an accepting clowder...your vid...and other vids are always loved and helpful!
We recently picked up a new 2 years old cat from the RSPCA. She had been dumped at a centre in London with an infected, degloved tail tip and had to have all but 1 inch of her tail amputated. The Centre told us that she was very timid and shy and would need somewhere very quite to stay until she was comfortable. When we brought her home she ran into the little igloo bed we got for her, but that's the only time she ever went into it. Withint 5 minutes she was exploring the house and coming up to everybody in it to bash her head and rub against us. Within 2 days she was demanding belly rubs and loving them. She lays in the room with me every day while I work from home, and sleeps by my head and belly everynight. I make sure to play with her every day with various toys, which she loves. We have been so lucky, she has neve once spat at or scratched any of us. It has been just the most joyous experience. She is just wonderful.
As I listen to this I I am convinced that I am part cat! All of this makes sense to me it’s all intuitive with me and my baby. So much love.
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
In my house the consent lies in the sit down. If you sit you've given the cat consent to jump in your lap and then she expects to be loved on. Lol
My friends just moved to a new house and a feral adopted them 😂 he just walked in and claimed the couch.
I'll keep all of this in mind when I go visit!!
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
My Henry is my shadow. He follows me everywhere. He is a strictly an indoor cat. When I go out, I tell him, and when I come back, I make a huge deal that " mom is home. I've had every animal possible when my kids were young, but I never had such a bond with Henry. I didn't know that I could love my little family member so much. He is my world.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Henry has become your friend.
This was a great reminder for me. I adopted a stray several months ago and, while I used these techniques to get him to be okay with me outside, I have forgotten to really keep it up now that he's inside. Cid and I thank you :D
My 3 yr old cat actually was so territorial, as you were speaking of their extreme territorial personalities, she pushed open a screen window in the night, as a COUGAR was on her territory 3 wks ago! Our other cat made unbelievable noise, growling hissing and these screams, not sure, as I only heard from the bed who was doing what...by the time I got to the living room the cougar quickly ran off, my kitty was unharmed outside, my noisy cat inside. This caused "misdirected aggression", for 10 days with them, really bad....now they are as loving and cuddly as ever. Just wanted to share, JUST how incredibly territorial they can be! My cats will not make friends with anyone who comes in the house, maybe something bad happened when they were kittens, taken away too soon etc....but friendly and lovable as can be with each other now, and always were with us....what a fright! Could you do a video on misdirected aggression. Think we did ok, but, what a scare! Thanks for all your great help, as always:)
I remember watching your show on Animal Planet when I was a kid, it was really fun. I would rather watch the channel instead of cartoons. I've had cats my whole life. Learning about them and making sure they're happy has always been a great passion for me. I'm in my twenties now but there's still so much to study and learn about them, it never gets old. I love cats and I love people who teach others about them. Love your work man, sending love! ❤
Thank you Jackson ❤
We select roommates based on how Kitty likes them. 9/10 times if someone sits down in our living room she will get up and leave. The 1/10 who pass her evaluation take the time to follow this advice. Our last candidate actually got told to pet her through a move we call "the paw" - Kitty gives a little pet to the human to signal she wants to be petted. So far her judgment has been excellent.
Cats are excellent judges of character, so I'm not surprised.
I think nonhuman mammals are great at spotting red flags humans often mask with words
My cat hates my ex she hides as soon as she hears his car pull into the driveway, she doesn't do it with anyone else just him she said he is evil, boy I wish I had her when I met him all those yrs ago she could've warned me he is evil
Oh I see!! Just moved into a house with a cat and on my first night it sneaked into my room and slept on my bed. The next day it just stayed with me in bed. When I sent it out, few minutes later it starts scratching my door.
Empathy and compassion - works for cats and people! ❤
I'm telling you, before I picked up my cat, I have learned so much from you and your show "my cat from hell" from back in the days. I wanted to be ready. Then I picked him up and I can't describte to you, what awesome feeling it is having such a special bond with my cat. He is 7 years old now and I don't even want him to age any further but the bond we having, it's soooooo cool. He greets me at the door, he tries to block the door when I have to go, he shows me his belly and I am allowed to give him a few belly rubs cause I learned from you, over stimulation exists, so I give it a few rubs and then leave him be. I appreciate the love and respect he gives me and I give him the space he wants and needs. Every now and then I do force a kiss on his head cause he so cute and I love him but he starts purring immediately. That tells me everything I need to know. Thank you for your content.
I have found while pet sitting and I have gotten the trust of a cat. I have a special toy. It's a real peacock heather and usually they love it. My older cats that don't play as much we just sit on the floor and hold paws or sit together. It's a special bond you form with all your animals.
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking were are you from?
This video was great for me, as I just adopted my first cat yesterday! He's warming up to the house quite well, and he seems very comfortable with us as well 😁
I'm 18 and I just moved out my mama's house, And people I live with said I can't get a dog which is fine because it only I can commit to a dog. But I've always been a dog person. So I went to the shelter about a week ago and I picked up my first cat. Never owned one before. This is my one. So far she's like me but I'm still confused as to how to make her have the perfect little house. So I appreciate your channel and videos like this being able to help guide me around owning my own little furry fuzzball
I just feed, love & be attentive to my Lil fur Boy & he's Golden Smitten like an Emboldened Kitten. I'm a simple man, he's a simple ragdoll.😊❤😼
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All right! I am finally ready for my mission to befriend all outside cats near my house! (now managed only one, who even sat on my lap and visited my apartment, but didn't like, that there are other cats there)
I use these techniques at the shelter I volunteer at! Sometimes have to use treats between step 2 and 3 of the handshake.
It has been 5 months since my cat passed. Last week, I adopted a bonded pair of 6 year olds that were surrendered. One is a wallflower, the other is a mojito. I went into their Basecamp room once I brought them home and just sat there. He came up and rubbed against me right away, she took another day. Now that it has been a week, they're pretty settled, and judging by all the cuddles, I think they like me ❤ I have been enjoying getting to know them. Thank you Jackson for the videos which have taught me everything I know and set me up for success! 😊
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
I do like a lot how you mention that some cats you will meet are just NOT properly adjusted to behavioural stuff, that is a very important thing in practice. My dad has a cat, and yeah, they just let their guests run after her to pet and I've never seen so many warning bites in a day in my life.
But, as I am taking care of few stray cats - all TNR'd! - (and I've gotten two slight warning scratches in a year of doing so, and only lately the friendliest gal just nibbled on my wrist very gently - swiftly demanding more petting after) I'd love to see more "what to accustom a stray you feed and pet to". It's gonna be very every-cat-sensitive, of course, but I have a cuddly girl who loves being on my lap, demands pets, but I can't afford to take her in. It's just something I don't find many resources on, I don't want them to keep on killing local wildlife, and, well, be able to be picked up and such.
Also I do want her just to be okay with being fine with being measured for a walk harness, honestly
I have and am still using all of these steps to make my rescues feel at home. I gave them a room of their own where humans don't go unless it's to be with the kitties. Everything outside of that room is their choice. Don't touch my cat without his consent, please. They aren't ready for aggressive people.
My cat shoulder-charges and head-butts some people.
They think it's scent marking but I can tell the difference.
He's trying to knock them over.
He's only hissed a couple of times at other people.
Usually, he hides under the bed when other people turn up.
Thank you so much for all the amazing info you put out into the cat and kittenverse. Last week a tiny kitten was pulled out from behind a wall at the school where I teach. Being the resident "cat lady" they brought him to me and I, of course, took him home. Your videos have been so helpful in taking care of him. Also, he seemed really sad after losing his mom and littermates and my other 2 older cats want nothing to him right now, so after watching your "don't adopt just one" video, I decided to get him a little friend. It "just so happened" that this past weekend, my local animal shelter was having an "adoption fees waived" weekend and I was able to adopt a new little friend for him. He's about 4-5 weeks and his new friend is about 10 weeks, but he'll catch up. They are already snuggling up together in their little bed at sleep time!!
My precious Kitty is in the vets with a life threatening illness right now. I'm not sure why I'm watching this video at this point but it's comforting to remember how we became close friends, so much so that when she was in immense pain today she let me handle her completely without resistance because I built up our trust. She has a 50/50 chance apparently to make it to tomorrow. I won't report back sadly because I'll either be too happy or too devastated to remember.
I learned about the i-love-you-slow-blink a while go in one of your vids and I'm doing it as often as I'm interacting with my cats. And their loving it. Usually when I'm slow blinking my cats will respond with a slow blink, come over to me, sit down on my legs or my chest and fall asleep right there. It's amazing. And also the Michelangelo-Technique is an amazing thing. I have a cat here that is very easily overstimulated. Thatswhy I usually let HIM guide my hand, where he wanted to be touched and also, when he is turning his had away from me I now, that he had enough and I have to stop.
I remember being a kid and watching you on animal kingdom and now I’m about to get my first house along with my first bengal kittens, wow.
Well this video was well timed for me at least, I'm off to adopt my next senior cat tomorrow, and this is a useful refresher.
Sadly I lost my previous elderly best friend to cancer some months ago, but when he first arrived in his new home I adopted every technique I'd learned, and he settled in within 15 minutes.
So I'm hoping the new cat I'll be caring for will settle into their new home successfully.
Oh well, one hour after arriving in her new home, and she's snoozing next to me on the couch.
a pinch of treats after every time i clean his litter box. 3 days, and he was coming to get his box cleaned after he used it. our house does not smell like a "cat house", and he always has a clean box to use. if you are cramped for space, and can only fit in one box, this is a god-send! good kitty!
I’m both the “cats love me” person, and the “allergic” person 😂 I adore cats, despite the allergies, but I’ve always been conscious of respecting their boundaries like you’ve laid out here and not rushing in, which I think translates to cats also liking me.
A couple of years ago I went to visit my friend/ex-partner, who had a brand new kitten (Mango) - adding to the cat family of a 7 month old brother of this new kitten (Simba - same parents, different litter), plus a 7 year old cat who had been pretty happy about being a solo cat until Simba burst onto the scene and wanted to pounce and play and fight the whole time. In stark contrast to how bouncy and boisterous Simba had been initially, Mango had been very shy and quiet to start with, and took a good while to warm up to her new people, from what I heard. I think she’d been there for a couple of weeks when I visited and had settled in, but I took those tales to heart and made a point of giving her all the control in the situation of me meeting her, and let her come to me. My patience paid off - I put in the work of patience that whole evening, and that night she came to find me, and initially curled up to sleep in the crook of my knees, then gradually made her way up the bed until she was nestled all the way under my chin, purring deeply in my ear, with her paws both tucked under my neck 😻🥰😻
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
We rescued a cat someone left at our apartments. She was already tamed, but she had a feral baby we couldn't catch. Finally the cat started coming in to eat and sleep, but we still couldn't touch her. She had 3 kittens, one she never let leave her side. Rosy (1 yr) is now an under the bed cat, we have never touched. I would love to be able to show both of them the love I show Bailey. Even if it is just not to have them run when I put down there food.
A kitten just found me and I’m a dog person and never been around a cat. Basically, she’s awesome and I’m trying to learn all I can. Awesome videos and I seriously had no idea how cool these little souls are ❤
this consent thing (which totally makes sense) would makes it a LOT tougher for a feline-ignorant “dog person” like me to make a connection with a shelter cat while looking to adopt.
we rip them out of their kennels, toss them into the “play room” while tossing donated treats at them, and we wonder why they dash under a table in the corner.
That Tinsel didn’t scratch our eyes out that first meet and greet was a miracle. She came in as a pregnant stray and i fell in love with her pregnancy/birth/welp/wean story the shelter followed by daily video updates on their web page.
3 days after her spay we went to meet her, and seeing this we did EVERYTHING wrong.
we struggled through, and 9 months later she rules the roost above 4 dogs and 5 humans
Great video! Other things I find helpful are to be mindful of not blocking the room's exit in case they don't even want to be in the same space, being careful not to corner even my own cats, and especially for unfamiliar kitties when I'm kneeling to pet them I stay towards their side instead of directly in front blocking their path, so they'll more easily be able to get away from me if they want to. All that plus the things in this vid and I've gotten a pretty high first meet success rate so far ^.^
Yup, the three-step handshake for Jackson's channel 😊
Okay, subscribed today. It's almost frightening how aligned our philosophy and approach to our feline friends is. I've always been a cat person, but have participated in things I'm not proud of with them, as well (before I knew better, I had one declawed). Cats have always been my favorite animals, from the Siberian Tiger to the little Devon Rex. It took a really special relationship to fully realize my talents with them, but it also drove me to learn more about their behavior, and modify my own to be even more empathetic with them. We have two, now, and it annoys my wife that they give me so much more attention than her.
Also, please please please forgive me for the declawing. I really had no idea the impact it would have on her. It is, literally, one of the biggest regrets in my life. Rest in peace my little Mistletoe!
Hey, it's okay, don't beat yourself up about it. Now you have the knowledge to help others see why they shouldn't declaw their cats! We all do the best we can with the knowledge we have, and I'm sure you loved Mistletoe very much and I'm sure she loved you too.
I'm a most experienced with dogs but love all animals and usually they like me too. The technique you use for cats is applicable to dogs and for every animal in general. When I enter the place, I never approach them directly, never look them in the eyes directly, just "ignore" them and sit down away from them, givnig them time and place to evaluate and get confidence to interact if they want. most of the time their curiosity takes over, works almost all the time.
My cat (first time cat owner here) doesn't like sudden movements. So keeping my movements slow and predictable is what keeps her comfortable (she's a recent rescue). Same with sounds, it helps if I use a calming voice to anounce myself before entering the room or approaching her.
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
Cats are WONDERFUL Beings!! I just had to put down my 19+ Year old today, and I am sad, but it had to be done. I "Think" that I did the right thing for my little friend.. The Vet said that if she could talk, that she would Thank me! She was unable to walk anymore and became blind a few months ago.. She had a good life, my mother and I saved her from deathe row many years ago. A Great Friend and the house is kinda empty without her! I am just dealing with the first night.. I ADORE Cats!
Thanks J. Galaxy!! Just discovered you a few months ago. Have learned so much already!! Thanks for the posts, keep them coming!! I especially love the slow blink. Cheers!! 👍👍👍
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I found a cat outside Friday night and brought him into my bathroom. Sat down. He rubbed on me and laid in my lap. It's been 4 days and he hasn't left my side. I feel honored to be chosen. I've been watching your videos/show since I was a kid and have just been constantly gathering info until the right time has come. Thank you for teaching me so much I now have a furever friend from the very first night 💜 (vet and microchip app is scheduled for the soonest date and catification is a top priority for Sunshine, any suggestions on pet insurance would be great! I also have a dog, they are...getting to know each other slowly lol)
Congrats on your new fur baby. I'm not sure you need pet insurance. Your annual visits probably aren't covered. Spend that money on making real food for your baby. There are 2 great videos on RUclips showing how to make healthy cat food at home. Good luck.
@@kathymc234 thank you!
I am sooo effing grateful that I discovered your wonderful educational channel
Hey there I’m really impressed with your comment, please if you don’t mind me asking where are you from?
I got a new kitten from a feral mom and he is very loving and sweet except when he winds up. Your videos have helped me understand him better. I am now working with him. At 72 I can't afford to be bitten and scratched. I thought I might have to give him up. Now I know I can work with him. I've had cats all my life but he is the wildest kitten I've ever had. I can't afford to get a playmate for him. I'm relieved to have an idea of how to work with him. His name is Artie and he really is so loving and sweet. Thank you