How can I help my nervous, previously abused cat feel less anxious?

Some cats, especially if they were feral or not handled as kittens, will never be social. You may want to discuss different methods of reducing anxiety with you veterinarian such as using feline pheromones, anti anxiety medication, and environmental changes such as tall cat trees, hiding spaces, and safe litter box placement. It is unlikely that she will ever improve dramatically, but you might notice some improvement with these techniques. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cats, like people, have different personalities; some are very sociable and always want to cuddle, while others can be more reserved and independent. It may be partly personality contributing to his behavior, as well as adjusting to his new environment. A pheromone collar (they can be found on amazon, such as nurturecalm) may be a good option instead of feliway spray, as it is a continuous release for a full month. While the response is variable among cats, it is definitely something I would recommend giving a try. Additionally, if there is a type of treat that Vin really enjoys, I would recommend putting some down by you when you are sitting on the couch watching TV, etc. When he comes to eat them, don't force an interaction, but allow him to nibble on them and then decide where he wants to go. Over time, they can be moved closer and closer to you to encourage him to be more comfortable in close proximity. When he seems playful, play with him with a toy, etc and then allow him to leave when he is done. If he is on a feeding schedule, get his attention by opening a can or shaking food into his bowl, allow him to stand next to you and have a short interaction before you set it down. If he still seems uncomfortable after these suggestions, I would recommend either setting up a consult or reaching out to your regular veterinarian for further advice. Good luck!

Poor Piper, it must be really hard for her to live in this constant state of anxiety. I would personally suggest to help her settling in her own environment more, by providing lots of resources like places where she can hide if scared, feeding stations and introduce food puzzles, litter trays in quiet areas of the territory that she can access 24/7, and also recommend a pheromone diffuser https://amzn.to/3f74Ozw. There are also some nutritional supplements that helps reducing anxiety. Once she is more settled, try to leave an object out one at time and see if she will investigate it, go closer, sniff and praise her for doing so. This should be done in a gradual positive manner in order not to cause any stress. Hope this helps !

Poor little Sooki! If she comes from abuse or neglect, it’s possible she has a certain level of fear or anxiety around humans. You’re doing the right thing by being patient with her. Continue to encourage her to come out of her shell. Keep the environment peaceful and quiet. Continue to try to entice her to play. Try different types of toys to see if you find anything she is interested in. Cats will eventually come around to trust their primary care taker. Using a pheromone diffuser can help her in general to combat anxiety. Providing many hiding places and areas where she can get up high can also help. Lastly, there is a brand of food called Royal Canin that makes a diet called Calm that can help with feline stress. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This takes lots of time and patience to improve. You can try a Feliway pheromone spray or diffuser. That often relaxes cats and reduces their anxiety. If she enjoys grooming brush her for a short time each day. Usually then they will start coming out to get groomed and be with you. The loud noises are hard and there is not much to be done other than act calmly like you are doing. I never force a cat to come out or do do things that make them anxious as this will only worsen the problem. Make sure she has a quiet, private 'safe' place to go. With time she should improve, it's hard to get over bad kitten experiences. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Princess.

At this age it may be very difficult to change her pattern of behavior, she is obviously a very shy and anxious cat. Natural calming supplements or royal canin calm food can have very dramatic results and would be worth trying, as would a pheromone diffuser but it is unlikely she will become overtly friendly to strangers at this stage

Just like people, some cats are quite introverted and it can take a fair amount of effort to get them out of their shells. For many of these cats, their “shyness” is actually a sign of stress and anxiety, which is often fear-related. Try to find something your cat enjoys – a special treat, ear scratches, playing with the laser pointer – and encourage your cat to approach you. Do not force any interaction, as this often makes stress and anxiety worse. It may take a bit of patience and time. Calming pheromones, such as the Comfort Zone® Calming Diffuser, can help to minimize some cats’ stress, as can anti-anxiety medication prescribed by your veterinarian. If these strategies are not successful, it may be best to consult a [veterinary behaviorist](www.dacvb.org) for further advice.