How to help my new rescue cat become affectionate and eat her food?

You may want to consider adding in a few feliway diffusers. These are a natural pheromone to decrease stress in cats. Also there is a nice website I like that had good information on environmental enrichment in cats. www.drjeffnichol.com Best of luck and continue being patient. Most rescues I’ve had have taken close to a year to really adjust. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Some cats are simply more affectionate than others. I recommend not forcing any contact, as this can have a negative effect, but continue to offer toys and treats and try to play and interact. Over time Leo may become more affectionate, but he may not. Using pheromones like Feliway in a diffuser or spray may also help him adjust to the new situation. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37240

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!

A cat who was basically feral for 5 months may take quite some time to become more comfortable with handling, and she may never be a cuddly lap cat. It does sound like she is willing to have some interaction with you, so I would continue what you are doing in terms of offering her nice tasty treats when she comes to you. Also feeding her near you if she will eat with you nearby but not touching her (don't want to overwhelm her at first, just get her more used to your presence being nonthreatening). I wouldn't pick her up if it scares her just yet, and I wouldn't force her to meet/be touched or held by new people just yet. I would give her a few more months of settling in. You may also add feline pheremone diffusers (Feliway is my favorite brand) to the house and try calming supplements such as Composure or Zylkene to see if these help relieve some of her anxiety as well. You can find all these products online, or at some vet clinics.

Congrats on the new cat! Unfortunately, this is going to take some time as a lot of cats can be nervous in new surroundings during the day and tend to feel more comfortable during the night. You can try to some feliway diffusers to help calm her during the day to see if this helps. I would also try to feed her her favorite treats or canned food during the day to get her to come out so you can love on her. With time, she should start to come around. I hope this helps!

Poor Sophia. Some cats never truly do warm up or want attention. But there are some things you can try. One is try feeding something she really wants by hand. Either cat treats or canned food. Or if she won't eat from your hand yet. Start by sitting still next to her food bowl when you put it out. Resist the urge to pet her initially. Let her get comfortable with close proximity. Gradually over time see how she likes being petted. Some cats may only accept attention while you're on the floor wth them or she's on the bed with you. Try to keep things in her comfort zone Feliway diffusers around the house may also help with her baseline anxiety level as well. I strongly recommend looking into Feliway for skittish cats. https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected But mostly it's going to take time. It could be months but if you are patient and gentle about it she will likely start to look for more interaction. Try not to force things and don't grab or pick her up unless necessary. Let her come to you on her terms. Good luck! Thanks for using PetCoach.

Ah, cats. They are all so unique, and many of them don't particularly like humans. It goes against their instincts to be held or petted by humans. The best thing you can do right now is just to love Simon in the way he prefers. That may be playing with a toy, light petting down the back with an open hand, or even rough rubbing on the face/chin/ears. I wouldn't expect a kitten of his age to be overweight since they are usually quite active. You can try to prevent obesity by measuring out his food and not giving treats or human food. I recommend following the feeding guidelines on the bag of food. It is generally close to 1/2 cup per day. You could divide this into 1/4 cup twice a day. And that means using an actual measuring cup and not "eyeballing" it will a drinking glass.