Dear Miss Behavin’:
My new roommate just moved in and we’re having some trouble getting my cat to really like her. Every time my roommate tries to pet her, my cat keeps hissing and swatting. Any tips on keeping the peace?
New roommates and any other types of environmental changes in a home can be really stressful for a cat. So it is not too surprising that your kitty isn’t receiving your roommate’s gestures in kind. For some cats that are having a difficult adjustment to the newcomer, it can be just a matter of time for everyone to work out the kinks.
For starters, try ensuring that your cat has plenty of perches and vertical space to seek out should they not want to interact with your roommate. This gives them quiet areas where they can retreat to, relax in, and even watch the activity in the home without feeling intruded upon.
If your roommate is new to interacting with a cat, try having them create a positive and fun interaction by using toys to play with your cat. Especially fun toys that can be engaging between your roommate and your cat include long cat wands, pipe cleaners, and laser pointers. These types of toys provide a safe distance between both your roommate and your cat to interact with each other within their comfort zone, and prevent scratching or nipping from occurring.
Be sure to review your cat’s body language with your roommate, especially any specific queues for when your cat wants to be pet, played with, or given some space to do her own thing. It may be worthwhile to note any triggers that cause your cat to get hissy or swatty. Some cats do not like when hands are approaching them head-on, while others will get overstimulated easily with long pets from head to tail. At this point, it would be best to ensure that any handling or picking up of your cat is done by you and not your roommate, to further prevent any accidental injuries.
If you feel that your cat needs additional incentives to adjust to your roommate, try having the roommate give the cat a treat or wet food before any play-time or petting. This will help your cat associate a yummy reward with the roommate’s presence and the beginning of their interaction.
Until there is true harmony among both parties, it might be a good idea to supervise all interactions between your roommate and your cat. This helps ensure that both are safe and free of harm, and gives you a front seat in observing their behavior with each other; the slower the pace the better for the l