Can Guests Hold Your Cat: Every Owner Should Know
Cat owners adore their pet. And that's why they want to show everyone what a beautiful, smart and wonderful friend they have. Often, the arrival of guests turns into a demonstration of the pet in all its glory.
The cat is taken out of its bed or from under the sofa, where it hid, sensing something bad, and they start passing it around, where each guest tries to pet it, put it on their lap, put it on the sofa, kiss it and in every possible way demonstrate their affection.
But should you let guests handle your cat at all?
Every owner should know this
Imagine that a huge stranger comes into your house and starts petting you, squeezing you, and sitting you on his lap. Will you be pleased? Hardly.
Remember a small child, whom a barely familiar aunt tries to sit on her lap, saying something like "what a good girl." Most children try to dodge and hide away from such affection. Adults say "don't be shy," "don't be afraid," "sit with Aunt Marina." But the baby tries to escape at any cost.
And this is normal behavior of any living creature, because strangers bring danger. It can be obvious or hidden. To be wary of strangers, to avoid them and hide is an instinct laid down by nature.
An adult understands with his mind that "Aunt Marina" will not cause harm, but a child or a cat does not know this. Their instinct tells them of danger. And while it is possible to explain to a child that Aunt Marina is good, it is not possible to explain to a cat.
Cats are territorial animals. They control their territory and do not allow strangers into it. They drive away small enemies. But large predators pose a threat to life, so you need to hide from them.
And so the cat lives in its safe territory, enjoying life. And suddenly something huge, smelling strange, talking loudly, invades its home. It grabs the cat against its will, making an unpleasant physical impact. The animal experiences severe stress. The more strangers in the house, the greater the stress. And if you have guests regularly, the cat will begin to develop mental problems. For example, aggression, anxiety or fearfulness may appear.
Even if a pet reacts calmly to being picked up, this does not mean that it is not stressed. It simply reacts this way due to its calm nature or fear.
Don't allow guests, at least those who rarely visit your house, to pick up your cat without its consent. The pet must decide with whom and when to communicate. It will come to the guest itself, sniff him and, if it wants, jump on his lap or accept petting graciously. If your guests want to catch and pet the cat, don't allow it. Let them get their own.
Special attention should be paid to children. Never allow a strange child to play with your cat. Firstly, he may injure it if he does not know how to interact with animals. Secondly, cats know how to stand up for themselves, so the child himself may get seriously injured.
