Emotional damage is hard to repair. Goes for people, goes for cats. The thing to know about abused cats is that it may not at all look damaged on outside. No injury to be seen – the main damage they sustained may be on the inside, and be emotional. Even though physical damage is bad, emotional damage is tougher to fix. Cats who have physical abuse will still answer to a soft touch and soft voice, as long as they know that the abuse has come to an end.
When you’ve a cat that’s been emotionally mistreated, you’ll require to wait until the cat comes to you. You’ll require to use patience, as the cat will be confused and not know if you plan to hurt him or not. If you take your time and let him know that you’re nothing to fear, he will eventually come to you. When he begins to concern you, you may let him sniff you and pet him. After a while, he will learn that he may trust you and he will come to you when you call him.
Noisy, raising your voice, or using disciplinary tools such as flyswatters or water guns the wrong way may lead to emotional damage. If you continue to use the wrong means of discipline on an emotionally damaged cat, the cat may become mean or unergetic. When a cat turns mean, it’s not always a bad thing. Meaner cats are easier to reach, as they still care a little about what happens to them – while lethargic cats could really care less.
Cats that have become lethargic won’t play, take treats, or react to anything you say to them. With a lethargic cat, the ideal way to get him to respond is to bring in a companion cat. Extra time, a lethargic cat will eventually search attention, generally a scratch or a pat. When this happens, you should always use a soft voice and snuggle with him. Never raise your voice at this point, and be sure you let the cat know that his behavior is a lot better.
You should make slow movements around a lethargic cat, as he’s still rather harmful. Once he’s coming around and letting you touch him again, he’s coming back to his normal self. Keep in mind that it may take some time, which is to be expected with this type of situation. If your cat begins to get upset again or if you raise your voice, he will hide again. If you continue to use a soft voice and have patience, your cat will eventually get past this. If you get a cat that’s lethargic, you should prepare yourself for a long and very intensive healing period.
Angry or mean cats on the other hand, will either fight and scratch with you, or simply escape from you. With mean cats, the best thing to do is use gentle treatment with a soft voice. You may never try to raise your voice or use strict discipline, as it will only make the cat meaner. Never attempt to trap the cat either, as trapping it will only make the cat react. If you take your time and let the cat know that you’re there for him, he will eventually chill out.
Abused cats are truly a sad thing, although they’re out there. Abused cats may be a sad thing to see indeed, especially those that were physically abused. Abused cats need a loving home and a loving owner who will give them the type of lifestyle they deserve. Always remember that if you’re dealing with an abused cat – you should always be as gentle as you possibly can.
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