With cats, allow the cat to approach; don’t force interactions.  Be present in the space and wait for the cat.  Offer a closed fist to sniff and allow the cat to approach.  Use food as a associative positive lure for the cat to come to come to you.  Place food halfway between the cat and you and then wait quietly.  If the cat does not approach within a half hour, leave and try at a later time.  Eventually move the food closer and closer to you during daily feedings until the cat tolerates a light, brief touch.  Talk or sing quietly and avoid making loud noises or big, sudden movements.  Eventually, if the cat allows, touch the top of the head and sides of the face.  Later, try light touch along the spine but avoid the base of the tail area and the tail.  Don’t try to touch the stomach; it is tolerated only by kittens raised by hand from 2 weeks and beyond.  Most cats don’t like to be picked up because it is a loss of control; take care with respecting that.  

 

Let the cat tell you when it is comfortable with touch and handling.  A cat with back, flattened ears and flattened body (or puffed up arched body), dilated eyes, growling and hissing is communicating fear and potential aggression which can lead to dangerous bites and scratches.  Respect the cat’s communication cues and socialization will be much more successful.  

For vet visits, it is better to leave a carrier open in a room and feed inside of it for a week before an appointment and then lure the cat into the (front and top-loading are best) carrier with treats, quietly closing the front door behind them.  Try using Churu as a lure/reward for positive social responses.