strangers

[robyn#2]

My research continued...

Do you find that your cats behave differently towards strangers? are they mostly frightened and run away or are they more trusting? I need to have as many replies as possible so that I can see what the majority of cats do!! thanks

Robyn#2

[Sammy Snake]

My cat tends to run off and hide but after 1/2 hr or so, he gets braver and creeps closer to the visitor/s until he eventaully is completely relaxed.

Mine is an 18mth old male if that makes any difference.

[Artful]

Interesting research robyn=(imagine slashes)2, hope you will post your results.

So Boots - if strangers are here (i.e. in the house) the cat will never be seen and definitely not heard.  They have to be here for the 6th or 7th time and then Boots may be seen walking through the room.

Strangers outside the garden, if we are talking Boots will come although keeping his distance and sit stockstill (bit like the Egyptian cat statues) watching until they move off.

The 3rd config is if the stranger is in the garden and I am talkuing to them from out the window (might sound odd but is usual here!) and Boots will suddenly appear jumping up onto the windowsill and fill the space out between my hands (sitting or lying) and not go away until the stranger does - yes, he's very protective! 

[mrs.pudding]

If I'm around mother and daughter will cuddle up to anyone but big, beautiful neutered tom disappears.  I'm informed that when a neighbour is feeding them (if I'm away), he'll speak to her outside but once in the house he treats her as though she's the threat of death!

[FP]

I have three cats:

Molly hurls herself at everyone regardless, even as far as climbing up to their shoulders where she remains purring.  No caution whatsoever.

Alice is more cautious but takes her time before making friends.

William hides!

[Artful]

My aunt sent me a fridge magnet that says it all:

"You're nobody until you've been ignored by a cat".

[Guinevere]

My cat Sophie (bonkers, but now sadly departed) was terrified of all men she didn't know, but fine around women strangers.
We think it might have been that she thought all strange men were workmen who were going to make noise and change her house without her permission!
The only way my boyfriend could make friends with her was to turn up with a big packet of ham and hand feed bits of it to her!

[Shire]

Frankie (11 month old neutered tom) will boldly come and talk to anyone who comes to the house, but when he was inside and my husband was outside showing someone the car that was for sale, he was very cross, with "puffball effect" tail, as if he was cross that there were strangers on his territory that he hadn't been introduced to!

Mum's cat (7 year old neutered female) just runs and hides whenever anyone she doesn't know appears.  We have had her from 6 weeks old, and she has never been mistreated, she is just scared of everything!

[robyn#2]

Hi artful, my results are what people have put on this site, under this question and the one you answered  before about temperature. Its for my Resistant materials coursework, I didnt do deep enough research the first time so im using a wider range this time.

Thank you eveyone for answering me, you will all be in my coursework, I just hope its enough this time!!

[tetherend]

Of the three cats we have, the blind female (16 years old) is sociable to strangers and will approach them and head butt them.  Male neuter (12 years) will walk directly to strangers and meow and expect to be stroked.  Ex-stray female (12 years) has always been terrified of strangers and will run and hide a few minutes before they even ring on the door.  This behaviour from her has always been the same over the 12 years we have had her.

[PurplePixie]

Out of the 9 cats that are here at the moment, if I have visitors...

Hickory walks through & glares at them, Hazel opens 1 sleepy eye & waits to be stroked, Pepper makes little wahing noises & either tries to climb into their handbags or rubs all over their shoes ( a bit embarrassing)   Lunar usually runs away so fast that she crashes into everything, Bailey is too dim to notice that there's more people here than normal anyway, Dillon hides in the treehouse outside, Minky, Alfie & Spencer do high speed dashes back & forth in an out of the catflap so they can get a good look & decide if it's safe to come & be petted.

The dog just settles under the feet of the person most likely to drop the most biscuit on the carpet!

[Artful]

Thankx for the information and good look with your research robyn...

[Artful]

I mean good luck!

[dmsjps]

My cats are both 10 years of age (brother and sister).

The ex-Tom was the first born of the litter, but he has always been wary of strangers and tends to stay away when anyone new visits. Once the strangers have visited a few times - and only if they pay attention to him and try to talk to him - he will brave coming into the same room, but he would much rather snub them all and talk to me.

His sister has always been inquisitive: she was the first of the litter to approach us when we went to see them, so that's why we got her. She doesn't care which stranger she jumps on and rubs or beds down on, but you can guarantee that after a while, she will suddenly jump up, bite them and then run away. After a few minutes she'll be back again, either to the same person or selecting the next victim. She never does that to us though.

The cat I had before these two (bless her) came from a farm and she was the most unsociable cat ever, except for with me: she adored me and followed me everywhere. She would never tolerate anybody except me even if they were members of our own family. As for strangers ... they didn't even know we had a cat!

[~Wingnut~]

Both my cats tend to be ok a round strangers, one of my cats, Widget comes for an inquisitive sniff and usually tries to cuddle up to them, although she does this she does tend to be cautious about it. The stranger thing about her is she really tends to like one of my friends who hates cats (he would never harm one, just doesnt like them at all) he has 2 dogs and we only tend to see him once or twice a year. She just wont leave him alone.

If you tell her to get away from strangers and try to move her she seems to be even more determined to sit with them.

Del-boy (he's her brother, both 9yrs old) just doesnt give 2 hoots! he'll carry on whatever he's doing and ignore them. He was the runt of the litter and is a funny little boy, prob half the size of his sister but double the personality. I love them both deeply.

When I was younger and I used to visit my friends house quite regularly, he had a cat who would come up to you for a stroke and fuss, then all of a sudden would attack you!! for no reason! He would even do it to my friends Mum, who fed him etc.. she started to get a sixth sense as to when he was just about to attack so would quickly move her hand away. He was an older cat.

Hope any of that waffle of mine above helps! lol

[robyn#2]

Hey wingnut, I read somewhere when i did my research the first time that that would be becoz your friend tends to ignore the cat so the cat thinks that you friend wont do him anyharm so he goes therebecause he thinks its safe, Your friend should be proud!! lol

[~Wingnut~]

LoL Robyn#2, I'd better not tell him that! Although watching him with her sat on his lap I think he likes them more than he lets on lol....