Why Does My Cat Run Away From Me? Here Are The 5 Reasons

We all know how fickle and mischievous cats can be. Probably you have seen your cat scurry away when you approach it.

Most of the time, it is the cat being lively and playful creatures. If the cat runs just as you looked at it, it is probably asking you to play a game of ‘catch me if you can.’

When these instances get more frequent, you should be attentive to the cat’s needs. It is sometimes hurtful to see your beloved feline run away from the sight of you.

But these instances do not mean that the cat dislikes or hates you.

You can undoubtedly get rid of this behavior with the simple methods mentioned in this article. But before we go into the remedies, we should take a close look at the reasons.

Why does my cat run away from me?

 

There can be several reasons behind the unusual behavior of the cat. Seeing the feline run away from you can be discouraging for any cat owner.

But, we can ensure that it is a natural feline behavior, and you should not be discouraged. The most common reasons why your cat runs away from you are as follows:

1. Fear Instinct:

Domesticated cats belong from the wild cats, and you can find some of the traits still present in the house cats.

Cats used to hunt and bigger animals used to kill them in the wild. As a result, they have an innate fear instinct manipulating their behavior.

This instinct is probably the reason which is driving your cat away from you. If you have adopted the kitten recently, you need to give it enough time to adjust to your presence.

2. Personal Space:

Every cat has a different personality, and you can predict how it will behave in a particular scenario. Your cat might be a sociable and friendly feline, but some of the cats might prefer some alone time as well.

If you approach the cat at the wrong time, it will scurry away as soon as you start walking towards it. In this scenario, it is better to give them some time and let them absorb the surrounding.

You can make this process swift by providing some comfort to their personal space.

3. Trauma:

Past trauma can trigger uncomfortable behavior in cats. If you have adopted the cat from a pet shelter, you need to know whether the cat had suffered from any maltreatment in its previous home.

You may be triggering that fear by approaching the cat to pet. Giving the cat enough time to recover from this past trauma is your best bet towards solving this problem.

4. Poor Socialization:

The cat may be running away from you because the breeder or caretaker has not trained it properly. The breeder should make the kittens accustomed to human touch as early as they are just two to seven weeks old.

If they get this training early on, they will be receiving it towards humans when they grow old.

You can address the poor socialization issues later in their lives, but you need to be patient with them as you make them comfortable in your presence.

5. Loud Noise:

 

Another possible reason can be the sounds you make while approaching the cat. You need to make sure that you do not make any unnatural or harsh sounds in their surroundings.

Cats do not like loud noise, and it can be why they are running away from you.

It is also possible that your cat does not remember well enough to feel a sense of security around you. However, you can give them sufficient time in this regard.

How To Train your cat to stop running away from you?

You have probably questioned your cat parenting skill already by watching your beloved furball run away as soon as it senses your presence.

However, you can get cozy with the cat with the right approach and a little patience. You need to follow the simple two-step process in this case.

We are going to explain each step in detail so that the procedure is as swift as possible.

Step 1: Making the cat habituated with your presence –

At this stage, you need to make the cat understand that you are harmless. You can do this effectively by approaching the cat when it is busy doing something.

Two instances when you can go near the cat are when they are eating or sleeping. You can go near the food bowl and stay still when they are eating.

However, you cannot touch the cat. Stay near it and restrict yourself from making any sudden movement.

You can also make your presence known when the cat is sleeping. It is most likely that the cat will wake up if you go near it.

If you do not attempt to touch the cat, it will see you and go back to sleep in no time. Frequently doing this will make the cat accustomed to your presence, and it will not feel uncomfortable if you are around.

Step 2: Training the cat to interact with you –

This part can get tricky as you do not know how a cat will react to your attempts to get friendly. You can perform the following activities at random to train the cat:

• Letting the cat sniff your hand/ [ But not your eye ]
• Pulling a treat out of your pocket and keeping it in front of the cat
• Approaching the cat any time of the day
• Trying to make the cat eat treats directly from your hand.
• Try to touch the cat very lightly when feeding it.
• Keep a little catnip in your hand and let it have it from your hand.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we can say that the cat’s flight behavior is a natural trait, and many cat owners face the same problem.

If you are new to being a cat owner, and the cat is repeatedly running away from you, do not be disheartened.

The cat will respond to your attempts in time, and it will let you cuddle if you follow the right method. You can make sure that the cat receives the care it deserves, and it will be happy to let you play in no time.

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