Wild and extrovert not your thing? Then I have the perfect kitten for you. This is a kitty that needs all your love and affection and reassurance that she is very special. Compare her to a tender flower, prone to wilting if you mistreat her, but oh so beautiful once you see her blossom. Our Trinity is the perfect example. She came here, as frightened as can be, and now, two years later, she walks in the room with her tail in the air to say hi. These cats are often the ones that have been traumatized at an early age, or have been dominated a lot, be it by children or people, or by other cats. I don’t know what happened to Trinity. But I do know that since she has been here, she has blossomed, although, given the circumstances here (the amount of cats and all), it was not easy.

What are the downsides? They are not as ‘friendly’ as other cats might be. Not because they don’t want to be (often they even crave human contact), but just because they do not dare to come and ask for attention. This makes it sometimes hard to form a bond with them. As much as I love my Trini, she is the cat I have the least bond with. They often hide somewhere where they feel safe, and you may not even notice them eating. This makes it very hard to assess their health as well. They are not exactly comfortable with being lap cats, and though they appreciate cuddling, they are not able to completely relax and just let it happen, unless they completely trust you. Trini has her moments where she comes and paws me like a little kitten would do with mom to get milk. Then she is utterly happy and purrs so loud you can hear her in the next room. It is hard though, to make a Scaredy Cat relax that much, and often they won’t allow it for long.

Why get one? It is immensely satisfying to see a cat like that blossom. If you have the patience and the consistent and quiet temperament this cat needs to bring her out of her shell, it will be an enormously satisfying accomplishment. They are incredibly fragile yet oh so grateful. In their own quiet way, they will come and ask for your attention, if you are not too busy of course! They are happy with very little, demand even less and can take great pleasure in the smallest of things. Trini is my quietest cat, but when I crack open a bottle of cat milk, she is the only one that lets out a high-pitched mew in anticipation. The thing is, since they are so hard to convince and are so reluctant to trust someone, you feel so immensely honored when they do decide to trust in you.

How do you recognize them? Look for the quietest kitten, the one that has no confidence, the cat that is sitting in the covered box, and will not come out unless she is alone. Keep the changes to a minimum and do them very gradually. Avoid loud noises as this stresses them. And build up your bond with them while building on their confidence by playing with them and letting them catch the ‘prey’ often. It is one of the best ways to make them blossom.