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Had a not so good experience tonight with Chessie.

The Saturday before Easter, I took him with me up to my parents' house for the day. He did really well and warmed up to them and my brother, even curling up on their laps and falling asleep.

Today, my parents, my brother, and a friend of my brother came down to my place to take me out to dinner. Chessie had been sleeping when they arrived. They came in, and he basically panicked, which kind of surprised me since he'd met them before. Granted, it was seven weeks ago. This was also the first time since I got him that I've had visitors.

He first bolted behind the couch to hide. Realizing these people were still in the same room, he then took off into the kitchen, hiding under the table. After a while, I was able to coax him out from under there while everybody else was in the living room. He let me pick him up, and I slowly walked into the living room with him, where he again panicked and bolted back out to the kitchen, hiding behind the refrigerator.

After a while, we went to go to dinner. I had everybody else go outside to wait for me, and I was able to coax Chessie out with some treats. I got him settled in his kennel. He tensed up when we first went into the living room, but he calmed when he saw everybody was gone.

We then got back, and he stayed in his kennel after I opened it, obviously too afraid to come out with everybody there. We went to another room for a while, and when we came back, he again went behind the refrigerator to hide.

After everybody headed back home, I tried coaxing him back out from behind the refrigerator. At one point, he got to the front of the fridge and then decided to go back into hiding. I left some treats out for him, and about 45 minutes later, I looked into the kitchen and saw him cautiously coming out. For the next hour, he started going about his usual routine but was quite jittery, nervously looking around everywhere he went. He's since gone back to his usual self, although he has spent a lot more time than usual curling up on my lap or laying against me on the couch.

Undoubtedly, he was spooked at having new people come into his home, even though I was expecting him to remember my parents and brother. How should I prepare him for the next time I have a visitor(s)?
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Chessie in his favorite spot while I work in the kitchen.

Hi,

This kind of behavior is not all that usual. I have 11 cats here and although a few of them are very friendly, some of the others are terrified of visitors. Cats become very attached to their homes and many of them don't like strangers in their territory. Even though Chessie met most of the people before, he was younger then and cats may act totally different when away from home anyway. You may find that if you take him for another visit he might not do as well.

All you can really do is let Chessie be himself. He could just be one of the many cats who aren't friendly to people he doesn't know well. If he is a "scardy cat" you might just have to live with it. Most cats aren't the most sociable animals, it's just part of their nature.

Regards,
PHKitkat

Well, I think a lot of it had to do with this being the first time we've had visitors since I adopted Chessie. I also think who the visitors were had something to do with it. My parents and brother are dog owners and believe that having a cat is just like having a dog. Rather than coming in quietly to allow him to adjust, they came in a bit on the noisy side.

I do know that I'm never going to take Chessie (or any future cats) with me to my parents' house after an incident that happened the last time I was up there. I was in the kitchen with my mom, and Chessie was on my lap. They had their inside dog (a toy fox terrier) in her kennel in another room. Dad thought it would be cute to allow them to meet. He let the dog out with no leash on her, even though they'd promised me they would keep her under control. The dog loves to be on people's laps and came right into the kitchen and onto my lap where Chessie was. While the dog wasn't attacking Chessie (just checking him out), Chessie didn't see it that way. He took off like a rocket, leaving several claw marks on me. My parents thought it was funny. I didn't.
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Chessie in his favorite spot while I work in the kitchen.

Hi,

You have a good point about your family not understanding that cats aren't like dogs. Chessie might have been reacting to their loudness. I think you are right about your parent's house not being a good place to bring visiting cats. Small dogs are so full of energy and Chessie isn't used to that.

I don't know why Chessie freaked out when your neighbors were leaving. Perhaps there were more people than usual or they were louder than they normally are because of the holiday. Has he ever reacted like this before while the door was open?

Take care,

PHKitkat

Well, since we just started getting warmer weather here in Ohio, I've just in the last couple weeks started having the door open. He's heard their noises before but never gotten spooked. I'm thinking he just may need to get used to knowing that there are other people around other than me. I am encouraged that he didn't stay hidden as long (only 5 minutes compared to 30-45 the night before).
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Chessie in his favorite spot while I work in the kitchen.

A little while ago, Chessie again had another panic attack.

During the day when I'm in my living room, I'll leave my front door open (storm door shut and locked). He loves to go over and look out. Anyways, he was at the door when my neighbors came out their door right next to mine (I live in a townhouse). He saw them and took off into the kitchen and behind the refrigerator again. The neighbors got in their car and left, and after about five minutes or so, I was in the living room, and Chessie came back into the room, went over to the door (a little cautiously), and resumed looking out and watching over things.
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Chessie in his favorite spot while I work in the kitchen.