If your cat is afraid of you sometimes, this post will show you why and what you can do about it.
So, why is my cat afraid of me sometimes? Likely reasons why your cat is sometimes afraid of your are that there is a problem with its environment, a problem with the way you interact with it or because it does not want to be bothered.
There are multiple possible reasons why your cat is afraid of you sometimes and it might be due to a combination of them. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Reasons why your cat is afraid of you sometimes
Below are a number of possible reasons why your cat is afraid of you sometimes.
A problem with its environment
The cause could be that there is, sometimes, a problem with its environment. This would be more likely if your cat becomes afraid when other people or animals are around or when there are noises outside.
A problem with the way you approach it
It might also be the case that it gets intimidated by the way you approach it. This would be more likely if it gets afraid when you approach it quickly, loudly and directly but it does not have an issue when you approach it slowly and quietly.
A problem with the way you interact with it
It could also be the case that there is an issue with the way you have been interacting with it. This would be more likely if your cat gets afraid when you interact with it in a certain way such as when you pet it forcefully or pick it up.
It wants to sleep
It could also be the case that it is not afraid but it is trying to avoid you because it actually wants to sleep. This would be more likely if it does come and show you affection when it is awake but it seems to hide away when it wants to sleep.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your cat has been doing it.
If your cat has always been afraid of you sometimes
If the behavior has only started recently, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it might be the case that there was an event that caused it to start. If it did start suddenly, it might be due to things such as a change in its environment causing it to get afraid at certain times in the day.
What is different when your cat is not afraid of you
It would also help to consider what is different when your cat is not afraid of you. For example, if your cat only gets afraid when a certain pet or person is around, the cause might be that it has a problem with that person or pet.
What to do about your cat being afraid of you
Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.
Limit reasons why it might be anxious
As mentioned above, it might be the case that something in its environment has been causing your cat to be afraid. It would help to limit potential reasons why your cat might be anxious such as by letting it stay in a safe room or in a high up spot where dogs can’t get to it.
Be calm with it
As mentioned above, it could be the case that there is an issue with the way you have been interacting with it. Instead, it would help to pet it in a way that it seems to like and to be calm around it. Usually, cats prefer to be rubbed below the chin instead of having a full back rub.
Get help
If your cat has been behaving very unusually, it would help to get help from a veterinarian. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your specific cat and to rule out medical causes.