Burmese cat

　　一、Get used to human voices.

　　Shy cats find it difficult to develop trust in people. If the owner lives alone and the cat is home alone during the day, having skin-to-skin contact with the cat after returning home becomes even more important. Sometimes, owners talk to their cats using a recorded phone message while going out to help them get used to human voices.

　　二、Frequently holding and playing with the cat is very important.

　　Cats are naturally cautious animals and usually ignore strangers, sometimes even running away. Some people may think that just having a close relationship with their cat is enough, but it is ultimately a joyful thing if people around also recognize and love the cat you adore. Even feral cats can enjoy closeness with people, but there are cases where purebred cats raised with great care remain shy of humans. This shows that cats’ personalities vary. Cats that are frequently held and played with from kittenhood tend to enjoy being close to people.

　　三、What to do if a cat is shy of strangers?

　　It is important to let the cat interact with unfamiliar people. Short-haired cats usually like being held, but many long-haired cats tend to escape from your arms the moment they are held. Because of this, try to hold your cat as much as possible from kittenhood. However, don’t hold the cat so much that it feels annoyed; avoid forcing it. Sometimes play with the cat by throwing balls or teasing it while stroking to provide skin contact. If the owner lives alone or there are few family members, it is also helpful to frequently invite cat-loving friends over to help the cat experience socializing with strangers.