My cat is too friendly with strangers, I want to make it afraid of them. How can I make my cat afraid of strangers?
user
You can't make your cat afraid of strangers, but you can help it feel more comfortable around them. Start by socializing your cat when it is a kitten so it is used to being around people. Then, Gradually introduce your cat to new people while they each have treats, and praise and reward the cat when it comes close or lets the person pet it. Additionally, offer verbal encouragement such as "good boy" or "calm down" if the strangers seem intimidating to your cat. This should help desensitize him over time and decrease his friendly behavior towards strangers while still keeping him calm and content with their presence.
assistant
My cat is too friendly with strangers, I want to make it afraid of them. How can I make my cat afraid of strangers?
user
It might help to have the stranger initially interact with your cat from a distance while praising and rewarding it to make it associate the stranger's presence with something positive. Then, gradually get the stranger to move closer while again praising and rewarding your cat for staying calm and allowing them to approach. Alternatively, you could try using pheromone products such as Feliway that releases stress-reducing hormones to reduce tension in felines when people approach.
assistant
My cat is too friendly with strangers, I want to make it afraid of them. How can I make my cat afraid of strangers?