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Why Does My Cat Run From Me – What It Means!

Why Does My Cat Run From Me – What It Means!

Cats are fascinating creatures, full of witty and playful quirks. I’ve noticed more than anything with my cat that it likes to run from me anytime I get near it. At first, I thought it might be playful, but sometimes my cat looks scared. So this made me question, why does my cat run from me?

Cats run from you when you invade their space. Cats also run from you when they are anxious, nervous, or scared. Sometimes the running can be playful, but in most cases, it signifies your cat is bothered by your presence.

In this article, we’ll share some insights on why cats run from you and what you can do as a pet owner to help keep them calm and comfortable. We’ll talk about territorial aspects and how to respect your cat’s space.

Reasons Your Cat Runs From You

Cats run from you for various reasons, but below are the most common ones we’ve seen our cat do.

Your Cat Is Shy

Some cats are a little shyer than others. They can be easily scared away, typically from cat owners, they know well. Some cats may run to a dark room when suddenly approached by their owner or other people.

This is usually not because the cat is fearful of the owner, but it might just be he/she is feeling uncomfortable and wants to move away from that situation and feel calm again.

When you approach your cat slowly, you will help the situation resolve more smoothly and avoid potential problems with your cat developing fear around people that should have no reason to fear them.

It’s Their Normal Instinct

Cats have an instinct to flee from danger. If you’ve ever seen a cat jump or sprint away from something, they are not running away from you! They are trying to avoid being harmed.

Even if a cat knows you well, they may still associate your presence with danger. To make that stop, you’ll want to show your cat you mean no harm. Approach them calmly, perhaps with a toy or treat, and they will start to expect that sort of calm interaction with you all the time.

Your Cat Is Unfamiliar With You

Unfortunately, when cats see unfamiliar people who look like they might want to harm them, they may also run away. This includes you, especially if your cat is new to your home and they haven’t quite picked up on who you are or your scent.

If you’re not already familiar with this typical cat behavior, it may seem strange or cause you some concern. But really, it’s pretty standard for cats to run away when they see people they don’t know well approaching them.

That’s why the way to help your furry pal learn that not everyone who approaches means harm is by letting her get used to your presence before making any sudden movements.

Your Cat Has A Health Issue

Sometimes cats run away because something else is going on with their health. This can be as simple as a urinary infection or digestion issues. Sometimes they may even have a cold and don’t want to be bothered.

It’s not always easy to recognize this; however, if your cat is used to you and the running behavior starts, that’s usually a sign that it’s something more profound than just your presence.

Cats that get scared and run anytime you greet them should be brought to the vet as soon as possible to check up on their physical health and behavior.

Your Cat Is Afraid Of You

Believe it or not, your cat might be afraid of you.

If the cat has been startled or frightened by something, he may be scared of it happening again and try to get away from it (even if that means running into another room).

You can help by talking softly and gently stroking him while sitting on the floor or approaching him from behind. It may take a couple of tries before he’s not afraid, but don’t give up!

Even when your cat runs from you, remember that there are many other reasons why cats might behave in this way, and not all of them mean that your cat is afraid or upset by you.

Why Does My Cat Run Away From Me When I Try To Pet Her

There are a few reasons that your cat may be running away from you when you try to pet her.

One of these reasons is that she may be afraid of your hand being near her face. A second reason could be that your cat is not yet used to you and the motions of petting her.

If these are the reasons, you need to increase the length of time you spend with your cat and show her more love. When your cat sees a hand near her face, she may be mistaking it as a predator attempting to attack or eat her.

This can lead to an automatic fear response from your cat when she sees both hands near her head.

Why Is My Cat Suddenly Running Away From Me

Your cat might be suddenly running away from you because you upset it. Chances are you made a sudden movement it did not like.

Perhaps you screamed at your cat, and it’s upset with you. Sudden changes are almost always related to a pattern of incidents, so you’ll need to think long and hard about what may have set your cat off.

How Do You Get A Cat To Stop Running Away From You

You can make a gradual change in your cat’s behavior by changing how you interact with him and offering rewards to reinforce calm behavior. Follow these steps:

Start by gently touching your cat, then speaking softly to it while you’re petting it. Ideally, this should be done first thing in the morning before any other activities happen.

Encourage your cat to follow you as you move slowly around the house, and reward it with treats.

Start walking toward your cat, then change direction once it’s close enough that you can reach out and gently touch its side or back.

Once your cat is comfortable with being touched gently, try more physical contact—Pet its head, ears, and back before offering a treat as a reward.

Other Ways To Build Trust With Your Cat

A cat who has been around you from a young age might be comfortable with your presence. However, many cats are not raised around people, so they run and hide when they see you when they get older. To help a scared cat be more comfortable around you, there are some ways to help.

  1. Keep your visits short and quiet—you can call the cat over to you or place an object nearby that smells like you, and the cat can investigate it without having to go near you.
  2. Do not punish the cat if he runs from you. You may scare him more by chasing him down or yelling at him to come back because whenever the cat sees you, he will remember how he felt when you ran after him.
  3. If the cat does not come to you for petting, try gently stroking his fur when he’s sleeping or lightly petting his head when he eats his food—most cats like being stroked under their chins because it feels good to them.
  4. Avoid petting a cat on its side, back, legs and tail because it might startle him. Pat your cat in these sensitive areas only if your kitty looks comfortable with the attention there—if the cat wrinkles her nose or moves away from you in these areas, then you’re using too much pressure.

If these techniques don’t work, please ask your veterinarian for further advice on how to help calm an anxious cat.

Other Considerations

Cats have an instinctual fear that anything that moves unpredictably is a predator. When people approach them suddenly and then touch them all over, they can interpret this as being hunted by a predator.

It’s not uncommon for the sudden movement of someone approaching to trigger this fear response, so keep in mind how you are approaching your cat when coming into contact with him or her.