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Friendly cats can be an utterly delightful addition to your household. They typically seek out affection, love being cuddled and have outgoing personalities that make them social companions as well as pets. However, there are specific circumstances in which a cat's friendliness can become deeply problematic. The first relates to outdoor interactions with others, and the second concerns how your cat might behave towards apprehensive visitors.
Outdoor cats that are too friendly to strangers
If your cat is eager to greet everyone on the street, serious dangers become salient. For one thing, an affectionate and gentle cat may be stolen by an opportunistic person on the street, especially if your cat is a known breed (such as a Siamese or a Persian). Some people steal cats for themselves or try to sell them to make a quick buck. In addition, the sad fact is that there are also people who might harm your friendly and trusting cat. If it's easy to get hold of your pet without any suspicion or retaliation, you should strongly consider these unpleasant possibilities.
Since there is little that you can do to train your cat to be less friendly, and since an affectionate personality is generally desirable, you may want to think about keeping your cat indoors. Contrary to popular belief, indoor cats can be entirely happy, provided you offer them enough space and stimulation. Toys, play centers, window perches and other feline buddies are all limitless sources of entertainment for the indoor cat. If you feel uncomfortable about restricting the cat to your home, you can also try building a large outdoor run that lets your cat explore a large portion of your yard without ever being in any danger.
Indoor cats that are too friendly to your guests
Not everyone likes cats, and to these people it can be utterly terrifying to see an inquisitive feline's face trying to rub against their arms and legs. However, even if you have frequent guests who don't like the behavior of your friendly cat, it is hard to argue that it would be good to train your cat to be unfriendly. Friendly cats tend to be well-adjusted, happy cats, and that's not something you will want to change. Instead, the key is to think of good strategies that keep your guests calm without distressing your cat.
One good option is to shut your cat in a separate room when your wary visitors arrive, but if you decide to take this course of action then you need to make sure that the room caters to your pet's every need. In particular, you will need to provide fresh water, several comfy places to sleep, and some fun toys to play with. If your cat is young, it is also worth noting that behavior changes as cats age. While your pet will probably remain friendly, you might see this expressed in less gregarious ways after a few years have passed.
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Outdoor cats that are too friendly to strangers
If your cat is eager to greet everyone on the street, serious dangers become salient. For one thing, an affectionate and gentle cat may be stolen by an opportunistic person on the street, especially if your cat is a known breed (such as a Siamese or a Persian). Some people steal cats for themselves or try to sell them to make a quick buck. In addition, the sad fact is that there are also people who might harm your friendly and trusting cat. If it's easy to get hold of your pet without any suspicion or retaliation, you should strongly consider these unpleasant possibilities.
Since there is little that you can do to train your cat to be less friendly, and since an affectionate personality is generally desirable, you may want to think about keeping your cat indoors. Contrary to popular belief, indoor cats can be entirely happy, provided you offer them enough space and stimulation. Toys, play centers, window perches and other feline buddies are all limitless sources of entertainment for the indoor cat. If you feel uncomfortable about restricting the cat to your home, you can also try building a large outdoor run that lets your cat explore a large portion of your yard without ever being in any danger.
Not everyone likes cats, and to these people it can be utterly terrifying to see an inquisitive feline's face trying to rub against their arms and legs. However, even if you have frequent guests who don't like the behavior of your friendly cat, it is hard to argue that it would be good to train your cat to be unfriendly. Friendly cats tend to be well-adjusted, happy cats, and that's not something you will want to change. Instead, the key is to think of good strategies that keep your guests calm without distressing your cat.
One good option is to shut your cat in a separate room when your wary visitors arrive, but if you decide to take this course of action then you need to make sure that the room caters to your pet's every need. In particular, you will need to provide fresh water, several comfy places to sleep, and some fun toys to play with. If your cat is young, it is also worth noting that behavior changes as cats age. While your pet will probably remain friendly, you might see this expressed in less gregarious ways after a few years have passed.
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