Will a former stray cat ever become affectionate?
Former strays often remain cautious and distant for years, leaving owners feeling like roommates rather than companions. While some cats slowly warm up, building trust requires extreme patience and may never result in a traditionally snuggly pet.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Using treats like Churus and back scratchers to build trust
- 2Giving the cat time, space, and remaining patient
- 3Accepting the cat's independent personality and alternative forms of affection
- 4giving him some wet food
- 5staying in the same room
- 6hand-feeding churu, Delectables or pieces of cooked chicken
- 7ignoring him to let him feel safe
- 8Bring treats, food, and water consistently
- 9Use a Churu treat
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Has anyone had luck having one be more than just tolerant of you after a couple of years?”source ↗
“Any hope for a slow burn relationship with this cat, or are we destined to just be roommates with occasional pets?”source ↗
“How do i get it to trust me enough to pet it?”source ↗
“i’d love some advice on how to gain his trust.”source ↗