Tip 346

Pet detectives say that when lost that all cats fall into one of the following behavior categories. THE XENOPHOBIC CAT: Xenophobia is a fear or hatred of anything strange or foreign. This fearful behavior is either part of the cat’s genetic make-up or the result of kitten hood experiences. The xenophobic cat will hide when a stranger comes into the home and will not come out until well after the company has left. She doesn’t enjoy being held or petted and is easily disturbed by any environmental changes. When displaced, she will bolt and hide in silence, remaining in the same hiding place, immobilized by fear. If someone other than her owner finds her, she could be mistaken as being wild and homeless, splitting and hissing out of fright. Sadly, as a result, xenophobic cats are often absorbed into the feral cat population.