Hello, I am looking for some tips to help our F2 kitty gain some confidence. Having read up some on EG's I wonder if that contributes to her shyness and lack of confidence. She is doing really well, she has slowly started exploring the rest of the house (from her safe room we started with) and is an absolute doll. The only challenge we have is she is very timid and hides a lot. She is no longer afraid of us and sleeps with us at night but most of the day she is in hiding. I am wondering if this may be due to the fact she is an EG Bengal.

She is not aggressive or anti-social, just somewhat introverted. When she feels like it she will cuddle up with me, lay on top of me head butting me for pets and nudging my forehead with hers. She is not super playful (health wise all checks out) but will play with da bird once a day maybe for about 10 minutes. I love her and accept her personality whatever it will be I am just trying to create an environment where she can be as "bonded" to us as she wants to be and with the greatest chance of success. If she ends up being a cat who mostly keeps to herself and is happy then we will still love and accept her but if there is a way we can draw her out of her shell more that would be a bonus.

Any tips on how we can encourage her to spend more time with us?

Please know I am thrilled with her and am not complaining, just looking for advice I make sure we give her the best life possible. She is 5 months old, eats well, litter trained, and in good health. She is not very vocal at all. Hopefully she will "talk" more as she gets to know us :).

The breeder was originally going to keep her as a pet however with a houseful of other cats Yuki was always at the "back of the pack" and not getting the attention she deserves. She is a wonderful, reputable breeder - it isn't that she ignored Yuki, Yuki just didn't have the confidence. She has already come out of her shell a lot. She no longer runs and hides from us when she sees us. Her hiding is more after she eats, gets bored playing etc.

Any advice or tips is appreciated. Thanks!

It sounds like you are doing a great job with her and she is making a lot of progress with you. Keep doing what you are and time will make her even more comfortable with you.

Thanks so much. We are trying

Like Neonyellow clover said, give it time. She just sounds like she is taking her own time. The fact that she plays with you, sleeps with you etc is fabulous. The only thing I would suggest and you may have done this already is to put trees and lovely squishy beds in your main living area to entice her to chill out with you and not on her own. My kids built a nest for Oscar in their playroom to entice him to chill with them more and he just loves it. They lined a toy basket with a pillow and a teddy fleece, then they put it half under a coffee table so half of the nest is covered and half open. If she hides then maybe this is a halfway house for her to have something with a roof but in with you. As she gains confidence I'm sure she will be with you more.

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

It takes time and all cats adjust differently. Just don't rush her. A new environment is stressful but she is coming out and spending time with you. She obviously feels the need for a safe place. That will change with time. Patience is what you need right now. When she is out, you want to make sure to spend a lot of time with her, talking with her, stroking that beautiful, soft pelt and making her feel comfortable and confident. Keep doing what you're doing and within another month, I bet she's a totally different kitty!

My parents had a tuxedo rescue kitty that would live under the bed by day and come out at night, meowing, cuddling in bed. I suspected he was a feral cat before they got him. He lived like that for years, and when my mom moved to my town I spent weekends over there. I brought out da bird and Archie would play for hours with me. He would even come up to me and let me pet him. My mother was shocked, he was like a different cat! Years later when I had to re home Archie, I found a single dad with two young daughters. He was timid at first, but they reported back to me that Archie was right at home and part of the family. They told me he loved playing with the young girls. My parents never played with the cat so he just slept all day and prowl and howl all night like a feral cat. I saw Archie's personality change several times because of his environment and interaction with owners. He would watch me interact with my cat and mimic her behavior.