How can I help my partner bond with our new one-year-old cat? (a neutered male). He has lived with us for three weeks now, and while he seems to be happy, purrs, eats, uses his tray, and lets me stroke him and pick him up, he still dashes for cover whenever my partner tries. He (the cat) is incredibly skittish and pouncy (he is only going out into the garden at weekends as he hasn't learnt to use the catflap yet) but does seem to relax with me. But he has never lived with a man before, and my partner has never lived with a cat. Can anyone suggest ways of helping them bond?

I had exactly the same problem when i moved in with my partner.

Make your partner give the cat his meals and also his treats. Also get your partner to play with his toys and get them interacting that way.

Once he associates good things with your partner then he should settle down soon.

Now my cats always go to my partner for cuddles!

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www.purrfactor.com

thanks Saffron, that's comforting!

btw - the best toys for my cats to play with is the laser pens - they play for hours and my partner loves playing with them

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www.purrfactor.com

When I was taming a stray cat of ours, he was terrified at first of people. I spent ages sitting in the same room as him just reading until he got the courage to come up to me. Just take it slow and don't rush.

The laser pens do go down a treat don't they!

My stray cat Panther was jealous when my hubby came along (partner at the time) and would jump in between us and show aggression towards him. A cat is not my hubby's preferred pet.

He played with him rather like you'd play with a dog but a cat has a faster strike, hubby always came off worse. They both got there in the end.

Sue