The above shot was taken during the time I was living in my uncle’s house to help him. My cat Shyna needed a lot of time to get used to the temporary new home, but at some point she started to explore all the rooms, but she enjoyed it the most if nobody apart from us both were there. This changed later on, she started to explore the rooms even if people have been there, but she never seemed to enjoy it as much as if none of the other family members have been there.
I can tell you that my cat doesn’t like kids, mainly because they are loud, and my cat doesn’t like noise much. So, when the kids went to bed, Shyna would be much more interested to explore the rooms in the evening. Also, the kids had to learn that a cat is not a dog, because you can call a dog, while a cat calls you. I explained the kids that there are some major differences and they learned, so that the situation improved a lot. In easy terms, I told them that if they ignore my cat, she might be interested to learn about you, but she will decide on her own, and I was right. My cat started to get out of my room more often once the kids understood this rule, she started to enjoy all the windows, she liked to hang around in the big kitchen and watched us if we prepared food, she would sit close to use if me and the kids played some games, and so on. However, that doesn’t mean that she had a good relation with all the family members, but I will explain more.
Apart from myself, my cat liked my uncle the most, she started to greet him on a daily basis and my uncle would massage her fur, but I noticed that was possible because he otherwise ignored the cat the most as he understood that cats are different than dogs. My nieces learned this, but as kids are loud, my cat prefered to just let them take a look but nothing more. My aunt had a mixed relation with Shyna, in short, my aunt was tolerated by Shyna, but only if she would give her treats or cat food, apart from that, Shyna tried to attack her at least two times and would otherwise show signs not to come too close. The fifteen years old son was hated by Shyna, she tried to attack him at least once a week, and if not that, she would hiss and growl and he would run away (laugh). Now I did pop your bubble, as cute as she looks on all the photos, she can be very evil as well.
Talking about the photo, you can see her on the couch watching out of the living room window. I took the photo when I was alone with her in the house, while the kids went to school, and my uncle and my aunt visited the authorities. You can see a small injury on her nose, I explained in this post how that happened, she basically did rub her nose on the plastic of the transport box. Check out all the other Shyna stories.
Diary of Dennis 
Goodness me Shyna doesn’t hold back if she doesn’t like someone does she? It seems your aunt and cousins were barely tolerated by her while she liked your uncle perhaps as the person who understood cats the most or perhaps she knew as animals do that he was sick and so he was allowed the privilege of being her friend. Of course she was not on her own territory so she may have felt that she had to either fight or run. She doesn’t try to attack your visitors in your own home does she? I have read that when interacting with other cats most cats would rather ignore each other and will only attack when they feel they must. I wonder if Shyna looks on your uncle’s family as strange cats?
At the beginning she was just shy and did avoid all others, so, she was most of the time in my room. At daytime, I often had my room door opened, because why not, and I told the kids that they could visit me if the door was opened. But as kids are, sometimes they did burst into the room, screaming, laughing or playing, but it was Shyna’s new territory, and my cat saw them as a threat if they did so. I must say my uncles kids are really loud, much louder than other kids, and I assume it’s because they can be so as they lived in this house, not in an apartment like I do. Or the son tried to grab the cat, as he would do with their dogs, but then Shyna almost attacked him… these were the situations where Shyna showed the borders. It’s not the kids fault, they never had a cat, only dogs, but Shyna was very unforgiving in the four months, and I guess she reminded the first contact (week) with them. We never moved a lot, so the whole situation was very uncommon for my cat, also stressful the first weeks. The last months, all of them tolerated each other, at times Shyna did even seek contact to my youngest cousin, or I was there and controlled the situations so that my cousins could feet her a few times and so. I’d say Shyna is used to humans (like guests), but not so much used to the volume of kids, or playful and spontaneous kids. I think it was a combination of everything, the whole situation was new to all involved, the kids, the cat, but it was better later on when everyone understood that you just don’t grab or corner a cat.
No, Shyna doesn’t try to attack guests in my own apartment. When my best friends visited me in the past, they would sit on the couch and after some time Shyna would sit or even lie beside them, or she would ask for affection. I can think of two friends where this would be not the case, especially one friend who has a very loud and strong voice. The other friend was not accepted because he said “Oh, damn what a cute cat” and grabbed her, and he got some scratches on the arm because Shyna didn’t like it.
Apart from the fact that I had some loud parties in my apartment every few months, with all kind of friends, or apart from the fact that I play 1 or 2 hours guitar at some days, it’s overall much more silent in my apartment compared to my uncles house. If I play guitar, sometimes Shyna wants to listen, if it’s more rock or metal sounds, she would go to the other room. So, there are some loud situations, but at my uncles house it could be quite loud for a longer time if all kids would be in the first floor for some hours.
I think I can summarize, Shyna was just not used to such a big family, especially not 24/7. Afterall, it worked a little bit at the end, and Shyna could learn new situations 🙂
Cats will decide on their own – that’s true! Sounds so familiar. Love the story
Yeah, a human with a cat brain would be an egoist I think 🙂
Cats and dogs are really different… And dogs are much easier according to cats… Cats are free you can’t drive them… and never listens to you… My cat, I talk with her and I am sure she understands me now after several years then…. But I understand her too 🙂 even without any words! But I say to her, come and sit here… she ignores me and she turns her back… just a few minutes after she comes back and sits where I offered to her. This action means, “Whenever I want I can sit, not as you wanted!”…
You expressed and pictured so nicely your cat and days with your Uncle and his family. My cat is not social and doesn’t want anyone in the home… I wonder what will be when our grandson visits us. Thank you dear Dennis, Shyna is is beautiful cat, and photograph is amazing. Blessing and Happiness you you All. Love, nia
That is more than true Nia 😀 I know what you mean, that’s exactly how cats think… my cat does the same, even after so many years. 🙂
And do not forget that cats – dogs too – tend to become aggressive when they are scared. Their defense is aggression, more or less strong. Shyna in a new environment must have been afraid.
Yes that is true Vera, I think that was the case for the first weeks.