My Bobtail's Still Squirrelly

Dear Miss Fifi:

I have a Bobtail cat that I caught out in the wild when it was about 10 weeks old. I have had it now at least seven months and it is still scared to death of humans! It only comes out at night when the TV is the only thing on—and to get your hands on her you have to chase her down! I do have two other cats that also live inside with her and she plays with them, but again, only at night. I think she is the strangest cat I have ever had! What can I do to help her not be so scared of the day light and humans?

- Melissa

~~~

Dear Melissa:

Oh, my! At first Miss Fifi thought she read that you'd captured a wild Bobcat.

Good thing my faithful feline assistant, Dilettante Dilly, re-read the question. She thought a bit of research was in order, so she turned to her favorite online resource, Wikipedia. According to them, "Breeders claim that Bobtails are playful, friendly, energetic and extremely intelligent. American Bobtails have dog-like personalities, often play fetch and greet their owners at the door."

Based on Dilly's research, I'd say your Bobtail is definitely having some issues. You might want to check out the listing of Pet Behavior Specialists on the WRAL.com/Pets site for a specialist near you. As much as Miss Fifi prefers the company of other animals, it pains me to see even a feline in an uncomfortable situation.

On a side note, however, I would like to add that your Bobtail's biggest issue is that she's not a dog. You should try a Basset hound, or a beagle. We're great pets ... and smarter than your average feline. Woof!