A Shy Cat as a Guest

We had the pleasure of caring for this lovely gentleman over the weekend. We had been told in advance that 15-year-old Pepper was very shy and didn’t particularly like people outside of his owners. He gets easily stressed by changes. The cat has stayed at a pet hotel a few times, but hasn't really felt comfortable there or allowed the caretakers to approach it. When frightened, he might hiss, bite, or give a swat with his paw. According to his owner, the easiest approach was to simply let him be. The owner suspected that Pepper would stay in the sauna the entire weekend, so we made it cozy for him. Although there was a possibility that he might not want to have anything to do with us, our whole family was genuinely excited to meet him. We completely understand that new situations can be stressful and scary, so we hoped to make Pepper’s visit as comfortable and stress-free as possible.

Pepper arrived on Friday afternoon. As expected, the shy boy retreated into the sauna and stayed there, just like his owner predicted. We left him alone to settle in. Later, I quietly stepped into the sauna to check on him. I didn’t see anyone at first, but then I heard a hiss. A furry dark bundle was huddled behind the litter boxes. I started talking gently, telling Pepper he was a wonderful boy and very welcome in our home. Big, wide eyes, filled with fear, stared back at me from under the bench. “You’re safe here, and we’ll take good care of you. There’s nothing to worry about,” I continued, squinting my eyes in the hopes he’d sense my good intentions. He squinted back ever so slightly and seemed to relax a bit. Then he shifted to get more comfortable and closed his eyes. I quietly left him to rest.

About half an hour later, while I was in the kitchen, I noticed someone watching me from the doorway. Every time I turned to look, a fluffy tail darted back toward the sauna. The sauna was clearly his safe zone. Later, the girls told me Pepper had been hanging out in the bathroom doorway, peeking out. This time, he didn’t run when I approached him, softly talking as I did. I offered him a cat treat, which he accepted, and then another. We visited him a few more times, always leaving after a bit to let him know we respected his space. My younger daughter had the idea to show him a feather toy, which Pepper sniffed curiously, forgetting his nervousness for a moment. We gently stroked him with the toy, and he stretched out on the floor, eventually resting his head. He now appeared more at ease with our presence - as long as we kept a respectful distance.

The evening continued calmly. Pepper grew more confident and eventually began exploring the apartment slowly but with clear curiosity. He walked past the girls in the kitchen all the way to the small room, hopped on the desk, checked out the view from the window, and curled up in a cat bed on the table. When I gently called out to him  “Where are you, Pepper?”, he seemed to respond by “smiling” and squinting his eyes. Later that evening, he joined us in the living room as we watched TV, settling comfortably on the rug.

We sent a video update to Pepper’s owner, who seemed both surprised and happy to see how brave he was being and how close he’d allowed us to get — especially the kids. Apparently, Pepper usually didn’t let children near him. “I was sure he wouldn’t leave the sauna all weekend. He seems like a totally different cat...” the owner said when I sent a photo of Pepper lounging casually on my desk. I have to admit — I was expecting something completely different, too. Pepper amazed us all with his courage.

The next day continued in a similar calm rhythm, slowly building a bond with our new feline friend. Pepper seemed to enjoy being where the people were. He watched the girls from under the sofa and occasionally came to sniff their hands, even allowing our younger daughter to pet him several times. He spent time lounging in the cat bed on the desk while I worked. Every now and then, he nibbled on the dry food kibbles I offered him by hand – they seemed to be much more appealing when hand-fed than straight from the bowl. By then, his appetite had noticeably improved compared to the first day. That evening, as we watched a movie, Pepper once again came to relax on the rug.

My new coworker ❤️

Sunday — day three — arrived. Pepper had already claimed the whole apartment, tried out every cat bed, and climbed the scratching post. He now roamed the home with ease, occasionally brushing up against our legs with his tail high in the air. It was hard to believe this was the same cat who had spent his first hours huddled under the sauna bench, hissing. His owner seemed just as astonished by his calm demeanor when she arrived that afternoon to find him napping in his soft cat tent.

Pepper’s visit brought us all so much joy. It’s always incredibly rewarding and heartwarming when a shy cat opens up and lets their guard down. In our eyes, Pepper was the sweetest, most charming gentleman — whether he had stayed hidden the entire time or not. Every guest in our care is equally important and cherished. We always do our very best to create a pleasant and safe experience for each cat, entirely on their terms. I hope Pepper left here with the feeling that boarding can actually be… quite nice.

Thank you, Pepper — and to all our other wonderful feline guests — for brightening our days. We hope to have the honor of being your second home again in the future.