Mitzi and The Case of the Cat with a Fear of Hands
I first met Mitzi in early 2024 when her guardian, N, reached out to me about a problem: Mitzi had knotted fur and wouldn’t allow anyone to groom her.
When I arrived at N’s apartment, I sat on the floor while we coaxed Mitzi over with some silvervine. Mitzi loves treats, so she happily came over. She seemed friendly at first, but the moment I reached out to pet her, she withdrew. N explained that it wasn’t just brushing that Mitzi refused—she was also afraid of hands and touch in general. For a beautiful long-haired cat like Mitzi, this was especially problematic. The knots in her fur would get painful, and it was essential to either brush or shave her regularly.
A shelter had rescued Mitzi after she was dumped at a police precinct for being violent. The shelter could tell Mitzi was terrified, shut down, and not doing well in a cage near other cats. Fortunately, when N saw her, she fell in love and asked to foster her immediately, eventually adopting her.
The main directive was for N to stop trying to brush Mitzi and instead focus on building trust. We decided to wait until the knots became uncomfortable enough for Mitzi that she might tolerate grooming. We didn’t want her to suffer, so we planned to act as soon as the knots reached that point.
Since she didn’t cooperate at the vet and grooming required sedation, which was too expensive to do multiple times a year, we came up with an alternative plan. A friend of N’s, who had spent a lot of time around Mitzi and whom Mitzi was comfortable with, would come over and try to shave her at home, hoping she’d be more relaxed in her own space.
N worked hard to desensitize Mitzi to hands, and that part of the plan was going great! But the grooming part? Not so much.
When the friend came over to shave Mitzi, N left the apartment, thinking it might help if Mitzi didn’t associate the grooming with her. Unfortunately, even with N gone, Mitzi wasn’t having it. She fought, scratched, and made the whole thing a chaotic experience.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, plans don’t work out, and that’s okay. We shift to Plan B. While Mitzi was shaved—mostly—her fur would grow back, and the knots would return. I encouraged N to keep building trust while I searched for a solution.
On my second visit, I was thrilled to see progress. N was able to pet Mitzi, and they even cuddled in bed. But no luck when it came to anyone else trying to touch her.
After that visit, I contacted an amazing organization called Flatbush Cats. Thanks to donations and grants, they offer low-cost vet services, including sedation and grooming services. While N has found a more reasonably priced vet that cares for Mitzi in New Jersey, I still wanted to share the info on Flatbush Cats for anyone else who might need low-cost vet services.
Update:
Mitzi just got her biannual lion cut last week and is a happy girl; it feels so much better not to have all that fur. The latest update from N is that the process is working. She has stopped trying to brush Mitzi, and now Mitzi is accepting pets from her and her mother! That’s a big step for our girl. It’s one thing to bond with your caregiver, but to show affection to a second person is just wonderful. Mitzi now likes to sleep on the pillow right next to N’s head at night. I am so happy with her progress!
I’m always grateful for people like N who open their hearts and homes to cats that others might overlook.
If your cat has a fear of hands, fear of touch, or other challenging behaviors, remember that patience and trust-building can go a long way. Every cat is different, and sometimes it takes time to figure out the right approach.
