We have more and more people coming over now that we live in the new place and a few of them have asked to meet Murray.
It only recently occurred to me how crippled my cat is when it comes to socializing, partly because we never really had anyone over before. Truth be told, he hides the moment he gets wind of someone new. It’s strange.
Unfortunately, every time people have asked if they can meet Murray, he simply refuses to come out and be seen. And I think people are starting to wonder if I made him up entirely. Are they questioning whether or not all the stories I tell about him are indeed true. Has he become my Hobbes? How can such a shy animal do so many charming and bold things?
I asked Toby Joe the other night, “Do you think Murray knows that he’s Internet famous and that’s why he hides from people?”
Toby Joe just accused him of being a pussy, which, like, duh!
Tucker, the Orangemani terrorist we have living with us, is scared to crap of the vacuum cleaner, so is Pookum. Murray? He’s bored by its antics. Tucker will walk right up to whomever comes over the moment they enter the door. Murray buries his head under our covers and doesn’t come out until our visitors are gone.
Does it surprise you to read that Murray is indeed very shy? Because it surprises me. When I think about all the things that he does and how affectionate he is, and then pair that with the crippling shyness, I’m surprised. These two traits don’t normally go together.
So, if you have ever visited our home (or do so in the future) I need you to know that even if you don’t see him, Murray is very real. I swear I didn’t make him up.
Aww…it doesn’t surprise me that Murray is shy. My kitty, Apollo, is very affectionate and verbal with me and hubby, but runs (waddle-style) to the back closet to hide in the far corner covered by the hanging clothes.
Only recently – and with the help of catnip treats to mellow him out – did he come out to see my nephews when they came to visit.
And, Murray is indeed Internet famous – and he’s loved by many!!! :-)
Our Holden is very shy, too. Always under the bed if anyone comes over.
My boy, Zot (who oddly enough looks a lot like Murray), does the same thing; he’s a wild, social boy when it’s just his family around, and a shy guy when people come over. It does depend on how many people are around, actually – and his favorite people (aside from us, of course) are the people who like cats the least.
Our cats are the same way. Paddington in particular is a character. So vocal and friendly and affectionate it is not even funny. He – like your Murray- cracks us up. I think we have saved money since we got the cats purely because we would rather sit inside watching the cats. How lame.
Anyway, I mentioned this exact shyness issue to a friend of mine recently. She has done a lot of rescue work and she said that it is pretty common for semi-feral/abandoned cats to develop deep bonds with the people they live with, but tends toward shyness when confronted by people they don’t know. I know Murray was rescued as a very, very small kitten, but maybe some of the same principles still carry over. Of course, it could just be his personality…
We are trying to introduce the cats to more people as a general way to try and reduce their fear of new situations.