PUBLISHED IN [GHOSTWRITTEN]

Terrorized by your furry bundle of joy? The secret to turning a ferocious feline into a lazy lap cat is in today’s article. And it’s so simple, you won’t believe you’ve never tried it.

Here’s the story of beautiful, untouchable Kona, and how one incredibly easy (and caring) habit got him to love us…at last.

Mittens Was Unreachable (Until We Found the Secret)

Following the tragic loss of one of our two sweet kitties to a rare disease, my kids were begging for “a new friend for Louis.”

My husband and I put the question off as long as we could. But as the months rolled by, it became clear that Louis, our gentle tabby, was becoming more and more withdrawn. We were slowly coming to terms with the loss of Eowen; Louis was not.

And so, on one sunny Saturday, I bundled up the kids and we went to the nearest Petco for Pet Rescue Day.

Perhaps my family likes a challenge…or maybe we’re just crazy. But when my boys saw beautiful (and obviously angry) Kona cowering, they pointed. “That’s the one, Mom!”

Um…okay? The sleek black cat glared at us and casually extended every claw, ready for our approach. I swear he let those murder mittens out one at a time, Freddy Kreuger-style.

“Let me take this,” I said, and I managed to collect Kona carefully. Very carefully.

Kona tore three streaks up my left arm. No questions asked; not a mew or a growl. Just slash-and-dash.

“Oh please, please, please,” my kids begged. “She needs somebody to love her.”

“Him,” I said, mopping up the blood drops with the bottom of my T-shirt.

“Pleeeeeeeeeeease,” my youngest blinked his long, dreamy eyelashes.

“We’ll take him,” I sighed.

We Tried Everything. Then We Found ‘the Secret’

At home, Kona made for the nearest bed and went under it.

He didn’t come out for two days.

We shoved bowls of food and water as close to him as we dared. After the first day, I smartened up and wore gloves…the giant leather kind perfect for gardening, handling corrosive acids, or dealing with pets like Kona.

On the third day Kona made an appearance…to attack my older son’s bare leg. We had no idea why. My son wasn’t walking near the bed. He was just…well, walking.

Comforting my sobbing (and heavily bleeding) son, I thought: This is it. I have to do something.

So I did some research. And then I found the secret I’d been looking for.

And it was so simple.

Ready? Here It Is. The “Slow Blink”

What I discovered by searching authoritative pet sites is that if you want to reach a cat, think like a cat.

The thing is, while cats are more social than some people think, they don’t react to people cues. They react to cat cues.

And one way that cats tell other cats that they love and trust them is by blinking very slowly, then looking away.

You may have noticed this in your feline friends and thought you were being snubbed. Nope! It’s just the opposite. Your little buddy is telling you that she trusts you enough not to be watching you like a hawk (or, well, like a cat).

Because cats do this with other cats, especially littermates when they are kittens, the best way you can make your cat feel your love is to look at him casually, slowly close your eyes, and look away.

We tried it with Kona, getting as close to him as we dared. And after just a few days, he began coming out of hiding to sniff at us, then touch us with his nose…and one day, to sit with, believe it or not, my older son. Yes, the one Kona had attacked for simply walking.

And the rest is history. Today Kona is happy, a little on the fat side, a best friend to our Louis, and one of the friendliest cats we’ve ever had.

Blink, Repeat, Love…and Enjoy Your Feline Friend!

Most cats don’t have the issues Kona started out with. You may simply want to deepen your relationship with your beloved cat companion. Or you might have an adoptee who’s just a little shy.

No matter what your situation, the Slow Blink can add trust between you, and show your cat that you understand them.

And that’s worth its weight in gold.