Feline Behaviorist Pam Johnson-Bennett is the author of a number of award-winning and critically acclaimed books, including Think Like a Cat and Psycho Kitty. The innovative methods described in all her books are based on Pam's unique way of training by actually understanding the way a cat thinks. She makes numerous television appearances including CNN, Fox News Channel, and National Geographic specials, as well as being a popular guest on many nationally syndicated radio programs. She is now considered to be one of the leading experts on feline behavior.

Q: I have a female three-year-old tortoiseshell cat, Muffin. She is healthy and a loving cat, but when we get the ironing board and the iron out, she runs and hides and won't come out for food or water. She will even run if she sees these two items around when they are not in use. She's only just now come out of hiding from the ironing being done yesterday! Can you suggest anything that would help? Our other cats are not scared in this way. She's also scared of the vacuum cleaner, but does not hide like she does with the ironing board. It is really upsetting to us to see her so scared.

A: It's not unusual for cats to form negative associations with object if they have a bad experience. Perhaps your kitty jumped onto the ironing board and it wobbled or toppled over. The iron may have scared her when the steam was released if it sounded like a hiss, or perhaps she came in contact with the hot iron.

You can do desensitization and counter-conditioning exercises to help your kitty overcome her fear. These exercises must be done very gradually, though, or you'll risk intensifying her fear. Start by keeping the ironing board and iron in the farthest corner of a room. It should be in a room that doesn't contain the cat's food, litter box or sleeping quarters, though, because you want her to be able to use these things without stress. Just leave the ironing board lying on the floor so it doesn't appear intimidating. After a few days, start doing play sessions with your kitty in the general area of that room. If she's food motivated, offer her a small treat. The key is to stay well within her comfort zone but let her see the ironing board out of the corner of her eye. If she gets scared, then you moved too close.

Gradually (and I do mean gradually) ease your way an inch or two closer during future play sessions. The purpose of the ironing board in this case is to just be a piece of furniture. As the cat gets more comfortable, she may eventually go up to the ironing board and sniff it. As time goes on, you can start to set the ironing board up or prop it up against the wall. Always let your cat set the pace, though.