Tough question...so much depends on the individual cat. Some cats just don't want anything to do with a new person, and the only thing you can do in that case is keep showing up until the cat gets used to you. With cats that are more open to interaction, the key seems to be to get them curious about you. My normally shy cat avoided my mother-in-law until one day she happened to be wearing this extremely soft coat. Once the kitty rubbed up against that coat, she was motivated to hang around and get petted. And with some cats, of course, offering a special food treat (such as a spoonful of tuna) can go a long way in getting them to come over and check you out. Once they're willing to approach you, you just have to be very patient....