That worked with Hallie, too, but only after she ran around for a bit. She seemed to have to work off some of her intense anxiety first, and then we could get her up on the couch and try to calm her down. We adopted her at the age of two. She was a racer, and had lived her life in a crate.
I have a friend who has greys that were racers. They are so sweet and beautiful. And such couch potatoes!