Handling Kittens

Hia

I was wondering how long it is before I can handle the kittens? It's just I could do with changing the blankets in the box and I'm not quite sure how to go about it.

Thanks for any advice

Janey xx

you can handle them right away providing the mother trusts you and you only do it for weights checks and when cleaning the bedding. just be very gentle. just dont do it while they are nursing.

You can definitely handle them now, all mine have been handled since birth. Just be sure and wash your hands first. I always kept a bottle of hand sanitizer near the kittens so I could be sure my hands were clean before I touched them.

That's great news!!

Thanks for the quick response and advice, much appreciated

I handle kittens from the moment they are born. As long as its only a short time once or twice a day for the first few days, it will be fine. Also don't take them out of sight of mom for awhile or she will get upset

The more you handle them, the more outgoing and friendly they will be. I always have little kisses for them and talk to them. They get more used to your scent and voice before their eyes open, so they are not as skittish by then.

I waited a couple of hours to be sure Momma was ok with my being around. I changed the bedding about 4 or 5 hours after she had them all. I was told to wait a day to change it but I realized that there was some feces on the far end of the sheet and because Cookie has Giardia I changed it right away. I didn't want the kittens getting into it.

Thanks again for the advice

Tilly seems quite happy with me handling the kittens as long as she can see me. I've handled all of them today. They are sooo cute and tiny and fit on the palm of my hand hehe

What you say makes a lot of sense about getting them used to human touch and voices. I should imagine a kitten that's not handled whilst it's very young will be quite a withdrawn cat around hunams as it gets older.

thanks again xx

From experience and DH was convenienced about the early handling/socialization. We lived on a farm. Before we married, DH had several litters of kittens. The kittens were never brought inside till they were about 7-8 weeks old for training and they were hard to catch in the barn.

The last litter (Ling's brothers/sisters); the kittens were confined in a very large dog crate and brought in by 5 weeks old to wean/train.

They stayed around for 3-4 months old (normally DH would give the kittens away as soon as they were eating/using the litter pan). He found out the importance of how to take care of kittens the right way and socialize them. This last litter was totally different and much friendlier then any of his other litters.

And even tho the kits will know you by sound/smell, don't be surprised if they still "hiss" at you for the first week or so when eyes are open - its natural instinct

I breed Devon Rex and I start handling the kittens from day one. At first only once or twice a day for less than a minute each and never out of sight of the mom. After a couple of days, we take them out, one at a time, several times a day for a minute or two. We slowly increase handling, always making sure that the mom does not get unduly stressed.

I have not yet had a kitten hiss or growl at me when they open their eyes.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I handle kittens from the moment they are born. As long as its only a short time once or twice a day for the first few days, it will be fine. Also don't take them out of sight of mom for awhile or she will get upset

The more you handle them, the more outgoing and friendly they will be. I always have little kisses for them and talk to them. They get more used to your scent and voice before their eyes open, so they are not as skittish by then.

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Amen to that!
When I come in to visit several times daily, they crawl out of their bed over to me and crawl all over me meowing and licking at me and waiting for their kisses!!!!

My little pumpkin seems to think I'm her surrogate Mommy, she won't let me do anything in their room without screaming at me for attention and crawling all over me!!!!