hi, i got a kitten about 10 days ago now. She is 8 weeks old, is eating solid food and is very active. the only problem is she will not allow me touch her. she will feed from my hand but if i move my hand towards her she will hiss and scratch. i did manage to catch her a few days ago and she was quite content to sit in my arms and be rubbed but once i let her go again, the same thing started, hissing and spitting when i tried to rub her. not sure what to do now?
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new kitten wont let me touch her :(
- Thread starter shmivy
- Start Date
Hi and welcome to the Forums!
What is the story behind, I suppose she was born feral/from a homeless mom?
Have you got her for fostering or did you adopted / bough her?
How is the health, including deworming, deparastiing, as fleas and ear-mites? Most homeless borne do have such issues.
Using a Feliway diffuser is never wrong, it is lessening their stress, althogh most fosterers manage quite well without.
Soft, calm music is also never wrong...
Is there anything else which may stress her?
How much place does she have - especielly during the sessions you are trying to be her pal?
Most fosterers prefer the room isnt too big. They have some cat igloo to take shelter in if they want, but otherwise no hide places where they can disappear... Some even recommend for you to use your bedroom as the living and fostering place... Or your working room, where you do your lessons, work with the computer etc. And she sees you are a non dangerous, not threatening, overall nice person... And sooner or later she comes forward.
This is a sure method, although it may take time. Patience is your friend.
Other fosterers do recommend some forced kuddling, if the foster is a kitten. With kittens it seems to work.
I shall think for more tips and advices, Im sure other will find in.
During this time, please look also for the Ferale Forum. As your problem is essentially not a kitten problem, but fostering a ferale/homeless born kitten / cat...
See you!
Good luck!
What is the story behind, I suppose she was born feral/from a homeless mom?
Have you got her for fostering or did you adopted / bough her?
How is the health, including deworming, deparastiing, as fleas and ear-mites? Most homeless borne do have such issues.
Using a Feliway diffuser is never wrong, it is lessening their stress, althogh most fosterers manage quite well without.
Soft, calm music is also never wrong...
Is there anything else which may stress her?
How much place does she have - especielly during the sessions you are trying to be her pal?
Most fosterers prefer the room isnt too big. They have some cat igloo to take shelter in if they want, but otherwise no hide places where they can disappear... Some even recommend for you to use your bedroom as the living and fostering place... Or your working room, where you do your lessons, work with the computer etc. And she sees you are a non dangerous, not threatening, overall nice person... And sooner or later she comes forward.
This is a sure method, although it may take time. Patience is your friend.
Other fosterers do recommend some forced kuddling, if the foster is a kitten. With kittens it seems to work.
I shall think for more tips and advices, Im sure other will find in.
During this time, please look also for the Ferale Forum. As your problem is essentially not a kitten problem, but fostering a ferale/homeless born kitten / cat...
See you!
Good luck!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
hi, thanks for your reply.
no shes not a feral kitty, shes half russian blue.
I put her in the sitting room and she kept hiding under the couch, i realise this was a mistake now but shes nearly confident here an loves sitting in the arm chair so i dont think i should move her now or should i?
no shes not a feral kitty, shes half russian blue.
I put her in the sitting room and she kept hiding under the couch, i realise this was a mistake now but shes nearly confident here an loves sitting in the arm chair so i dont think i should move her now or should i?
some russians are shy. But this yours is beyond that. Why is so? But it is perhaps its own story.
So still, I believe you should think for the fostering take examples how to do with fostered semi-ferales.
No, if she got this sitting room as her safety room, dont change, not at once.
But begin to make her a "legal" hideout. Cat igloo, or a sideturned cardboard box, with something nice to lie on in there. A high climb postition may be another safety spot.
some owner dont want their cats to sleep in ther bed. If so, it is perhaps best she is in this sitting room.
Other cat owners dont mind, or even do love them cats sleeping in the bed.
So trying to let her be in your bedroom would perhaps be an idea in a little longer fun. Say a couple of weeks.
Russians may often be shy to foreigners, but practically every Russian I did have heard about, do bond nicely to their owner, the Ma or Dad, and almost always, to the whole family.
Another possible tip. Most cats do prefer cat company. And thus, having two cats is often easier than having one.
So in some variations, a solution may be if you get one more cat. A cat who IS both cat friendly, AND human friendly, loving to be petted and cuddled with.
Them becoming pals, the other cat will shine as a good example... Cats do learn from each other. Especielly if they are good friends...
Shmivy, Do you have previous experience with cats?
Good luck!
Welcome to TCS
and congratz on your new little ball of fur
. I second what Stefanz has said. Your kitten will come around to you in time and learn to trust the hand that feed quickly. Personally, I would try to keep the kitten in a small room/bathroom, just for a couple of days until you are able to pet and hold the kitten without the hissing/spitting. The possible problem with the sitting room and her hiding under the couch is that you don't want to have to reach under there and pull her out, this will scare her more. Also, she can just run and hide from you every time you go into the sitting room. Some cats/kittens just don't want to be pet or handled, who knows why....
but it is true. Although even if they don't enjoy pets, they won't hiss and spit like that, so I just think your kitten needs to learn to trust and that you are her new meowmy. Also, do have a place for the kitten to hide in, like Stefanz said. I like those small box shaped tents that velcro together and you can easily reach in gently to pet the kitten. Cats love to play and sleep in those. Don't worry, your kitten will be adjusting to you and her new environment quickly. It has been a stressful time for her and some kittens are just more out-going than others. I bet she is a pretty kitten, what is her name? Much luck
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
thanks for the replys its very encouraging
her name is tripsy
my friend has another kitten who is the exact same age and loves to be around people an get cuddles so i was thinking of adopting her also if this would help the situation? if i was to do this would i have to keep them seperate while the new one adjusts?
i bought her a little hooded bed which she loves to sleep hide in.
i have no previous expierience with cats at all as my mother hated them so i did not have one when i was younger. tripsy is my first cat and i want to make her as happy as possible
her name is tripsy
my friend has another kitten who is the exact same age and loves to be around people an get cuddles so i was thinking of adopting her also if this would help the situation? if i was to do this would i have to keep them seperate while the new one adjusts?
i bought her a little hooded bed which she loves to sleep hide in.
i have no previous expierience with cats at all as my mother hated them so i did not have one when i was younger. tripsy is my first cat and i want to make her as happy as possible
This could certainly be a workable solution!
Some experienced fosterers prefer to be alone with the shy cat they are fostering.
But for inexperienced fosterers it is much easier to have the help of a sociale, pettable cat - usually their resident.
It is the same owner? perhaps even the same litter?
8 weeks is a little too young to be given away from siblings and mom. 10 or even 12 is better. But if the owner in fact does it, better they come somewhere where there IS a pal, then where they will be alone cat.
As the other cat is like you say, social, loves cuddling etc, she wont need any long introduction period in the home. One or two days. Do keep her in one room, so she gets this room as her safe room.
Then some introduction between these two, but it should go easy and quickly with two kittens.
I presume there is no real health issues, so no need for quarantene between these two?
Good luck!
Some experienced fosterers prefer to be alone with the shy cat they are fostering.
But for inexperienced fosterers it is much easier to have the help of a sociale, pettable cat - usually their resident.
It is the same owner? perhaps even the same litter?
8 weeks is a little too young to be given away from siblings and mom. 10 or even 12 is better. But if the owner in fact does it, better they come somewhere where there IS a pal, then where they will be alone cat.
As the other cat is like you say, social, loves cuddling etc, she wont need any long introduction period in the home. One or two days. Do keep her in one room, so she gets this room as her safe room.
Then some introduction between these two, but it should go easy and quickly with two kittens.
I presume there is no real health issues, so no need for quarantene between these two?
Good luck!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
ok new problem now. i introduced pepper ( who loves being held an cuddled ) however she keeps hissing at tripsy anytime she gets near. tripsy seems very interested in her an not at all aggressive towards her.
That was quick working! the letter you wrote hadnt drained yet, and you do already have this extra kitty, AND introduced her...
Some hissing in the beginning is common. Perhaps she feels also somewhat unsure and unsecure. Especially as she didnt got her adjustement time...
She will surely soon land anyway. And as Tripsy is making friendly sounds and motions... Kittens want to play... So she will. (dont worry, them being friends, they will bound with you anyway).
By the way. Tripsys hissings at you.
Im thinking. Are you sure it IS warning hissings? It can be she wants to play, and began with a war-like play...
Two new kittens often begin either with chasing each either, or wrestling... It may see like they are enemies, but they really had already began to play....
So perhaps some of the hissing is for play with you?
When our resident was kitten, we often played "The big horrible monster chasing poor kitten". And he merrily fled, but not faster so I could be just behind. And after a while he always turned and gave battle. Usually by jumping on a bed, and striking at my face. Always with soft paw. But of course, I do have glasses, otherwise I wouldnt never dare to play this particular game...
Good luck!
Some hissing in the beginning is common. Perhaps she feels also somewhat unsure and unsecure. Especially as she didnt got her adjustement time...
She will surely soon land anyway. And as Tripsy is making friendly sounds and motions... Kittens want to play... So she will. (dont worry, them being friends, they will bound with you anyway).
By the way. Tripsys hissings at you.
Im thinking. Are you sure it IS warning hissings? It can be she wants to play, and began with a war-like play...
Two new kittens often begin either with chasing each either, or wrestling... It may see like they are enemies, but they really had already began to play....
So perhaps some of the hissing is for play with you?
When our resident was kitten, we often played "The big horrible monster chasing poor kitten". And he merrily fled, but not faster so I could be just behind. And after a while he always turned and gave battle. Usually by jumping on a bed, and striking at my face. Always with soft paw. But of course, I do have glasses, otherwise I wouldnt never dare to play this particular game...
Good luck!
