My home is their castle...

alicia1834

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My husband and I have been attempting to get our 4 feral kittens to explore the larger house, instead of just their safe room. At first they were shy and a bit scared but now they run and play with no fear at all. Each time we let them out it becomes increasingly harder to get them back into their room. Last night was horrible, we spent 3 hours trying to get them all back in the bathroom. I don't feel comfortable allowing them to stay up all the time (they play so much that they get overheated, are so excited they don't go to the bathroom, etc.) and I do want the ability to pick them up and bring them to their room. They have been in the bathroom for nearly 3 months now and are pretty tame when they are in the bathroom but when they are in the house they do not allow us to get too close to them to pick them up. Sometimes food works, sometimes throwing toys works but not all the time. Should we keep them in the bathroom a month or two longer or will they eventually calm down and get used to the larger space? I know they are just kittens and are having so much fun around the house but they are naughty and stubborn little guys too!
 

StefanZ

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Interesting problem.  I wonder if the issue is they dont see you really as their alpha.  If it is so, work on this. Hissing and so...  Say, work on some rule or two which is easy to understand, type, they are not allowed on the kitchen table.

IF you do allow them for good to be in the rest of the house, make sure to have several litters around, not just the one in the bathroom.

Next question, if it itsnt soon time for them to go to their new, individual home?  The new owner must of course be forewarned there may be some fostering still to be done.

I mean, it is easier to dominate one or two, especielly if there are adult cats who can show them the daily routines, than to dominate a pack of four, who are exciting each other...

Good luck!
 

feralvr

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I also understand this dilemma and the main problem you have going against you is that there are FOUR of them and they will band together. :lol3: Those little naughty babies. :D ;) You either have to work with them one by one outside of the bathroom OR just allow them to be free in the house now at this point. Are you planning on keeping them? If so, then you might just want to let them have the house now. I don't know how big your house is, though. :lol3: IF it is large, then I think I would want to close off some areas to them. What I do is have a "foster" room and would only feed the kittens in that room on scheduled meals. This way they would all come back to their room to eat before bedtime and I would close them off into their room at night. It really did work because they were hungry for that bedtime meal. Also, make sure you do have extra litter boxes about the house. :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes: GOOD LUCK with these little ones. :rub:
 
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