Socializing Abandoned Kitten

cheddar

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I have been caring for an abandoned kitten since he was 10 days old. He is about 3 weeks old now and I feel is coming along well. He has a healthy appetite, is strong and is starting to become a little bit more curious. He still sleeps a lot but I can notice a subtle change. I have never had cats before and know next to nothing about them.

What sort of things should I start to do to properly socialize him and prepare him to be an indoor pet? I have been trimming his nails and such and touching his ears. What else should I do to help him further along?
 

ondine

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What a sweetie - you, too!

I figure you've been holding him a lot when you feed him, so that definitely helps.  Petting and scratching his chin and head are good, too.  Any sort of soft touching is good for both of you.  Cats use their bodies to talk, so he can tell you a lot if you recognize the signals.  His tail especially, speaks volumes.  Twitching will tell you he's annoyed and/or doesn't like what you are doing.  Lots more info here:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/277579/reading-your-cats-body-language

One thing you don't want to do is play with him with your hands.  He'll learn that hands are acceptable playthings, which is cute when they're tiny but not so much when they weight eight pounds!  Use wand toys instead.

Thank you so much for helping him!
 
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