need help with 12 week old hoarding kittens who act feral

Hello my three new foster kittens from our local shelter are from a hoarding citation They will hiss and growl and ears go flat on head once you pick them up their tails tuck to their neck. Please if anyone has any suggestions on how to help these little ones get to the point of being adoptable please let me know. I feel so bad for them. They will come out of their big crate and walk around my room but come no where near me. if I try to approach they will run for cover. the whole time I hold them they just want to get away. anyone????? thanks so much in advance.

Its good you recognize a key to them is to fetch ideas from the semiferal fostering.

In other, it depends much on how much you know about cat behavior, fostering and so.  Such things like dont look directly in their eyes. Dont raise hands above them,   Good if you sit down, or a little later on, even lay down.

Having them in your bedroom is thus quite effective! but lay down the bed on the floor, you dont want them to hide under the bed and keep there.

Do talk a lot with a friendly voice with them.  Or even, read aloud... Make lotsa of friendly noises. You can sing if you want and can.

Yawn at them and strech yourself standing on all fours - its friendly signs.

If they happen to turn theirbehind on you, pretend you sniff - blew a little, like you were very near.

Make sure they can hide a little, in for example a cat igloo or similiar.  They shall have a scratching post.

Relaxing, calming music is good.  A Feliway adapter isnt necessary, but may make things easier.

When they have landed a little, and begins to be calmer, you may try and wrap them in a soft towel, all legs up to the neck, and carry them at your chest a good while.  You make nice noises and talk friendly...    This is easier than carry in as usual - wrapped up they tend to cease fight and let things happen.

This tricks works best with kittens -8w, but may be tried later too.

Another trick is to brush them, with long tags.   Or even, using a tooth brush, you pretend you are their mom and brush them "lick" them.

Play sessions?  Use something you dont need to touch them; Da Bird or similiar...

Begin with the most curious, most daring.  The others will see and learn.

As for now, dont force on the carrying or lifing if they are very much against, as you apparently tried.

A common trick, you dont pretend much about their presence.  You do what you do, sitting there, write on computer, reading a book.  Now and then you read aloud.

Other passes you talk friendly with them as said before.   But dont actively seek their company.  If they want to come near, good, but you dont pursue them.

Make sure they know its you who is their caretaker: bringing in food and treats, cleaning litter.

Kittens, exactly how old they are / you think they are?

Some remarks, Hope they will help you some.  Its experiences from several sources, so apparently, you cant do them all at once.  Although many of them you can do stepwise.

But you can fetch ideas.   With one cats one trick works, but not another, so just good to have several tricks to choose from.

Continue to report and ask.

Good luck!

They are 12 weeks old. They come out and run all around my room but never come near me. if I don't move towards them they are content running around the room. I don't know if this is the right way to get them to come to me. I want to do the right thing as I am their last chance and shelter will put them down. is running around me in the room okay? or will they just run and be content to never come near me?

One way you can socialize them is by sitting in the room quietly and reading out loud to them. They will soon be curious and might approach you. This may take a week or more, so be patient. As Stephan said, make sure they know you are the bringer of food. Food is an excellent bribe.

Most cats cannot not resist Gerber chicken baby food - just chicken and water, no onions. You can offer it to them on a spoon at first but soon they will be eating it off your fingers.

Make sure you move slowly in their presence - no sudden moves or loud noises. Running around the room just tells me they have a lot of energy and need a little time to get used to their new digs.

Thank you for helping them! You are making such a great difference in their lives.

so if they are running in the room around me for now does that help them or not so much? There is a tv in my room and even when I am gone I leave it on for them. do you think hoarding and feral are the same as to how to approach helping them? shelter says they came from hoarder. they come to front of cage and wacth the dogs run around. they usto sit in back and hiss. should they be in cages alone or is all three together okay? how much time should we hold them? when they want to jump should we let go? they like my dogs. and will walk right up to them. but humans NO way. Thanks for all the input I am taking notes thanks so much. I want to save them and make them good adoptable kitties so they can have a chance. they are so pretty. can I upload a pic of them on here? I am not familiar with how a forum works. another rescue women suggested I look one up.

They probably didn't get a lot of attention from the hoarder, so they simply don't understand what humans can do. Similar to feral cats, although feral cats truly fear humans.

Keeping them in a crate will help you keep them corralled. As long as the crate is big enough for their potty and some room to play, they should be OK. You can sit by the crate and read out loud. Keeping the TV on is fine, as long as they sounds are not loud. If you have music channels, find one with harp music or something similar.

If you are holding them and they struggle to get away, hold them for a few seconds - not long enough to stress them but long enough to let them understand you won't hurt them. They fact that they no longer hiss is a good sign. Also, their liking the dog is good. He or she can be an ambassador of sorts, helping them understand humans aren't there to hurt them.

They are most likely reacting to the change in their situation. Most cats simply hate change and need time to adjust. Work with them patiently and they'll come around.

Thank you so much it is so helpful to just hear that I am going to find a light at the end of this tunnel. I am so happy and hopeful that they will do ok, I will give them all the time they need. Just hope the shelter will give me all the time I need . They were there two weeks before they let me foster them. that two weeks could have made such a huge difference.

 they jumped on my bed tonight and sniffed my computer. I was not on the bed but they all were. small big steps. I am thankful to get all the advise. I don't want to go about this and make things worse for them rather then better,

If they run AROUND you it doessnt sound too bad.  If they were high sky afraid of you, they would never do so.   Its probably as Ondine says,  they dont know they can have lotsa fo pleasure  from humans.    So take it stepwise.

Pet the dog where they can see him, so they will se pets from you is something nice...  So he will be the ambassador yes.   Sooner or later the most daring of them will come forward, etc....

Good luck!

small steps each day. this morning one jumped on my bed and layed. with me on it. No were near me but on the same bed. woooohoooooo. I am so happy I found this forum thanks. I have been trying to incorporate all the suggestions.

Here is a link to a series of videos on socializing feral kittens.  The video starts with the rescue of the kittens, but then progresses to how to socialize.  I used many of the tips to help me when I socialized a 7 month old feral.  It does take time and patience, but it can be done. 

http://www.urbancatleague.org/TamingVideo