Scared kitten will cuddle and purr but still hisses when I approach

Hi everyone!

I have found so much great advice in these forums, and after searching and reading tons of other posts I haven't found quite what I'm looking for.

I foster kittens through a local shelter, and while I've had some slightly hissy/scared kittens before, never one this stubborn. She's never swatted or tried to bite me, but she was very hissy and scared when I got her. She's improved so much, she has run of the bedroom now. She'll sit on my lap to eat her food, will walk across my legs while playing. She even sleeps on my all night and will purr like crazy if she's in her safe place when I approach to pet her.

However, while she's on my legs sleeping, even if I reach out slowly she'll run away. While walking around, she still runs away about 50% of the time. She almost never hisses, maybe 15% of the time when I approach her in her safe place. When she does that, I pet her anyway and she almost always starts purring. She'll walk across the room to come sniff my hand, and then back away like I'm trying to poison her after she's sniffed me.

I still sit next to her when feeding her, we play for hours a day, we cuddle every day, and at least once I day I wrap her in a towel and hold her for a few minutes. When I first started holding her I would have to corner her and she would hiss like mad, and now she almost never struggles until she's been wrapped up a few minutes. I only let her go after she's calmed down.

I received some advice from the behaviorist at the shelter, but she's super intense and scared me that I was going to ruin the kitten. The kitten is 12 weeks, up to date on shots, and has a kitten friend that she's bonding with who is super friendly and loves to cuddle. I'm worried no one will ever want to adopt her even though she's so sweet, because she'll probably just run away from everyone!

Any help or advice would be appreciated! Thanks everyone!

If she sees the other kitty's calmer reaction, she will probably calm down too.

One thing you have to make sure of is not making any sudden moves.  Any time you approach her, move slowly and talk calmly.  Even when you do that, she may hiss or hide - she sounds like a nervous cat who may have had a rough time in the past.  Lots of changes can do that to any cat, so take your time and have patience.

I know that sounds easier said than done but patience is your key.  She's adjusting to a new environment, new sights, new sounds, new smells.  All that may seem overwhelming and intimidating to her.

Keep her schedule as routine as possible, too.  Visit at the same time, do many of the same things.  If you introduce a new activity, do it slowly and don't push it.

The burrito trick has been used successfully by many of our members.  If it works for you, keep it up.  If you don't think it is, don't force it.

Good luck with her and blessings on you for fostering.  That takes a special person!

Thanks! I've had her for about six weeks, and I do try to make a small noise if I'm going to walk towards her or angle away from her so she's not scared I'm walking directly at her.

The recent email from the behaviorist (in response to me reaching out for advice) got me spooked that her still minor hissing would leave her unadoptable and she would never get better so it's good to hear some reassurance!

I'm dealing with 4 of them that I've had for about 8 weeks.  One is completely tame and loving now, but sudden moves do startle her.  The feral response is always to run first and ask questions later.  The second one is getting tamer but I've had to crate her because otherwise I can't catch her to pet her yet.  She loves petting now and purrs and rolls around, but I know if she was let loose I would have trouble catching her again.  I had to use a fish net to catch her on spay day, so she has been crated since then, and it's helping (She was spayed 3 days ago).

The boys come up to me for food and treats and play wildly with DaBird and the Red Dot, but they do not want to be touched and are now big enough that catching them lso requires the fish net, which is traumatic, so I'm just letting them stay untouched until it's their time to go to the vet to be neutered, then I will crate them.

I know the calico will make a great pet for someone who will just take their time with her.  I'm not sure about any of the others but will keep working on it.  Good luck with yours.