Where is the disconnect?????

This thread has to do with a feral kitten that i am socialising... (wasn't sure which room to put this post in)

Anyway, she has been in my care for almost 3 weeks. Her brother is in with her too. They have a really nice set up in the guest room. Lots of toys, lots of places to hide, a view of the outside, some non toxic plants... a whole bunch of old cat toys and a big cat tree and kitty litter. SO they are definetly comfy.

My problem is with the female. She will let me touch her when she is eating, though i've stopped petting her while she eats for the while, she will also sit right next to me and eat out of my hand quite happily while her brother hogs the plate.

She is 5/6 months old and has been spayed. In fact they were spayed long before i trapped them.

But she won't let me touch her.

I know that i'm supposed to go at her pace, but i'm just wondering if there is something that i am doing wrong... and more importantly if there is anything else i can do.

I have even resorted to getting down on all fours when i go into the room so that they can sniff me. So now she has stopped hissing when i come in... she runs up to the door and does a chirrup while her brother jumps all over me.

It just seems odd that she will sniff my fingers and my feet. Jump onto me if she is playing with something. Walk across me when she needs to get somewhere. Eat out of my hand. Lick stuff off my fingers ... and yet she is not ok with my hands otherwise...

I just feel like i'm missing something. I read on another site that feeding them out of your hand is a good way to get cats used to your hands....

I have that: so close, yet so far feeling. I really wish i knew more about cat behaviour. I've read Cat Watching and done loads of reading on cats but there doesn't seem to be any intermediate to advanced information about cat behaviour. Especially pertaining to ex-feral cats.

First of all, stop wanting it so badly. She will tell you/show you when she is ready and pushing her to accept something you need to have, always turns out and bites you in the end. You are doing all the right things, stay low to the ground, get even lower than on your all fours, go flat on the floor laying on your back and let her explore you. She has never had contact with humans, she has seen what hands do- trap her mom, take her brothers and sisters away- you are not her friend at this time, you are her predator. She is female, they are fiercely protective moreso than the males. Just give it time and don't get in a hurry. Again, you are doing nothing wrong-

guilty..... i am pretty worried about the hands thing. I'm just so worried that she has a phobia of hands... I have been lying on the bed a lot and letting them play over me. She does stop playing when i'm not looking and have a good sniff or my knee, or my elbow sometimes...

The other night i got under the cover... And lifted up one end and she crawled in!!!! And sniffed around and then rested for about 15 seconds against my stomach. And then got up and crawled out again.

She's a real funny little thing i really want to name her. But can't think of a name .... I wanted to go with something that will be attention grabbing on a poster/email for when i eventually start looking for her new home. She's really cute. She's white with a couple of black bits and the top of her head is black and her ears are black. Makes her look like she has hair....

I guess i should just do the Zen thing and "let go"....