Help socializing two extremely spicy kittens.

[MangoFlavor]

Hello all,

I recently trapped two 8-week-old feral kittens and have been fostering them for about 8 days now. Both are able to eat next to me and are fine with occasional touch but only while eating. Without food, both of these kittens will hiss, spit, and bolt whenever I approach. I have several questions and welcome any other tips beyond those I can find in videos online.

1. How can I best get the kittens to progress from eating next to me to eating in my lap like I see in videos like those by Flatbush Cats?

2. I made the mistake of not administering flea/tick preventative and de-wormer to one of the kittens. If I were to do so 8 weeks in, how much of a setback would that be?

3. Since one of the kittens has been dewormed, bathed, and given flea/tick preventative, he is currently being kept in my room. Is it worth it to risk bathing the other so I can have both of them in close proximity to me?

Thank you for your time. I appreciate any advice given.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hiakthough I can't help with #2 and 3

This thread may have tips

Tips for socializing semi-feral kittens?

 

[Norachan]

Hi M MangoFlavor Thank you so much for helping these two.

I recommend you wrap the kittens in a blanket and hold them on your lap while you feed them. Get a pair of thick gloves. Place a blanket over the kitten, hold them by the scruff while you wrap the blanket around them just leaving their face exposed. I had to do this with a kitten I took in last year. She was so spicy that I had to syringe feed her for the first couple of days, but after a while she would eat while sitting on my lap, wrapped in the blanket.

First day feeding and fourth or fifth day feeding pics below.

Another thing that has helped me with feral kittens in the past is Felliway. You can get the diffusers to plug in the room you keep them in. The spray is useful for spraying on your hands or blankets that you use when handling them. Don't spray directly onto the kittens though.

What kind of flea/worm medicine are you using? The ones you put on the skin on the back of their neck can be given while wrapped in a blanket. The oral ones will need to be syringed or popped into their mouths, but it's not going to damage the relationship you've built with them.

Yes, keep the two of them together as much as possible. Kittens do so much better in pairs. They learn from each other and it helps to reduce their stress if they have a friend there.

 

[MangoFlavor]

Hi M MangoFlavor Thank you so much for helping these two.

I recommend you wrap the kittens in a blanket and hold them on your lap while you feed them. Get a pair of thick gloves. Place a blanket over the kitten, hold them by the scruff while you wrap the blanket around them just leaving their face exposed. I had to do this with a kitten I took in last year. She was so spicy that I had to syringe feed her for the first couple of days, but after a while she would eat while sitting on my lap, wrapped in the blanket.

First day feeding and fourth or fifth day feeding pics below.
View attachment 438626View attachment 438627

Another thing that has helped me with feral kittens in the past is Felliway. You can get the diffusers to plug in the room you keep them in. The spray is useful for spraying on your hands or blankets that you use when handling them. Don't spray directly onto the kittens though.

What kind of flea/worm medicine are you using? The ones you put on the skin on the back of their neck can be given while wrapped in a blanket. The oral ones will need to be syringed or popped into their mouths, but it's not going to damage the relationship you've built with them.

Yes, keep the two of them together as much as possible. Kittens do so much better in pairs. They learn from each other and it helps to reduce their stress if they have a friend there.

Thank you so much for your reply! I wanted to see if I could get away without using Feliway since it’s so expensive, but at this point I’ll try anything haha. I‘ve applied Revolution to both kittens and I think I’ve decided bathing the other kitten is a necessity. I’ll definitely keep them together then if only to lower their stress! I’ll try to burrito them today to feed and see how they do. Thanks again for your help, I greatly appreciate it.

 

[MangoFlavor]

Hiakthough I can't help with #2 and 3

This thread may have tips

Tips for socializing semi-feral kittens?

Thanks! I’ll check this out.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Here is a great video with lots of tips and tricks. It used to be in a 3 part video series that started with the rescue of feral kittens and progressed to socialization. They must have taken it down. Yet here is a long video with lots of great help.

 

[di and bob]

Cats usually don't need to be bathed. If she isn't too bad would those wipes you can buy for cats work/? They are a waterless bath and would be less stressful. I would get anything you need to get done right now. It would be worse down the road when they are really taming down and then you have a set back. 8 days is a very short time to have come as far as you have, these things usually take a lot longer. You are doing well! they are at an age when things should go fairly quickly, I bet in a month they are really tamed down. Don't try to hurry things, keep them together to build up their confidence, and things will work out in time!

 

[MangoFlavor]

Cats usually don't need to be bathed. If she isn't too bad would those wipes you can buy for cats work/? They are a waterless bath and would be less stressful. I would get anything you need to get done right now. It would be worse down the road when they are really taming down and then you have a set back. 8 days is a very short time to have come as far as you have, these things usually take a lot longer. You are doing well! they are at an age when things should go fairly quickly, I bet in a month they are really tamed down. Don't try to hurry things, keep them together to build up their confidence, and things will work out in time!

Sorry for the late reply and thanks for your words of encouragement! I ended up giving them a bath to get rid of the fleas. One of the kittens is still extremely timid and I don't seem to be making progress with her. Hoping she'll calm down soon!

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
There might be something helpful in this;

10 Must-know Tips For Happy Living With A Shy Cat – TheCatSite Articles.

Also getting back to something you said above, there are other calming products on the market.