Shy Kitten

[allergic&inlove]

So I got my gray kitten (Wheatly) a couple of weeks ago and we thought we would get him a play buddy. So we adopted Luna, she is a sweet kitten that is into everything, except us. We have only had her for a couple of days, but she still wont come near us. She will kind of look at us like she wants to come and cuddle on the couch, but if I go near her she will run away and hid under something. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to get Miss. Luna a little more use to us. She will play with us no problem and sometimes let us getting a little petting in. But if anyone has any ideas it would be awesome! Thanks y'all.
=^.^=
Allergic&inlove

 

[bastetservant]

Just give her some time. It sounds like it is going well. She'll come around soon.

Robin

 

[mystik spiral]

Definitely don't approach her - let her come to you when she's ready. When you're on the couch and she looks like she wants to cuddle, just talk to her quietly from where you're sitting, or even ignore her. Watch TV, or if you're reading, start reading out loud. She will get curious and when she decides she's ready, she'll jump up to you. I've also found with mine that it's best - even if she's sitting on my lap - to not pet her until she head-bumps my hand or otherwise show she's ready to be petted.

Here's a trick I learned from Holland - once Luna gets used to you, the best way to get her to come to you for cuddles is to get out your laptop computer. I swear, it never fails with my kitty!

 

[tkaner]

I have discovered that as well. My kitten Cookie wants to be friendly, but half the time she runs sort of away. She does not run out of the room or hide, she kind of runs sideways and keeps looking at me. Maybe because I am pretty big. I friend's tiny poodle does the samething when I come by. Cookie will however, become very friendly and nosy once I get on the computer. Cookie does not like to be held or cutled, but she will like to come by and rub up against me.

Lately, she also does not like to eat with my other much bigger kitten. She will sneak in for food when he is a sleep.

Just a very gentle lady who does not even struggle much when she wants toget away.

Cats can be very strong, and I thinkshe sometimes does want to get away, but never uses much force.

 

[feralvr]

Congratz on your new kitties

. And a warm welcome to TCS

Luna is still trying to figure things out. It sounds like things are going very well. Some kittens just don't want to be approached or reached for. Let her come to you in her own time. Spend time on the floor playing with interactive toys and use some small kitty treats to entice her to you. You can just try to feed her a treat by hand, but dont try to reach for her at that time. Just let her come for the treat and leave if that's what she wants to do. Soon enough, she will come looking for that treat and might crawl in your lap looking for that treat

. There are cats who really don't want to be pet and cuddled. I have one like that, Perkins. He never comes to me to be pet and snuggled. He is just uncomfortable with all of that. But he follows me around, loves to play fetch, and sleeps at the foot of my bed. And that is enough for me

. He is happy just to be loved from a distance

and I love him just the same. Just give the new kitty lots of time and don't push yourself on her, that will just scare her. Have fun with your little ones!!!!!

 

[glenman12]

Been thru the same thing for the last 2 months..adopted a 6 month old from one shelter that got him from a kill shelter..he's either feral or was abused. or was born an alpha male..it took over a month for him to let me pet him...gets along great with my 4 yr old..you would think they were from the same litter...but this past month he is starting to warm up to me.. for weeks has been jumping on the bed in the morning and laying on my chest and letting me pet him..have patience, it will happen

 

[presto]

I have a beautiful little 8 month old female that I'm fostering. I've had her about 3 months now, and she still won't let me touch her. She loves the other cats, and wrestles, chases, and sleeps with them. She is not at all afraid to move around close to me, because she knows that I am not going to try to touch her. She's learned that I respect her wishes, so she doesn't need to keep a distance from me. Cats are so, so interesting - but you have to accept them on their terms.

 

[cat person]

While this might be perfectly normal to some of you, I do have some suggestions from first hand experience that I would like to share with you.

Almost a year ago I acquired a four month old cat from the vet that I work for. She was very tame but scared. Scared to the point she shook. But NEVER acted aggressive. So my boss asked if I would consider fostering her. I of course said yes.

Well she spent two weeks in a dog crate with her food, water and litter box in a spare room. I would hand feed her and pet her at least four times a day. Well on week three she finally wanted to come out of the crate and be petted. But it took her another two weeks till she would walk around the room that the dog crate was in. But for those first two weeks any noise and I do mean any she would run into the crate.

Well after she got used to the small extra bedroom I moved her and the dog crate into my larger bedroom. Well I did the above procedure again. But it took only two weeks to get used to my bedroom.

But she was still scared of the other members of the household (human and cat). She was a very sweet and loving to me, but no one else. This went on for a few months.

Well then I had obligations a few states away. So I figured I needed to take her with me. Since no one else could touch her other then me. So I was scared I would come home to a feral cat in my home.

Well I stayed in three different places with this cat over a two month period. So she was forced to see new people and places and such. She acted timid but still ate and drank and followed me around shortly after arriving at each place. She even explored these people houses. Which she would never do in my home.

Upon arrival at home. I had a cat within a week that would walk around my home . She now will even stay in the room with strangers. Plus she will even take treats and pets from the other people in my household.

She still loves me the most. She still trusts me the most, but in general she is much less shy and like most other cats I have met/worked with.

So my two suggestions are simply this: Either confine that cat to a crate down stairs and pet her and feed her there. So she will slowly "associate" you as the "same" person upstairs and down stairs. Or you could try and bring him into a completely new place (if possible) for a few weeks. This might help to have no choice but to "come out" of his shell.

Sorry for the long post. Hope this helps some . If you need any clarification let me know.