kittens

"William Hamblen" <wrhamblen.RemoveThis@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:qY6dnZLVn98DYXnd4p2dnA@comcast.com...
> On 2004-07-02, Wendy <wendypart.RemoveThis@nospam.com> wrote:
>
> >How does one go about doing so if possible?
>
> They quickly learn to love the one who feeds them. A stray kitten moved
> into our garden shed last year and was as wild as could be at first.
> It took about a month for her to settle down. Now she is a little
> lap fungus.
>
> I would be more concerned about litter training.

They used the box overnight. :o)

W
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

Wow, six of them!

A couple of years ago, my sig. trapped three at his job. Mom-cat was
later captured and spayed by a rescue group.

The kitties were judged to be about 10 weeks old. They hissed at us and
hid immediately. We kept all three in our bathroom for several weeks.

We let them hide in a box or the drawers without bothering them for the
first day. After that, we spent lots and lots of time with them, just
sitting and gently talking to them, getting them used to humans.

After a few days, I could lay my hand close to them and even touch one
of them without a hiss. The vet gave us good advice -- move slowly.
Don't use jerky motions or try to grab a fleeing cat. Any sudden
movement by us sent them flying.

I also started playing with them with a toy on a long string. They were
so tempted by that, they finally would thrust a paw out of the box while
I was there. Eventually, they all started playing, they couldn't help
themselves. Finally, I could pet them, and after a week or more, I could
pick one or two up (very slowly again.) By the second week, they were
starting to understand, and like, getting some affection.

We found a happy home for one kitten. He is still skittish to new people
and new sounds, but very loving to his human. We kept two. One of ours
is almost normal, lounging on the couch, a fairly relaxed cat. The other
one is skittish, but very affectionate. She will always be a flighty
cat, but is bright, alert, and happy.

Good luck with your guys!

Rhonda

Wendy wrote:

> How does one go about domesticating ferile kittens?
>
> The dh brought home 6 of them. They are approx. 8 - 12 wks. old. and want no
> parts of being picked up - hissing, biting and scratching ensues when you
> try. They had been living under a friend's porch but were upsetting the
> resident 22 yr.old (not in good health) cat so they had to be moved
> somewhere else.
>
> Are these guys too old to tame? How does one go about doing so if possible?
>
> W
>
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

"Rhonda" <san-toki.RemoveThis@attremovethis.net> wrote in message
news:40E4F992.6060603@attremovethis.net...
> Wow, six of them!
>
> A couple of years ago, my sig. trapped three at his job. Mom-cat was
> later captured and spayed by a rescue group.
>
> The kitties were judged to be about 10 weeks old. They hissed at us and
> hid immediately. We kept all three in our bathroom for several weeks.
>
> We let them hide in a box or the drawers without bothering them for the
> first day. After that, we spent lots and lots of time with them, just
> sitting and gently talking to them, getting them used to humans.
>
> After a few days, I could lay my hand close to them and even touch one
> of them without a hiss. The vet gave us good advice -- move slowly.
> Don't use jerky motions or try to grab a fleeing cat. Any sudden
> movement by us sent them flying.
>
> I also started playing with them with a toy on a long string. They were
> so tempted by that, they finally would thrust a paw out of the box while
> I was there. Eventually, they all started playing, they couldn't help
> themselves. Finally, I could pet them, and after a week or more, I could
> pick one or two up (very slowly again.) By the second week, they were
> starting to understand, and like, getting some affection.
>
> We found a happy home for one kitten. He is still skittish to new people
> and new sounds, but very loving to his human. We kept two. One of ours
> is almost normal, lounging on the couch, a fairly relaxed cat. The other
> one is skittish, but very affectionate. She will always be a flighty
> cat, but is bright, alert, and happy.
>
> Good luck with your guys!
>
> Rhonda
>
This morning I've been able to gently stoke all their heads. Even the most
suspicious one, the gray and white, decided that getting his head stroked
wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The one little black and white let me tickle
him under the chin and started leaning into it until he realized what he was
doing. He's even got a little purring action going there. He's the most laid
back of the bunch.

W
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

Wendy, the Campus Cats website has a blurb on socializing that might help
you. You've taken on a real project, though, with so many kittens! Are
they all from the same litter?

Step one, is get the kittens to a vet who is comfortable in dealing with
fraidycats. They should be vaccinated and wormed at least, tested for
FeLV if possible. If they are of sound health and weigh at least 2
pounds, they are old enough to be sterilized as well.

Step two, is catch the momcat and get her spayed. If she is also feral, I
hope she can be returned to the backyard as a mouser. Food and shelter is
the only compensation she would require.

A vet visit for the kittens will also determine their age. A kitten as
old as 12 weeks generally takes much more time to socialize (though we've
had good luck with kittens as old as 4 months). An 8-week kitten is more
likely to quickly turn around.

Right now, Campus Cats has a 7-week kitten in foster care who put up a
great front, hissing and spitting and trying to escape. She came in on
Sunday and today she is snuggling in my arms, purring her brains out.
She is going to her foster mother tonight, to continue her studies as a
housecat, and I expect her to be ready for her new home in 1-2 weeks.
Each animal is different, though, and must be evaluated as such.

Read the article, Taming the Tiger, posted to the Campus Cats website. It
may help. You can also contact me at home: sharon.TakeThisOut@campuscats.org

Good luck!

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats
www.campuscats.org
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

>
> My Sebbie put up a great front, too, but when it came down to it, he was
> unwilling to actually hurt me. The worst he ever did was punch me with a
> velvet paw, claws pulled in. Such a sweetie, all hiss and no bite. :-)
>
> However, one cannot *count* on that!
>

Oh, I've learned that lesson! Part of my standard equipment is a pair of
welder's gloves, along with the plastic spoon full of babyfood. At least
until the kitten and I are better acquainted.

Mostly the hisses are nerves. I call them "pink hisses."

Sharon
Campus Cats
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

On Fri, 2 Jul 2004 09:45:37 UTC, "Wendy" <wendypart.RemoveThis@nospam.com> wrote:

>
> "William Hamblen" <wrhamblen.RemoveThis@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:qY6dnZLVn98DYXnd4p2dnA@comcast.com...
> > On 2004-07-02, Wendy <wendypart.RemoveThis@nospam.com> wrote:
> >
> > >How does one go about doing so if possible?
> >
> > They quickly learn to love the one who feeds them. A stray kitten moved
> > into our garden shed last year and was as wild as could be at first.
> > It took about a month for her to settle down. Now she is a little
> > lap fungus.
> >
> > I would be more concerned about litter training.
>
> They used the box overnight. :o)
>
> W


A trick we use to help settle feral kittens, is to wrap them in a
towel
when we pick them up. That way they get used to the feeling of
being handled through the towel -- massage them a lot -- but your
hands are
protected. They rather quickly come to like it.

LT
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

Wendy <wendypart RemoveThis @nospam.com> quoth:

>I've got them in the cat playpen at the moment. They'll be staying there
>until I can get them up to the vet to be FIV FeLV tested. I imagine the vet
>would appreciate it if I waited until they will tolerate being handled.

>I was able to reach in and pet all but one of them this evening after
>sitting and talking to them for a while so that's encouraging.

That is *very* encouraging! When I socialized Sebastian (who was about 3
months when I got him from his rescuer), it took 16 days before he'd let
me pet him.

Keep going!

Priscilla
--
"The question is whether the Bible is primarily a book of laws
to you and you need divine permission for all and everything you
do, or a charter of God's love with love as the summary of God's
will, and freedom to find out what that means in a changing world,
and forgiveness for those who honestly try to find out but err."
- Andreas Höfeld in alt.religion.christian.episcopal
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

Wendy <wendypart.DeleteThis@nospam.com> quoth:
>"William Hamblen" <wrhamblen.DeleteThis@comcast.net> wrote in message
>news:qY6dnZLVn98DYXnd4p2dnA@comcast.com...
>> On 2004-07-02, Wendy <wendypart.DeleteThis@nospam.com> wrote:
>>
>> >How does one go about doing so if possible?
>>
>> They quickly learn to love the one who feeds them. A stray kitten moved
>> into our garden shed last year and was as wild as could be at first.
>> It took about a month for her to settle down. Now she is a little
>> lap fungus.
>>
>> I would be more concerned about litter training.

>They used the box overnight. :o)

Yeah, I would have expected that. My former feral kitten took to his box
right away.

Priscilla
--
"The question is whether the Bible is primarily a book of laws
to you and you need divine permission for all and everything you
do, or a charter of God's love with love as the summary of God's
will, and freedom to find out what that means in a changing world,
and forgiveness for those who honestly try to find out but err."
- Andreas Höfeld in alt.religion.christian.episcopal
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

To the original poster: listen to Sharon. She's an expert.

Sharon Talbert <stalbert RemoveThis @u.washington.edu> quoth:

>Right now, Campus Cats has a 7-week kitten in foster care who put up a
>great front, hissing and spitting and trying to escape. She came in on
>Sunday and today she is snuggling in my arms, purring her brains out.

My Sebbie put up a great front, too, but when it came down to it, he was
unwilling to actually hurt me. The worst he ever did was punch me with a
velvet paw, claws pulled in. Such a sweetie, all hiss and no bite. :-)

However, one cannot *count* on that!

Priscilla
--
"The question is whether the Bible is primarily a book of laws
to you and you need divine permission for all and everything you
do, or a charter of God's love with love as the summary of God's
will, and freedom to find out what that means in a changing world,
and forgiveness for those who honestly try to find out but err."
- Andreas Höfeld in alt.religion.christian.episcopal
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

On Fri, 2 Jul 2004 19:42:24 UTC, Priscilla H Ballou
<phb.TakeThisOut@shell01.TheWorld.com> wrote:

> Wendy <wendypart.TakeThisOut@nospam.com> quoth:
>
> >I've got them in the cat playpen at the moment. They'll be staying there
> >until I can get them up to the vet to be FIV FeLV tested. I imagine the vet
> >would appreciate it if I waited until they will tolerate being handled.
>
> >I was able to reach in and pet all but one of them this evening after
> >sitting and talking to them for a while so that's encouraging.
>
> That is *very* encouraging! When I socialized Sebastian (who was about 3
> months when I got him from his rescuer), it took 16 days before he'd let
> me pet him.
>
> Keep going!
>
> Priscilla


--I once found 5 kittens in our back yard. Tame abandoned Mom was
keeping
them in our garden hose terra cotta bowl. They were stumbling out one
day while
I was out there and I saw the movement. Thought it was a mouse. Then
I went over and
found 5 adorable kittens, about 4-5 weeks old. silly me, I gathered
them up in my
arms and brought them into show to my husband. Thought to take them
in but they
still needed mom and she came by, yowling pitifully. She'd evidently
had them out there
and stayed there.

She ran off, but kept coming back so I out the kittens back in the
bowl. Thing is, the kittens
never spat or got nervous -- they just though I was the most marvelous
ride. Mom moved
them of course, to a spce between our chain-link fence and the
neighbor's privacy fence.
There they stayed. She took them away once, and I couldn't find them.
Then they showded up
between the fences again. I put food out and they scarffed it down
like they'd always been
eating canned food.

We finally did take them in a week later because we worrked about the
coyotes that were around,
and that they'd just become street ferals and be killed. So I took
them in and fostered them.
Finally even trapped Mom. The kittens just adored our bathroom and
the box we set up
for them with towels. They would come spilling out whenever we came
in. Even took to the
litter box. Yet these were kittens born in our back yard and rarely
saw a person.

So, the kittens were people friendly but Mom was nutso. We calmed her
a lot then took
the lot to Second Chance for Strays.

Been fostering ever since.

LT
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

"Sharon Talbert" <stalbert.TakeThisOut@u.washington.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.A41.4.58.0407021223200.186068@homer11.u.washington.edu...
>
> Wendy, the Campus Cats website has a blurb on socializing that might help
> you. You've taken on a real project, though, with so many kittens! Are
> they all from the same litter?
>
> Step one, is get the kittens to a vet who is comfortable in dealing with
> fraidycats. They should be vaccinated and wormed at least, tested for
> FeLV if possible. If they are of sound health and weigh at least 2
> pounds, they are old enough to be sterilized as well.
>
> Step two, is catch the momcat and get her spayed. If she is also feral, I
> hope she can be returned to the backyard as a mouser. Food and shelter is
> the only compensation she would require.
>
> A vet visit for the kittens will also determine their age. A kitten as
> old as 12 weeks generally takes much more time to socialize (though we've
> had good luck with kittens as old as 4 months). An 8-week kitten is more
> likely to quickly turn around.
>
> Right now, Campus Cats has a 7-week kitten in foster care who put up a
> great front, hissing and spitting and trying to escape. She came in on
> Sunday and today she is snuggling in my arms, purring her brains out.
> She is going to her foster mother tonight, to continue her studies as a
> housecat, and I expect her to be ready for her new home in 1-2 weeks.
> Each animal is different, though, and must be evaluated as such.
>
> Read the article, Taming the Tiger, posted to the Campus Cats website. It
> may help. You can also contact me at home: sharon.TakeThisOut@campuscats.org
>
> Good luck!
>
> Sharon Talbert
> Friends of Campus Cats
> www.campuscats.org

Well I guess these guys must be closer to 8 wks than 12 because they are
coming along pretty well. The dh and I were away for the weekend and kitties
were left with my 24 yr. old son (still lives at home) to feed water and pet
them if they seemed inclined otherwise just talk to them and hang out around
them when he was home. We got home this morning and I needed to clean their
cage out. I was able to pick them up under their tummies to relocate them in
the cage while I swept out the bottom with no hissing and just a few "hey
what's this lady doing" looks. Once I got the cage back into tip top shape I
decided to try picking them up and holding them if they didn't put up too
much of a fuss. They all cooperated well enough to at least establish that
we have three boys and three girls. One of them is super laid back and ended
up draped over my hand while I pet him. This is the same guy whose purr
motor turned on while I was petting him under the chin on Friday. The gray
and white little girl who took a few chunks out the dh when he caught them
is the other one who is most relaxed being handled. There are two girls who
would prefer I bug off but are putting up with being handled. A few growls
and a half baked hiss but my skin is intact. At this point I should be able
to get them into a carrier for the trip to the vet though. Of course I
expect they will look on me with a little less favor after that trip but it
has to be done.

W
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

>
> I'm finding waiting for the test result is the hardest part of rescuing
> these litters. I don't know how I'd handle it if they tested positive. The
> rescue group's policy is to put them down then. :o(
>

Euthanizing an animal that clearly tests positive for FIV/FeLV is also our
policy, but we always test at least once again before making that decision
unless the animal is already symptommatic. We also test each animal, not
just mom or a sample kitten from the litter. Expensive, but worth it.

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats
 >> Stay informed about: kittens 

"Sharon Talbert" <stalbert.RemoveThis@u.washington.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.A41.4.58.0407081245440.143708@homer05.u.washington.edu...
> >
> > I'm finding waiting for the test result is the hardest part of rescuing
> > these litters. I don't know how I'd handle it if they tested positive.
The
> > rescue group's policy is to put them down then. :o(
> >
>
> Euthanizing an animal that clearly tests positive for FIV/FeLV is also our
> policy, but we always test at least once again before making that decision
> unless the animal is already symptommatic. We also test each animal, not
> just mom or a sample kitten from the litter. Expensive, but worth it.
>
> Sharon Talbert
> Friends of Campus Cats

They caught the 7th kitten and brought her over tonight. She's in isolation
for now. She has a wound below one ear. I noticed she had a tuft of fur
hanging. I originally thougt it was a mat. When I went to snip it out I
discovered there was a torn flap of skin attached to the tuft of fur. I did
snip the fur and cleaned the wound with peroxide and then put some triple
antibiotic ointment on it. I'll have to see how she is in the morning. Not
a struggle from her when I was doing all of this either.

I'm getting the live trap Saturday so we can get mom before she gets
pregnant again (if she isn't already). She's going to have to be a TNR for
now at least because nobody has room for another cat.

W
 >> Stay informed about: kittens