# Taming a 10 Week Old Kitten



## MrsMozart (11 June 2022)

Long story short today I collected a tom kitten from a farm.

He could be handled, in a towel, and seemed to accept people.

Got him home nice and safe in a crate. All good. The dogs showed an interest but didn't get close to the crate until the JRT suddenly took a lunge at it! We've had cats up until a few months ago so didn't expect that reaction.

I've put the kitten, in his crate with the door partially open, in the bathroom, along with wet food, water, litter tray with the door off, and a scratching post with a dangly thing.

I've been in a couple of times and he's stayed in the crate and hissed at me. I'm thinking of taking in dabs of tuna (good sniff!) and just sitting in there for a few minutes and building it up. He's currently due at the vets on Tuesday for a check up and whatever worming etc he needs, though I'm bit currently sure that's either a good idea so soon or indeed if I'll get him there / they can handle him if I do.

I've been googling but not found anything very useful as yet on how to teach him not to be scared.

ETA: As I pressed post I could hear him miaow, so will go in with an offering of tuna and see what he thinks.

ETA2: He thinks I should toddle off... 🤔😳


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## Peregrine Falcon (11 June 2022)

Well until you post a pic...........


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## Amymay (11 June 2022)

Peregrine Falcon said:



			Well until you post a pic...........
		
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Exactly!


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## MrsMozart (11 June 2022)

You asked for it... 🤣


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## MrsMozart (11 June 2022)

Apparently he's not doing autographs either 😎


And I stink of tuna 🐟🤭


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## Blanche (11 June 2022)

The kitten lady has lots of advice for this.






If the link doesn’t work just Google her.


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## SusieT (11 June 2022)

Nice food, warm laps and not too many sharp movements - he will come round within the week! It still very nervous delay vets for a week. Watch the dogs- flightly kittens are very tempting for terriers!


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## Lindylouanne (11 June 2022)

My two yard cat sitting were completely feral when they arrived, one slightly worse than the other so they stayed crated for a few weeks with dry food, litter, water on tap and me wearing a thick pair of gloves getting them used to being handled. They are now the soppiest and most lovable pair of cats who just love a cuddle and head butt me constantly. It just takes time, a lot of handling and we cracked it when they realised I was in charge of the wet food buffet and to get it they had to come to me.


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## MrsMozart (11 June 2022)

Thank you 🙃

He is a sweetie and has had such an upheaval to his life. 

The two completely feral, and older, cats we got a few weeks ago live down in the barn and don't come near the tin can, though walk past it at a distance. Did the weeks in a crate thing, feeding, etc., but I think they were too old change. I now put feed in the barn and we spot at least one of them mooching past fairly frequently.

I'll get some suitable gloves and start delivering the blobs of tuna closer to him and start handling if I can get hold.


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## Peregrine Falcon (11 June 2022)

Sqquuueeeeee!!! 😻


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## MrsMozart (11 June 2022)

I've ordered gloves. 

Now off to watch the video 🤗


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## MrsMozart (11 June 2022)

HappyHollyDays said:



			My two yard cat sitting were completely feral when they arrived, one slightly worse than the other so they stayed crated for a few weeks with dry food, litter, water on tap and me wearing a thick pair of gloves getting them used to being handled. They are now the soppiest and most lovable pair of cats who just love a cuddle and head butt me constantly. It just takes time, a lot of handling and we cracked it when they realised I was in charge of the wet food buffet and to get it they had to come to me.
		
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Did you leave the dry food with them and then feed them wet when they had to come to you?

I'm wondering if I should put him in a crate in the sittingroom so he can get used to us all but feel safe, or maybe to leave that for a few days 🤔


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## Rumtytum (11 June 2022)

One of my rescue cats went under a chest of drawers in the spare bedroom.  Much hissing and spitting when we took in food and water, emptied her litter tray and sometimes sat on the floor and stared at the walls…...Six weeks later (after we’d talked the night before about returning her to the Cats Protection League) Chloe finally crept out, looked around and decided she was going to stay; within a couple of days she was downstairs then mooching around the garden.  Perhaps your little tom needs to set his own timescale too although he’s a lot younger than Chloe so it shouldn’t take as long.  Good luck!


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## KittenInTheTree (11 June 2022)

I'd just make sure that the dogs couldn't get near him, and aside from that let him have the run of the house. Cats hate being confined. Far better to limit the areas where the dogs have access until the kitten is fully established as part of the family.


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## MrsMozart (11 June 2022)

Rumtytum said:



			One of my rescue cats went under a chest of drawers in the spare bedroom.  Much hissing and spitting when we took in food and water, emptied her litter tray and sometimes sat on the floor and stared at the walls…...Six weeks later (after we’d talked the night before about returning her to the Cats Protection League) Chloe finally crept out, looked around and decided she was going to stay; within a couple of days she was downstairs then mooching around the garden.  Perhaps your little tom needs to set his own timescale too although he’s a lot younger than Chloe so it shouldn’t take as long.  Good luck!
		
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Thank you. Sounds very hopeful!


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## MrsMozart (11 June 2022)

KittenInTheTree said:



			I'd just make sure that the dogs couldn't get near him, and aside from that let him have the run of the house. Cats hate being confined. Far better to limit the areas where the dogs have access until the kitten is fully established as part of the family.
		
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We live in a static caravan so limited on what can be done. The Rotties won't harm him, they're just fascinated, but the JRTx is potentially an issue going by her reaction this evening. The dogs don't go in the bathroom so that could be kitten's safe place for now.

I'll watch the cat lady video properly tomorrow and make a plan.


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## honetpot (11 June 2022)

I had two semi ferals last year, and I kept them in my bedroom and apart from feeding them ignored them. They would come out at night when I was in bed, made an escape through the pipework boxing, and out through a window, and started living in the cavity wall, which was a devil to get them out of. My advice is time and food, they were just getting tame when one got killed on the road, the other is just like a normal cat now, and sleeps on the bed, pummels me to get up at 6.30, and brings his live dinner home. I have dogs and until they were really settled kept them apart, the puppy is now his best friend.


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## Amymay (11 June 2022)

We had a young feral cat many years ago.  He ‘lived’ under the kitchen units for a week, refusing to come out.  My sister and I spent an evening sitting on the floor with some tasty treats. He eventually came out to see us, and that was that.  He was the most loving, affectionate cat.


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## Lady Jane (11 June 2022)

Sit there for ages with smelly food reading a book - maytake a few days


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## fetlock (11 June 2022)

My first cat when first brought home as a kitten, strutted out of the carrier and immediately took over the place.

My current one was the opposite and was terrified. I left her in the carrier with the door open in the room next to me and left her be. Five/six hours later out she finally came, the aroma of the just delivered madras curry being the thing that tempted her out and 2 hours later was happily sleeping under the duvet with me.

He'll come round when he's ready. I'd keep him and the dogs separate until he establishes himself in the house. If you're not adverse to him in your bedroom, that's where I'd be having him overnight.

Poor little mite looks so scared in that carrier, bless him. I'm a sucker for a kitten.


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## Equi (12 June 2022)

You have to have endless patience with scared/feral kittens. They need to eat, so leave them for a few days to get used to the room and you just going in feeding (so the bathroom is prob not the best room) then go in with food, a good book, and set the food a few ft from you. Wait until they eat and leave, then you leave, repeat with the bowl closer and closer and try a few chase toys. There is also the grab and stroke method which can work on some but ive only found it works on the ones who are the least hissy/scared to begin with. For example my 3 ferals, one would let me get him, sit quiet in my lap until i stopped touching him then scurry away to hide again. He was the first to interact with affection and is the one i still have now..total snuggle puss. The other two were more difficult and one hissed even as i held them a good month later...never tamed much. Finally all 3 did become tameish after the 1st one showed them it was good...but those other 2 never really became "pet" cats and ran off not long after being let loose.  1st one is still wise, will only come to me or my dad but scurry at the sight of anyone else. Most people dont even know i have 2 cats. the other older cat i have was from the exact same situation.


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## fiwen30 (12 June 2022)

Lots of good advice above.

Scared kittens need time and endless patience. True ferals/semi-ferals  benefit best from exposure therapy - they learn better as small babies than as half grown cats. That means touching and stroking (gloves!) even if they’re being growly and spitty.


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## Cloball (12 June 2022)

You could try some feliway plug ins? I think they do a kitten specific one. Helped our stressy adult cat with a big change.


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## MrsMozart (12 June 2022)

Well that was fun 😳

I bought a long narrow crate that fits on the desk in the sittingroom, which thankfully he's now in - he'd found a wee gap in the shower end wall and I had to take the panel off. With the judicious placement of long cardboard boxes he was guided back into his travelling crate, and from that to the big one was but a simple step.

Surprisingly the JRTx has just had a couple of looks but is more interested in any scraps on the kitchen floor.

On the very happy front he let us stroke his head! No hissing or anything 🤗💗. Now leaving him to chill; though he's not super happy about being contained it's the safest for him just for now.


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## P3LH (12 June 2022)

We only had one which never fully tamed over the years, and we had lots that came as spitty balls of fluffy off farms! In the end she chose to sleep in our shed, was terrified of life and went to live her days out on a farm. The others all came round in time, usually found playing with chase type toys started to build a positive association. Plus I guess when you’re a child, you aren’t deterred by hissing and spitting and clawing!


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## MrsMozart (12 June 2022)

He's coming up for rubs now 💗 Still crated as he's tiny and all need to get used to everything.

Obligatory picture 🙃🐈‍⬛


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## Rumtytum (12 June 2022)

MrsMozart said:



			He's coming up for rubs now 💗 Still crated as he's tiny and all need to get used to everything.

Obligatory picture 🙃🐈‍⬛

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Little man 💕! You are well on the way to becoming proper staff 😀


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## MrsMozart (12 June 2022)

Rumtytum said:



			Little man 💕! You are well on the way to becoming proper staff 😀
		
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I am! He's miaowing for attention - I'm just at his beck and call now... 😇💗🤔😂

He let me lift him briefly. So tempting to have a cuddle but trying not to overdo it. Little steps.


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## MrsMozart (12 June 2022)

Oh my gawd!

He purred and had a full body rub 💗


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## Snowy Celandine (12 June 2022)

Aw, he’s cute and you’re doing well 😊


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## MrsMozart (13 June 2022)

And today he's had cuddles. And some new toys, of which the ball is currently his favourite.


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## Rumtytum (13 June 2022)

MrsMozart said:



			And today he's had cuddles. And some new toys, of which the ball is currently his favourite.
		
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Photos pretty please 😊


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## MrsMozart (13 June 2022)

Rumtytum said:



			Photos pretty please 😊
		
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A just woken up kitty 😴🐱


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## MrsMozart (13 June 2022)

He's hard to get a picture from the front as he just walks towards the phone 😂


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## Lindylouanne (13 June 2022)

Wow, not checked in on new kitty for a few days and he’s domesticated and in charge already 🤣


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## Rumtytum (13 June 2022)

Oooohhh he’s absolutely gorgeous 💕💕! His little ears 💕💕💕


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## MrsMozart (13 June 2022)

A ver'elegant wee pusscat.


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## MrsMozart (13 June 2022)

HappyHollyDays said:



			Wow, not checked in on new kitty for a few days and he’s domesticated and in charge already 🤣
		
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He's just the sweetest wee bean.

Definitely has 'tude, but so far, after the first day, he's been a happy dream 💗


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## MrsMozart (13 June 2022)

Rumtytum said:



			Oooohhh he’s absolutely gorgeous 💕💕! His little ears 💕💕💕
		
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Thankies. He's in full agreement 😇🙃


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## ycbm (13 June 2022)

What a tiny sweetie! 
.


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## Snowy Celandine (13 June 2022)

Adorable little boy! 😍


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## fetlock (13 June 2022)

MrsMozart said:



			A just woken up kitty 😴🐱
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Big difference in the size of his eyes, compared to that photo of him when he first arrived, glaring out of the slats in his carrier


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## Peregrine Falcon (13 June 2022)

Gorgeous. Reminds me of my little monster when he was small.


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## FinnishLapphund (13 June 2022)

He looks gorgeously adorable! 💓

Can't wait for his next big milestones, whack his first dog, sleep in their beds...


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