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Beginning to tame a Feral Kitten - Part 3 - Handling
By: Alfred
After three to four days of keeping up frequent visits and
soothing talks with your kitten you can attempt to handle
the feral kitten. Get an old towel that you don't mind possibly
being messed on and take the kitten out of the crate or
carrier picking it up with the towel.
If the kitten is calm about his then you can attempt to pet
the kitten. Do so from behind the kittens head. The kitten
may claw or bite you if try to touch it from the front
because all it sees is this enormous hand coming at it. You
do not approach or attempt to pet the kitten from the front
which is taken by cats as an aggressive act.
If the kitten remains calm after being petted then you can
take the towel and put it in your lap. Then pick up the
kitten by the scruff of the neck gently and place the kitten
on the towel in your lap. Pet the kitten while talking
gently and softly, then release the kitten.
You do not want to spend too long a time at this activity at
first. You can then give your kitten a treat like some wet
kitten food off of a baby spoon. You want to pet, massage,
release, put back in the cat cage or
cat carrier then reward. Do
this frequently so that the kitten becomes used to your
touch.
You can also use a soft pet brush. The bristles imitate the
rasp of the mother cats tongue when it baths the kitten. You
may also want to get a cat flea comb because fleas are dangerous
and carry diseases and parasites that can endanger a
kitten's life. Your kitten will start bonding with you as it
would with its mother.
Do not stare into your kittens eyes for long periods of
time. This can also be taken as a sign of aggression and
your kitten may attack you or run in fear. Try to make
yourself look smaller and be on the same level as your
kitten so that you aren't a looming giant to it that is
frightening.
After some time you can try playing with your kitten. Some
kind of soft material tied to a string works great for a
first play toy. Remember to visit your kitten as often as
you can so that it bonds with you.
