New Kitten

Resi12

Hey there, this morning we just got a new kitten and since then she has been cowering in her courier, burying her head behind herself and if we come near her she growls and hisses. She's 8 weeks old about.

Our last cat was older and we never experienced this before. I just put out some dry food, some water and left the room to let her to her own devices and surely enough she came out of her cage for a little look around until my Mam went into the room and scared her into a corner.

Should we just leave her alone for a while with a check up every hour or so for food/litter etc?

Shanao

Pretty much. She's in a new place with new people, so she's understandably scared. It will take some time but she'll get there. The last kitten we took in spent the first three days in the back of the reclining chair, only coming out for a bit of food and to use the litter tray. Now she's tearing up and down the stairs with the other cats and as soon as you call her she pounces on you purring her little head off. It can take a while for them to get used to all the new smells and sounds so just give her time and she'll come around. Was she a feral or was she raised in a house?

Resi12

She was found by my Aunt and then she knew we were looking for a new cat after our last one recently passed away so she had her neutered and then let her rest with her for a while just to recover and not have her endure so much trauma at once.

My mam has her in the kitchen but I think it's too busy in there, should I try and move her to somewhere else in the house? Or now she has left the carrier will I just let her at it?

Will putting a clock next to her toy in her carrier help or only distress her more?

Heroditas

The poor thing has been through an awful lot already. She would benefit from somewhere quiet in the house.
Also, wrapping the clock in a blanket would be beneficial because it would calm her down when she tries to get some sleep.

Poor cat must be terrified. It sounds like she's been through lot of trauma already and was separated prematurely from her litter/mother. That would cause her to be very nervous.
She'll calm down with a bit of time though.


Oh and don't forget to post some pictures!!!!!

Resi12

I know, she just needs time and her own little space for a bit. Thank you for the advice!

I will post a photo when I can, I don't want to scare the bejesus out of her with flashing cameras!

mymo

It will take time, go into the room and sit quietly on the floor, use a shoelace or cat toy to tease her a little, keep your movements slow and stay quiet. If she doesn't play leave it and try again later.
It may take a few days of trying, but she will come around, talk quietly and soothingly and have patience.

JKM

Nuetered at 8 weeks?? Are you sure? Kittens are normally nuetered/ spayed at 4-6 months. Are you sure you have her age correct?

Anyway, food is your best ally at this stage. When you bring in food, don't leave straight away. Sit down quietly in a corner, try not to make her feel trapped. Let her come out for a bite to eat, if she doesn't after a while then take the food away and try in another while. When she's hungry enough she'll come out. Stay with her while she eats and maybe talk gently to her. When she's finished eating take any left over food away.

This will mean she will start to associate you with food and therefore build a trust. After a while (depending on how nervous she is) start to gently pull the plate of food towards you. And after another few times maybe hold out a closed fist for her to sniff. You get the jist anyway, slowely but surely she will build a trust up with you.

Me and my OH socialised a fully feral kitten like this just last October and he is the biggest cuddliest gentle thing ever now. It took a good few weeks mind and a lot of patience. But i'd say your little one, having already had contact with other humans (your aunt) should progress along a lot quicker.

Good Luck.

Resi12

Hi people, some reports here. There hasn't been much improvement in her behaviour, we can entice her from her hiding spots with a toy but if we go near her she runs off.

She then meows if anyone is not in the room but hides if they are/go near her. I haven't even picked her up yet because she hisses so much if you even stick your hand out.

What can I do?

franksm

Keep at it. Just be in the room, watch TV, read a book and ignore her. Show her that you're going to let her do her own thing. When it's time to interact, try bits of string and rolled up balls of paper.

Guarantee she will be poking her nose out to see what you're up to next before long. Especially with the ignoring/reading book trick

Shanao

JKM wrote: »

Nuetered at 8 weeks?? Are you sure? Kittens are normally nuetered/ spayed at 4-6 months. Are you sure you have her age correct?

Just on this, kittens can be neutered from 8weeks onwards, my cat vet does it routinely now and will be doing a ten week old foster for me next week. She had a 4month old kitten arrive into her pregnant last year so decided to offer neutering as early as possible.


@OP- just try sitting on the floor in the room, dont make any sudden movements and wait. With patience, you'll see her come out (cat are so bloody curious about everything after all). Let her get used to you being there, wait until she's decided to come investigate and then you can try some toys, or a shoelace etc. I always used to tame ferals by pretty much just sitting in complete silence and letting them climb all over me. It's just a matter of patience now, she is still in the settling in period.

Resi12

OK, that's brilliant thanks. Although I came back to a wet bed last night curtosy of the new kitten, ehhhhh..

I'll give the patience thing a go anyway!