# when to start handling kittens ?



## josiejessie (Jun 11, 2012)

Hi my kittens are now 11 days old. Question please, when do i start to pick them up etc or do i just leave well alone.

There doing great and all have eyes open now, but if i even aproach the box mum cat does not like it. thankyou all


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## we love bsh's (Mar 28, 2011)

I handle from birth its good for them to get used to you.


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## josiejessie (Jun 11, 2012)

Did the mum cat mind ? as mine hisses at me


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## BshLover84 (May 6, 2012)

Yeh iv always handled them from birth, never had a hissing mummy, but I would leave them for a bit longer


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

I've always handled from birth, but very briefly just to weigh them once a day until their eyes are open and ears unfolded, and always in front of mum. Start holding a tad longer then, but I've always put them back as soon as mum or they object. Have never had a hissy mum.


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## josiejessie (Jun 11, 2012)

ive been just stroking them tonight, will slowly build up to picking them up. She hissed and swipped me once but after that let me do it. She was so loving but since they have been born she isnt the same cat at all, im sure as they get bigger she will go back to herself.


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## LEHBSH (Oct 21, 2011)

I've only just had my first litter, but I handled them from about 3 days (I too was worried at first at Mum rejecting them etc) but it is important for kittens to be used to being handled. Mum has got better and better and now lets me pick them up and play with them etc and they are 4-5 weeks old.

I think if you left them alone Mum wouldn't get used to you handling them and could be difficult when prospective new owners come to visit, also the kittens need to get used to people handling them so they can become good pets.


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## Tayto Girl (May 21, 2012)

I picked them up once or twice a day since birth - but for the first week or so used a facecloth that was covered with Mum's scent as I didn't want mine to interfere - I have no idea if that helped or not but worked for us!

After that she was happy to let me handle them but always beside her. At 3-4 weeks she was happy to let my children play and handle them, once they stop if she objects.


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## messyhearts (Feb 6, 2009)

I think you should focus on building the trust with mum if she is hissing. 

I handled from day one (only to weigh, check they are healthy etc) & mum was very happ for me to do this to the point that on day one when I slept in the same room mum wanted to move her babies to be in bed with me. She wouldn't have done that without a relationship between us built on trust.


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## Tequila (Jul 2, 2012)

I handled Melissa's kittens from day 1 but only because she was very happy with me doing so. I think if she had hissed I wouldn't have touched them, mummy knows best I think and you don't want her carrying them off and hiding them because she is upset. She will let you when she's ready :thumbup1:


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## Raychellee (Jun 11, 2012)

josiejessie said:


> Hi my kittens are now 11 days old. Question please, when do i start to pick them up etc or do i just leave well alone.
> 
> There doing great and all have eyes open now, but if i even aproach the box mum cat does not like it. thankyou all


Hiya, is this her first litter?

I would suggest maybe sit with her and kittens a few times a day without stroking or picking them up, then she might feel safe that you're there and not going to take them away....then try just stroking for a day or two then handling them, she will soon be ok with you doing this and hopefully won't be upset by it.
As soon as she lets you handle them, I would start interacting quite often for them to get used to been handled :biggrin:
Have you got any pics? Would love to see them


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## josiejessie (Jun 11, 2012)

Thankyou all very much. Bit of progress she allows me to stroke them now and i did pick each one up last night, she didnt hiss but could tell she wasnt keen but its progress 

will get some pics and put on later today.


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## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

_hopefull she will relax more over time as she realises you are not going to harm them, i would keep sitting with her every day picking them up every day ,but only for afew minutes to start with, then gradually hold them for longer, while talking to mum cat and stroking her and fussing her. look forward to pictures when you have time._


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## sharon_gurney (Jan 27, 2010)

I handle my kittens from the day they are born. I pick them up long enough for them to be weighed and then put them immediately back.

mum is very trusting and not hissy at all but if the baby starts to cry you can see that she gets anxious. I just make sure that when I pick up the babies mum can always see the kitten.


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## josiejessie (Jun 11, 2012)

have put pics on a new thread 

Well thought i was getting somewhere even managed to hold them to get a few pics but tonight if i even approach them she makes a noise and lays on them, i can stroke her fine and she will purr and jump out for me to pick her up but if i go to stroke the kittens she is having none of it, think maybe i will just have to stroke her and slowly build up to the kittens.


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