# kitten behavior



## skeenie (Feb 9, 2008)

hi can anyone help me. i lost my beloved cat in december due to diabetes. i now feel ready to give a new boy a nice loving home. i got a kitten from a cat agency today and he was found in a litter in a skip and the vet thinks hes about 14 weeks if not slightly more. we think he was born from feral cats but has been with the cat shelter since he was bottle fed. my problem is he is absolutely terrified when away from me personally. if i hold him he clings on to me but when i put him down on my kitchen floor he went absolutely mad and climbed up my venetian blinds and knocked a dish of eggs from the fridge. he was absoloutely pertrified. he will fall asleep on the sofa next to me as long as i am beside him. im hoping he gets a bit more confidence. i know its early days for him but my fear is that he will always be unnaturally nervous. any advise about how to proceed and has anyone experienced this before. my last cat was the opposite and since i havent had a kitten for 13 years am a bit out of practice..................


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## Guest (Feb 10, 2008)

Patience and time....
Is there any noises or anything that could scare him at the moment? How long was he with you? 
May be its too early for him, it'll take time to feel secure. 

Get him some toys and try to engage in games for a starter. 

Also - talk to him a lot and try to make an eye contact.

Plus - cuddles and tickling back, tummy, behind ears, under the chin: best thing at the moment to let him know that he is loved.


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## skeenie (Feb 9, 2008)

thank you for ure reply to my problem. i only got him yesterday but him freaking out like that in my kitchen scared me and i think in turn probably made him worse. any noise at all seems to scare him and he runs for his cat basket so i have kept this in the kitchen and have been sitting in the corner on the floor when i have a cup of tea and letting him suss things out for himself. he will let me pick him up and cuddle him but not for long. he is getting curious and comes out of the basket but seems facinated by my glass door on my cooker. i think he sees himself and might think its his brother whom he was separated from a few weeks ago. he is scared of his toys as well so i have just left them lying around and he can go to them when he wants to. i just feel so sorry for him and i know i have to have patience but its not easy....... sure it will be worth it in the long run to have the love and patience with him just now........... im going to confine him to the one room till he is ready to explore rather than trying to give him the run of the house....... he is a nosey wee character so i have hope for him yet.......


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## suchadra (Nov 3, 2007)

keep persevering (spelt wrong?) lol.
sometimes it can take a while for them to trust you. when i rehomed my siamese it took her nearly 3 weeks to come out from behind the sofa. he will be a naughty little monkey in no time.
good luck with him.


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## Siamese Kelly (Jan 6, 2008)

Have to say i agree with both the above-patience, time and lots of love as he's not had much to be carefree, and happy about in his young life, he'll realise soon enough that he has you for life and how to go about keeping his life stress free by thinking up ideas to allow you to serve him best Good luck, you'll both be best buds in no time


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## skeenie (Feb 9, 2008)

thanx once again for the advice everyone has given me. i have kept christopher confined to the kitchen with his basket, toys and litter tray. i have spent most of my time in there sitting in the corner with a cup of tea. he is letting me lift him and pet him and this morning he was crying for me to lift him. however he did not come to me directly but trying to have patience and give him time. still ultra nervy tho and i have to be very cautious how i move incase i scare him. my parents came to visit tonight and he just retreated to the basket as if to say 'you can look but dont touch'. 
then i had my dinner which my mum brought up for me which just happened to be salmon and prawns and the little tike came right over and helped himself must be something to do with being born in a skip i suppose. then he proceeded to play with his toys and use the litter tray when i was in the room. 
have high hopes for him now but can anyone advise how i get him to socialise with other humans that come into my home.. do you think he will always just let me handle him and shy away from others or will that come to him eventually as he gets to trust me more???????????????? any help gratefully accepted.............


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## suchadra (Nov 3, 2007)

in my experience they will come round all of a sudden and when he trusts you and knows you are not gonna hurt him then he will trust other people. although some of my cats wont go near strangers!! you just have to give him time i'm afraid.


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## Kitten Behavior (Jan 26, 2010)

You must be patient as others have said. You may find the advice in Thom Jenkins BA (Hons) book helpful - available at www.kittenbehavior.org


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## Themis (Dec 18, 2009)

Yes it's still very early days if you only just got him. It took my 2 kittens a couple of days to settle in when I brought them home and I think that was quite fast! Having each other helped them settle quicker than they would have alone.

Your kitten has been taken away from everything he has known and it's quite frightening for him.


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