| New kittens can be very scared and shy at first. | | | | this at first, probably for the first 5-7 days you |
| While some are gluttons for affections right from | | | | have had the kitten. Then one or more other |
| the get go, others may be more cautious and | | | | people can be added to help the kitten get used |
| might shy away from you. Some might want to | | | | to being around more people. Use a toy in your |
| find a secluded corner or closet to hide in. If your | | | | hand to play with the kitten and get him used to |
| new kitten is acting this way, don't feel bad as | | | | being close to your hand. Move your hand closer |
| this is not uncommon behavior. Here's some | | | | to the kitten when you hold the toy until you can |
| things you can do to get your kitten used to | | | | touch him. Giving the kitten a special food treat |
| interacting with humans. | | | | also helps them get used to you being close to |
| 1. Put the kitten in a small room where there are | | | | them. |
| no hiding spots. Be aware that kittens can climb | | | | 4. Playing a talk radio station softly can help the |
| into very small spaces (I once had one climb in a | | | | kitten get used to human voices. |
| cabinet hole nex to the dishwasher!). They should | | | | 5. After the kitten starts letting you touch him |
| be in the room by themselves with no other pets. | | | | you can start to let him run around outside of the |
| Start them off in a cage with enough room for | | | | cage. You may take the litter box out of the |
| them to run around a bit. Put a box in the cage | | | | cage now and put the litter box and food at |
| to allow them to go into if they need to a little | | | | opposite sides of the room. Spray the Feliway |
| security. The cage can be partly covered with a | | | | around the room now. Do not spray it near the |
| blanket or towel to help them feel safer. Using a | | | | litter box. Start playing with them by using toys |
| pheromone spray like Feliway at one spray per | | | | they like such as newspaper balls and string toys. |
| day will help too - just do not spray it around the | | | | This play time will turn into them looking forward |
| litter box. | | | | to your return to play more with them. Do not |
| 2. Remember that the kitten is a small scared | | | | forget to touch occasionally and pet them during |
| animal and you need to act according to the | | | | play time. |
| animal world. This means that you should not | | | | 6. After a time, just sit in the room with the |
| stare in at the kitten. Staring is predatory | | | | kittens and do what you want to - like read, |
| behavior and will scare your kitten. When you look | | | | watch TV or use your computer. This will help |
| at him, make sure you blink a lot and turn your | | | | them get used to people that are not there just |
| head often. Practice trying to touch the kitten | | | | to pay attention to them. Then after a while, |
| after he has been in the cage a couple of days. If | | | | start to play with them. Try to bring in other |
| he is not receptive to your hand right away, try | | | | people in the room with them more often and for |
| using something like a back scratcher to rub their | | | | at least 30 minutes at a time. The other people |
| fur. Attempt to move your hand down the back | | | | should try to play with the kittens and also try to |
| scratcher to get closer to the kitten as you try | | | | pet them. |
| this. | | | | If you have a shy kitten, it's important to make |
| 3. Spend just a little time with the kitten at first | | | | an effort to help him come out of his shell. If you |
| and increase that time as the days go by. A | | | | do nothing, the kitten may never get used to |
| kitten needs at least two hours per day of | | | | people and grow up to be a cat that hides all the |
| interaction time with you. One person should do | | | | time. |