Could use some input on releasing a 10 week old kitten

[poohandpunky]

Please post how this is going. I would be really interested in knowing. I hope a breakthrough comes.

 

[Buffster7]

Nothing to add, just following this thread and here to cheer you on!! Rooting for you guys!

 

[fionasmom]

I do exactly what P poohandpunky describes with carrying the kitten around continually, even putting them in a sports bra type contraption so that I can have my hands free and still be with them and talk to them. Lots of kitten friendly music; classical music is on all the time in the house anyway. As far as my success rate goes, of the times I have had to do this with kittens who were not necessarily friendly or might have been true ferals, it worked most times which is about 10. I am excluding any kitten who was friendly from the beginning. It failed spectacularly with one all black female who still lives in my house 15 years later and still thinks I am the devil incarnate, and was only so-so with a tortie who became attached to one of my male cats and basically ignored me in favor of him.

 

[poohandpunky]

I do exactly what P poohandpunky describes with carrying the kitten around continually, even putting them in a sports bra type contraption so that I can have my hands free and still be with them and talk to them. Lots of kitten friendly music; classical music is on all the time in the house anyway. As far as my success rate goes, of the times I have had to do this with kittens who were not necessarily friendly or might have been true ferals, it worked most times which is about 10. I am excluding any kitten who was friendly from the beginning. It failed spectacularly with one all black female who still lives in my house 15 years later and still thinks I am the devil incarnate, and was only so-so with a tortie who became attached to one of my male cats and basically ignored me in favor of him.

I have to chuckle Fionasmom. I have a failure too. A black female 6 week old kitten I fostered 12 years ago. I was sure a 6 week old kitten could be turned around. I worked constantly with her. No luck. Ended up keeping her as she was unadoptable. Here we are 12 years later and she still doesn't trust me. Her safe spot is under our bed. If she ever needs vet care I'll have to trap her. In her defense I will say she was born under a mobile home and terribly abused by the kds and adults living in that community.

 

[Carrilaszlo]

I used a back scratcher to pet the ferals I had.

 

[Furballsmom]

Would a heartbeat toy help him, or a muffled ticking clock?

 

[Jcatbird]

Hand feeding really helped me. Holding them under the bed covers or getting down and laying with my head in the cage if it was too small to actually enter. Laying under a blanket and letting the kitten explore me instead of me exploring them. Letting them sleep in the room with me. Letting them sleep in a cage on my bed. I know it’s all hard but trying all sorts of unusual methods can lead to the one thing that works. As Furballsmom mentioned, a ticking clock mimics a heartbeat. It helps some nervous kitties. Another thing I have used that helps some very nervous ones requires intersection but can change a lot is to mimic mom actions. Using a tiny warm cloth tucked into your palm, make gentle face washing movements over ears and eyes. Going back from the front. As though licking the face. If kitty will close his eyes as the cloth goes over, it seems to calm. I have used this on kittens, old cats and sick or injured ones. A friend recently tried it on a severely abused cat. The cat had been given over by a rescue as nearing the end of life. Shut down, he stopped eating, drinking, potty and barke moved. His pupils were dilated. The friend took him home to give him comfort at the end. He had suffered greatly. I saw the cat and felt he was frozen with fear as well as all the other contributing issues. I suggested mimicking all the things a mom cat does. Besides the licking with a cloth, lay on the floor or bed curled around kitty but not completely encircling. Lay under the cover the cat liked along with him but don’t move. The cat began to respond a bit. The cloth was replaced with a chin being used as mimic washing. Of course other things came into play but the human kept working and had a soft touch. My latest report is that , besides all systems functioning now, this amputee jumped into bed to sleep with the human of his own accord! Purring and Headbutts followed. From abused adult feral ,considered beyond help, to adopting his human. I hope something here will give you some ideas of new avenues to try. Every cat is different so maybe something out of the ordinary will work. Get under the cage cover? Repetition? I know it’s tough when you are dealing with so many but the ONE that stands out as alone, needs you the most. As for the females outside, I often found female colony members shared care and responsibility for colony kittens sometimes. Siblings a generation removed sometimes act as guardians too. I really hope you find the key to socializing this little one. If you do, this kitty may become the most loyal and bonded of all. Please do keep us update. Sending you all the hope I can find.