my kitten hates people!

cheer_grl

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I just recently got a kitten. she was 5 weeks old when we got her and we have had her for 3 wks. ever since we got her, she has not allowed anyone to hold her. occasionly she will let someone pick her up for a minute or so, but then she starts crying and struggling. she won't let people pet her unless she's very sleepy and she only ocassionally on our laps to sleep. she's extremely timid and sensitive at times and she plays very aggressively(she will bite, chew, and scratch everything including people). she is an adorable cat but we never get to play with her nicely. what do we do???
 

simmyandnunny

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Originally Posted by cheer_grl

I just recently got a kitten. she was 5 weeks old when we got her and we have had her for 3 wks. ever since we got her, she has not allowed anyone to hold her. occasionly she will let someone pick her up for a minute or so, but then she starts crying and struggling. she won't let people pet her unless she's very sleepy and she only ocassionally on our laps to sleep. she's extremely timid and sensitive at times and she plays very aggressively(she will bite, chew, and scratch everything including people). she is an adorable cat but we never get to play with her nicely. what do we do???
So, are you saying your kitten is now 8 weeks old? They say that the more interaction you have with a kitten the better to get her used to being handled so she doesn't become stand offish with people when she's older.

The more handling she gets the more integrated she'll be later. I've seen how kittens don't generally like to be messed with, but as long as you're gentle and she's not being roughed up by small children or anything, and you're making sure she's feeling secure while being held, I think you're off to a good start. Kittens don't like to be held out in the air, they like to be snuggled up to your chest and securely held. She could be freaked out if she's not being held properly.

Make sure when you play with her not to use your hand as an oppenent to wrestle with. That reinforces biting and scratching. Use toys instead. I don't think little kittens care for being petted too much at first. It's been a long time since i've had one, so I can't be certain of that, but I remember petting kittens and they didn't seem to care much for it.

So, is she eight weeks old now?
 

beckiboo

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5 weeks is very young to be away from their mother. Was the mother friendly, or feral? One way to get a feral (wild) cat to tame is to wrap them in a blanket or towel when you hold them. Then they get used to being held without fighting and scratching.

If you decide to try this, hold her gently but firmly on your lap wrapped in a towel or blanket. When I did this, I trapped my feral girl Jill in the bathroom first, so she had less chance of escaping. The idea is to hold them for long enough that they realize it can be pleasant to sit on someone's lap and be petted. Jill made some progress with this technique. She never liked me holding her on my lap, but she did learn to love to be petted.

Also, observe your kitten to see what she loves. Jill loved people food, especially Pop-Eyes chicken. That came in very handy, as she would come right up to me for a treat!

And take advantage of her sleepy times, if she enjoys the loving then, it will spill over to her wakeful times. Good luck with this tiny baby!
 

a_loveless_gem

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Originally Posted by cheer_grl

I just recently got a kitten. she was 5 weeks old when we got her and we have had her for 3 wks. ever since we got her, she has not allowed anyone to hold her. occasionly she will let someone pick her up for a minute or so, but then she starts crying and struggling. she won't let people pet her unless she's very sleepy and she only ocassionally on our laps to sleep. she's extremely timid and sensitive at times and she plays very aggressively(she will bite, chew, and scratch everything including people). she is an adorable cat but we never get to play with her nicely. what do we do???
In an ideal situation, a kitten isn't separated from the litter until 12 weeks, though the problem is everyone wants a small kitten as they seem cuter. However up until this time kittens are playing with one another, biting chewing and scratching each other learning what hurts, doesn't hurt what is okay and what isn't. You now have to do that now that the mother and littermates are not there.

Don't yell or smack her when she does scratch or bite. Talk her language. Meow as if you're in pain. Hiss at what's inapproriate. This is the language she understands. Think like a cat. She's only doing what come naturally.

Think about the situation from her point of view. She's been removed from what was familiar to her. Cats and kittens are very scent orientated, she probably can no longer smell mum or any littermates nearby and everything is strange. What makes it worse is that she is often held captive.

Let her come to you. Don't force it. However at the same time, make sure she has somewhere warm to sleep that is quiet and out of the way. Kittens need their warmth. It's essential.

Please visit this site for valuable advice and information.

http://www.kitten-rescue.com/

Especially see what to feed your kitten in place of mother's milk or to ensure that they receive the required nutrients.

People food is generally not a good substitute.
 

AbbysMom

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I am not an expert with kittens, and I am sure you will get some great answers from the people on this board. In the meantime, I can tell you the experience I have had with my cat. We adopted my cat when she was around 8 months old from the shelter. She was VERY scared, timid, skittish, etc when we brought her home. She didn't know us and had never been in our home before so she was TERRIFIED. Your kitten is probably feeling the same way. If we tried to get near her msot of the time she would gallop off at a very high speed or do the sideways, arched walk, big tail move. When we did get close to her, she would nip at us a lot if we tried to pet her. We have now had her 4 months and have made huge strides. Now if we pet her, it takes a shile before we get the "play bites". She will let us hold her for a little bit. She will still not climb into our laps and is still skittish at times. Slowly we are getting the friendly cat more than the skittish cat. A lot of times when we walk into the room, she will roll over on her back and still her paws in the air for us to pet her. You have to give her time and space. You have to let her know that you are around and let her get used to you from a distance. As she starts to get comfortable with that, you can start to get closer, then start sitting next to her when she is on the couch or the floor. Then after she is comfortable with that, move up to petting her. Just give it some time and patience. All cats are different and will adjust at their own pace. As she gets older she will also relax more. Good Luck!
 
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