Comments on: How Do I Socialize My Timid Kitten? Read Her Story! Is It Too Late?

By: bridey

bridey — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 04:58:29 +0000

give her time, its only been a few days and she isn’t feeling well.
She cowers when you walk by, but remember she was found in a parking lot and probably was terrified there. Who knows what happened?
It sounds like you have plenty of patience, she will come around in time and more so when she feels better. How about some smal toy mice she might like to bat around or a wand toy with feathers on it?
She has had many changes in the past few weeks and is adjusting

By: daa

daa — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:09:48 +0000

It sounds like you just need to give her some time and be patient with her. You’ve only had her 2 days! Let her get more comfortable with you before you try to pet her or pick her up. Sit on the floor near her, talk to her, wiggle a string or toy, and just let her explore and play if/when she’s ready. Limiting her area for a few days or so will help too – to much new space to explore all at once can be overwhelming for some kittens.

By: Ana

Ana — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:23:04 +0000

Thank you all for the great advice!
The only thing that is bothering me is that we tried playing with her with all kinds of different toys. We have two feather wands, a mouse, bow on a string, and other stuff. And she still has the same reaction, she starts drooling and does not look so happy… I know some cats start drooling when they are very happy or when they smell something they really don’t like, but this seems like a completely different thing.
Why do you think she does that?
Thank you

By: missmojo

missmojo — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:32:34 +0000

From what you are describing it sounds completely normal. My guess is that she probably isn’t used to her surrounding yet. With her being so young she probably has not developed the eye sight she needs to focus on an object to play with. I have had cats all my life and my cat Patsy took two weeks before she would even come out from under the bed! A lot of the adjustment period comes from what their circumstances were before. Patsy was found in a dumpster and was too small to get out, her two litter mates that were with her were already dead. I am guessing that her interactions with humans had only beennegativee until she came to our house. It’s well worth the time and effort to do all that you are doing. She will get used to her surrounding and the two of you before you know it. Once she realizes that she is safe with the two of you, you willdefinitelyy start seeing her littler personality develop. She will be driving you guys crazy with her mmischiefin no time. Good luck! : )

By: ♥Pretty♥ ♥Kitty♥

♥Pretty♥ ♥Kitty♥ — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:45:27 +0000

She’s only been there for two days. That isn’t enough time for her to build any trust. Big strange houses can overwhelm a kitten. Being kept in a smaller space will be much less stressful for her till she gets to know you and realizes she is home. Try setting up a nursery for her in a small room. Go in to visit her frequently but don’t grab for her or hold her if she wants down. Just sit quietly and let her come to you. Doing something interesting like tying your shoes or digging in a shoebox with some junk in it will entice her. As she gets more comfortable, allow larger areas to explore. Let her walk there instead of carrying her so learns the “lay of the land”. She should warm up to you in a few days or even a couple of weeks.
The wand type toys are great for shy cats as they allow the cat to play while still maintaining some distance from you. Try those. Also, if you can afford vet care for two, kittens do much better in pairs.http://www.pawschicago.org/PetCare/catsi…

By: adrianna

adrianna — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:32:00 +0000

She just needs time. The sneezing, saliva, and runny nose can also just be from stress. She needs to be comfortable with her surroundings before she can play. Keep trying the toys with her, but start with just wiggling your fingers first. It’s very possible she was abused and or mistreated by humans or other animals. Call the shelter and ask how her litter mates are doing and if they are exhibiting the same issues. Handle her often and gently it may take awhile for her to calm down. I have noticed with rescued kittens it is usually under a week when they really explore and begin to play. GL

By: cat lover

cat lover — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:08:08 +0000

Three days is not a lot of time. One thing I would try and do is to find out if she has a vision problem. Does she follow your finger with her head as you move it in front of her? That she seemed to cower when someone walked by doesn’t mean she saw that person clearly.
As far as #4, some have a hair trigger response to any noise.
For your second issue about her cowering, approach her down low, either by sitting or crawling, so you are less imposing. Compared to her, you are absolutely massive. And sitting down and simply talking often works well. Using a bit of a high pitched voice may help, as a mother cat’s meow is not soft or low pitched.
You reverse a lot of her fears through patience, love and understanding. Some of her progress will have to be at her pace.

By: The Answer

The Answer — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:53:43 +0000

You have only had her for a few days! You need to wait for her to ajust to the surroundings, before you label her timid. I recommend feeding her in a different room everyday, as she wont want to miss out on her dinner, so she will just eat it where ever she is. Have you got a special word she understands? When I trained my cat, I use to say Din Dins, whenever she was going to eat her dinner. Keep saying the word when feeding her, and they pick up the word. Give her lots of treats, and I recommend feeding her wet food and a bit of dry food. Go Cat, kitten food is a real treat. It has milk chunks and everything!
In addition to this, give her special milk for kittens, NOT YOUR AVERAGE KITTEN MILK THOUGH! Give her 2 more weeks, before you decide what sort of cat she is, and keep giving her lots of love and effection. To get her playing, hang a peice of ham above her head, after letting her sniff it, and she will probably jump for it.
This websites explain it allhttp://www.caring-for-your-cat.co.uk/tim…http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7-PDw…

By: Darcie

Darcie — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:48:11 +0000

my Grandma works at the local sawmill and there’s about a dozen stray kittens living there. She brought one home and it took her about a week to get used to the house and to start playing with toys. She’s still kinda nervous when people approach her quickly though. Just give it time, the kitten has probably been through a lot and isn’t at the point where she trusts people yet.

By: foxylady

foxylady — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:01:08 +0000

well first of all didn’t you say they was found in a parking lot, so my guess is she just isn’t used to being inside much except for the cage at the shelter. She has been threw alot and you should just give her the time to make the adjustments. This is a whole new world to her and she is scared. just keep up with the toys and i am sure she will come around when she is ready she will start exploring when she feels safe Good luck with your kitty and just give it sometime