# How old is this kitten?



## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

Recently I discovered a kitten and mommy cat living in my uncle's side yard. When they were first discovered, about 2 weeks ago, the kitten was probably half of its current size. 

The mom has been taking good care of the kitten as far as I know. I'm pretty sure the mom is stray based of how she reacts to humans. There are a fair amount of 'stray' cats that wander our neighborhood. Unfortunately, it's impossible to tell which ones are cared for and which are not. 

We've been putting out food for mom cat to help her out a little bit. We believe the kitten remains in the side yard as she is really too young to be getting around by herself. There are lots of places to hide. We also attracted another cat when we started putting food out, possibly the father. 

We would like to catch the kitten and raise it ourselves or have it adopted. The mom should also be caught and adopted (and spayed). However, we do not want to take the kitten away form the mother until the kitten is old enough (12 weeks?). Then again, if the kitten gets too old, it will no longer be confined to the side yard, and there may not be another chance to catch it. 

Any advice and guesses on the kittens age are greatly appreciated.
Isn't it cute?


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

It's really hard to tell without anything else in the photo for perspective, but that looks like a pretty good sized kitten. I would say taking it from mom at this point would be fine.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

These are both beautiful cats. Might I suggest you adopt them both? rcat
And the kitten is old enough to spay/neuter, guessing by his/her size.


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

Heres a pic for reference


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## OwnedByACat (Jan 11, 2008)

Oh my word............both of those babies are adorable! Wow!


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

That is at least a three-month old kitten, possibly older, comparing kitten size to motorcycle wheel.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

I agree...no issue with taking it in at this age...


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

Sorry, last photo, one with the mom in focus. I was using a very low f/stop since it was late in the evening. Couldn't get them both in focus.

What is the best way to catch the cats, especially the mom? I think the kitten can be cornered pretty easily, but not the mom. Should we talk to the humane society about getting a cat trap? 

One thing to note is that I live in Phoenix, Arizona, and our summers are brutal. If I use a cat trap, it would have to be in the shade or something.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

I agree, it should be fine to take the kitten at that age. In fact I would say if you waited longer it'll be tough. As it is you might have trouble. Try to find out where the 'nest' was, and see if you can corner it there. If the mum is feral/stray you'll likely have a tough time just picking up the baby as it won't be used to people.

You could always get a trap and see if you have anyone who deals with local ferals/strays to help with mum. Baby would likely tame pretty quickly if you really dedicated some time to it.

Check out the Feral Cats section of the board, it'd help a lot i think.

PM me if you'd like some other ideas.


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## Janene (Sep 6, 2008)

Oh what beautiful babies! The markings on the little one are stunning.

I think you should seek some professional advice as to how to catch the cats. You don't want to get yourself or the cats injured and I'm sure they will fight if cornered by humans initially. They may need sedation to stop them from injuring themselves trying to escape so it could be a big job. They will also need to be checked for any diseases before introducing to other animals.

I sure do hope you find some solutions soon. Let us know how you get on please.


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies!

We don't know if we'd personally keep the kitten. I'd definitely like to, but it's not up to me. We have a dog who is 14 years old and probably wouldn't be thrilled. She'd get along with the cat I am sure though. Like mentioned above, it would need to get its shots before it ever came in contact with our pets.

Either way, we do plan to catch the kitten and possibly the mother and arrange for an adoption. 

Out of curiousity:

How come there is only one kitten in this litter? Does it have to do with the health of the mom or her age? Or could it be that the other kittens just didn't survive?


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## Silver deer (Dec 31, 2007)

*Gasp* They're both stunning! If you don't take them, I will!! (Just joking... I don't know if they'd like a 15 hour flight or whatever it is... lol)

I'm developing a real soft spot for greys... this thread should come with a cuteness warning! 

I can't answer your questions about the single kitten - I don't have much experience with strays. Sorry to be completely useless!

Goodluck.


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## Catelover (Sep 4, 2008)

Wow! both of them are really cool


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

I don't have any experience with catching cats, so I'm afraid I can only say . . . WOW, they're both so cute! Let us know how it goes.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

There could be so many reasons why there's only one kitten...first litters are often small, she may have only had one. As you said, the others may not have survived or someone may have caught the rest of the kittens and rehomed them already.

Given the colors and markings, I even wonder if this is a mother/daughter pair or if the kitten somehow got separated and the black one became a surrogate. The kitten looks like a purebred to me, maybe a Ragdoll.


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## razman01 (Apr 3, 2008)

I agree with doodlebug. Looks like a chocolate point to me. Pretty rare with a grey mommy I would think.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Nrets said:


> Thanks for all the replies!
> 
> We don't know if we'd personally keep the kitten. I'd definitely like to, but it's not up to me. We have a dog who is 14 years old and probably wouldn't be thrilled. She'd get along with the cat I am sure though. Like mentioned above, it would need to get its shots before it ever came in contact with our pets.
> 
> ...


Contact AZcats in the Phoenix area. They do TNR. They dont take the cats in to foster. But they might know of someone who would. The kitten is right at the cut off point of _easily_ socializing him. Depending on his temperment and exposure to people. He looks about 3 months to me. He is beautiful. Siamese kittens get adopted right away when we have them available. 

AZcats will S/N your cats if you are feeding them and willing to continue to feed them after they are released. Or assist you in doing it yourself. Its not that hard.

40% of feral cats kittens dont make it. Disease, preditors, cars, twisted humans! This might have been her first litter so she may have only had one or two.

check the feral cat section of Cat Forum. They have stickys there that have good info too.


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

After visiting the cats today, I'm thinking the kitten is not quite 3 months old. In size it's roughly 1/3 that of the mom. He/she looks smaller in person than in the photos posted.

We are feeding the cats dry food pretty much daily. I noticed that the kitten was also eating the dry food. I also caught the kitten playing with the moms tail and pouncing on her, it was really quite cute. I'd really hate to separate them right now. 

I'm going to set up a webcam tomorrow along with an infrared LED array I recently made (so I can see at night). I'll set the camera up to record motion, but I'll also see if I can stream images to my server. As soon as this is all ready, I'll post a link to the streaming images and links to any video footage recorded. Then maybe you guys whom are more experienced can get a better idea of the kitten's age.


About AZcats:
I don't mind feeding the mom, but my aunt doesn't want her staying in their side yard. The problem is that we've been getting coyotes down from the mountain lately. It's really quite odd. We are several miles away from the mountain and between us and it is lots of residential and many major streets. We think they are coming down along a large wash. I've seen them in the very early hours of the morning (4-5 am) returning to the mountain. In all likelihood they are lured by the stray cats. 

Anyways, my aunt has dogs and doesn't want them getting attacked by a coyote. 

Adopting the kitten:
I plan to catch the kitten when it's old enough, have it checked out by a vet and get it's vaccinations, and introduce it to our dog. If they get along ok, then we'll probably keep it. If not, it's going up for adoption. 

If it does go up for adoption, I'll first see if anyone I know is interested, then I'll post a thread on this forum (if that's allowed) for its adoption, and if all else fails, I'll send it to an adoption program. 

I'll update you guys soon.

- Bryan


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

It would be old enough to take now. The best plan would be to find out where the nest is, usually mum will leave her kitten alone there for a while when she goes to hunt. I would find that type of a situation, and see if you could corner the kitten. Bring gloves as they can bite/scratch, and have a carrier ready.

Keep in mind that kittens who are raised to be nervous of humans will generally not become fine with them overnight. The same goes for dogs. Feral cats don't like dogs because dogs will chase them. You'll need to give the kitten some time to get used to you, before you even think about introducing it to your dog.

That being said, I think that at that age if you put in the effort the cat would most likely tame down and become a wonderful family member! It's well worth taming it yourself.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

I agree wholeheartedly with Librarychick. It is well worth your time and effort taming this baby yourself. The reward will be amazing!
You have made a lot of progress just getting close enough to take those pictures.  

Also, here's a website that may help - http://muttcats.com/articles/taming_ferals.htm

rcat


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Nrets said:


> After visiting the cats today, I'm thinking the kitten is not quite 3 months old. In size it's roughly 1/3 that of the mom. He/she looks smaller in person than in the photos posted.
> 
> We are feeding the cats dry food pretty much daily. I noticed that the kitten was also eating the dry food. I also caught the kitten playing with the moms tail and pouncing on her, it was really quite cute. I'd really hate to separate them right now.
> 
> ...


Bryan if the kitten is eating the dry food it is time to get her. *Time is of the essience* as far as getting her before she is too feral. General rule of thumb "when it is too late" is 12 weeks old. Ideal time to take the kittens is around 6 weeks cuz they have a good start from Mom milk but the mom hasnt taught it too much about being feral. This kitten is atleast two months and is ready for her first round of shots. 

If you want to put her up for adoption you will have better results by working with a rescue in Phoenix rather than on Cat Forum cuz were scattered all over the world on this forum. 

You could bring the kitten in to socialize her and work with a local rescue to post her on Petfinders. Weve done that for people locally where I am.

As far as coyotes and cats. I would continue to feed the mom and kittens. She wont stick around your Aunts yard if the dogs are there but atleast she have a food souce and not have to scavenge for her food. Coyotes are a reality and major pretator of feral cats in Arizona. We have Coyotes in Ried Park in Tucson. They are in all the washes and wander into the community street all over the city. That is why all cats should be indoor cats here if they are your pet.

Mom cat really needs to be trapped *right now* and spayed or she will be pregnant very soon again.


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## noludoru (Jun 19, 2008)

I second what Mitts & Tess said. Especially the bolded parts. Get a feral trap, and start feeding them in it, or find another way to catch them by talking with the rescue.. the blue cat needs to be spayed as she may already be pregnant, especially if she's not the kitten's mom. Kitten could be feral already, and in any case needs to be neutered.


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

I'm going to make my first real attempt at catching the cat(s) today. I've sort of made my own trap out of a cat carrier and some fishing line. I'll have to spring it manually though, but I'm fairly confident I'll get one, if not both cats. If I do get both, I'm not really sure what I'll do with the mom. I'll possibly keep her with the kitten in my room for a while and see how they adjust. If it seems impossible to train the mom, I'll have her spayed and let her go. 

I'll make an appointment for the kitten next week. 

I'll post the results and maybe some pictures tonight if all goes well! I'll try to get a video of everything.


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## TrinityQuiet (May 18, 2007)

Oh dear! I love the look on the greybaby's face!


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

Kitten has been caught!

It took 3 attempts, but I got her alright! I used a cat carrier, some fishing line, a webcam, and an infrared LED array.

The first attempt was in daylight, but I had to watch through a window. To spring the trap I had to go outside and by the time I had done that, the kitten was no longer inside the carrier (little did I know). They ran away.

Second attempt occured after the sun had gone below the horizon, so I powered up my homemade IR LED (100) array and illuminated everything for my camera only (IR light is not visible). I watched the camera, cats came back eventually, kitten walks in and starts eating, I go outside to trigger the trap, and SNAP the fishing line breaks. 

Third attempt, at this point it was pitch black, so the IR array was very handy. Instead of running the fishing line over the wall outside, I re-organized things so that the fishing line ran into the window where my laptop was positioned. Amazingly the cats came back, kitten goes straight into the carrier, and I pull the fishing line. This time I got it. I call my aunt to hold the line while I latch the carrier shut. The kitten was frantic and quite desperate to get out. I felt really bad as the mom looked on from her perch on a nearby block wall. 

The kitten is now in my room with the door shut as I wait for her to come out of the carrier. 

We cannot keep the mom because my dad will not allow 2 cats in the house, which is understandable given the age of our dog and his views on cats. Plus, the mom is probably too feral to be domesticated. However, I will make an attempt to catch the mom sometime next week. I do believe she needs to be spayed ASAP and I am willing to pay for the procedure. Maybe I can reunite mommy and baby during this time... just so the mom knows her baby is ok. 

Now you're probably wondering if I have a video of the capture... I don't. I forgot to hit the capture button on the third attempt because I didn't want anything to go wrong. I will post pictures as soon as the kitten calms down and adjusts. 

Look forward to the pictures of this beautiful kitty!


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Congratulations! Your hard work paid off. 

Check with some of your local vets, some spay ferals at no charge. My current and last vets do.

Can't wait for pictures!


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

That is high tech cat trapping! That is exciting you got the baby. Looking forward to more pictures.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Pictures please, and if you can get your cat webcam working, that would be great. 

And Alley Cat Allies might be able to help with *T*rap *N*euter *R*eturn of mom-cat.

Here's some help with kitten socializing.

_Blue words above are links._


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

So the cat is still extremely shy. It's spending most of the time hiding behind my bed or cabinets, etc.

I've put out 3 water dishes in my room, one out in the open, and the other two in his hiding spots. I slept in my room tonight so that it could get adjusted to human presence. When I woke up I could hear her meowing, she's probably hungry, eh?

I put out some moistened dry cat food for the time being. I'm going to the store to get some dry kitten food. 

Hopefully it'll adjust soon! I feel so bad.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Nrets said:


> So the cat is still extremely shy. It's spending most of the time hiding behind my bed or cabinets, etc.
> 
> I've put out 3 water dishes in my room, one out in the open, and the other two in his hiding spots. I slept in my room tonight so that it could get adjusted to human presence. When I woke up I could hear her meowing, she's probably hungry, eh?
> 
> ...


I need to make you aware that moistened dry cat food is a breeding ground for bacteria. Not the best thing for a kitten, or any animal. If you want her to get some water with her food, use a quality canned food, and mix a little water with it.

See my last post for a clickable link with good information to help get her used to people. 
Socializing a feral kitten is often a slow process. Be patient with her, and let her come to you on her own schedule. If you try to force her it will scare her, doing the opposite of what you want.

Prayers for you both, fingers and paws crossed.


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

I noticed that with adding water to dry food and stopped doing it. We bought some kitten food today and I have it in a bowl in a corner of the room along with water in several locations.

I tried handling the kitten this afternoon and put it up on my bed. It tried to get away and ended up hiding under my covers. I took some pictures and then left the room. I peaked in through the cracked door though. The kitten got out from under the covers, jumped off the bed, and started meowing in the middle of my room (probably for her mom?). I opened the door a little bit, and it took off under the bed again. 

I came back about 4 hours later with a little piece of sardine and it was not happy at all. Before I could motion towards the kitten, even pet it, but now it was hissing at me aggressively. So I laid the small piece of fish in front of the kitten and left. 

I'll leave it alone for the rest of the day and try giving it some food more fish tonight, just so I know its eating. Right now I really don't know if it's eating anything.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Sometimes, kittens do not eat the first day in a new home. That includes kittens raised under foot. 

I think this thread should be helpful to you:

http://www.catforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=46323&

Good luck!


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

Thanks for the thread Jeanie! I'll make sure to take some of that advice for adjusting the kitten to human lifeforms.

I've set up the webcam for the mommy. She's usually around in the evenings. The camera is pointing at a food dish.

Streaming will be available sometime tomorrow or next week. Right now the picture updates every 60 seconds, but you have to refresh the page yourself.

Enjoy!

http://www.artezona.com/cats/catcam.jpg


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## noludoru (Jun 19, 2008)

Aww, that one is a real cutie. Good job trapping her! I don't know anyone who has caught a feral on the first day, kitten or no.

At the rescue I volunteer at, we have a lady who specializes in taming the ferals. Her method is once they've settled in a bit, to hold them to your chest so they can feel your heartbeat for 10 or so minutes as many times a day as possible. Wrap kitten in a towel if needed. I'm not entirely sure how advisable this method is, but it seems to work because she's even gotten _adult _ferals tamed. (Skittish - but tame) 

And, since the cats are obviously not going to thank you for it... I will. Thank you SO MUCH for doing your best with these two! Believe it or not, just getting them fixed will have a BIG impact, and you are great for doing so.


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

The kitten is eating wet chicken/tuna cat food off my finger, so that is a good sign. I mixed a small amount of it into its dry food. 

When I leave the room, I can hear it meowing, it's really sad. I don't know if it's looking for its mom, or what. 

I am also wondering how old the kitten is, I really don't know. It's good on its feet, so it's got to be at least 6 weeks old. It also eats food on its own (at least wet food, dry food I'm not sure), so I'm thinking 7 weeks. But I was hoping it would be at least 10 weeks old. I just can't tell.

One problem is that it never had standing water where it was living before. Hence, I imagine it was getting most of its fluids from the mother. I wonder if it will know to get water out of the dishes, or should I get a bottle and some milk supplement?

I'm sleeping on the floor tonight in hope that it will provide some comfort to the cat. I'll let you know how that goes.


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## noludoru (Jun 19, 2008)

Nrets said:


> The kitten is eating wet chicken/tuna cat food off my finger, so that is a good sign. I mixed a small amount of it into its dry food.
> 
> When I leave the room, I can hear it meowing, it's really sad. I don't know if it's looking for its mom, or what.
> 
> ...


Just get canned food. She'll have all the fluids she needs from it. Teaching her to suckle from a bottle would be pretty darn hard at this age, I think.


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## FastNOC (Sep 14, 2008)

Nrets said:


> Sorry, last photo, one with the mom in focus. I was using a very low f/stop since it was late in the evening. Couldn't get them both in focus.
> 
> What is the best way to catch the cats, especially the mom? I think the kitten can be cornered pretty easily, but not the mom. Should we talk to the humane society about getting a cat trap?
> 
> One thing to note is that I live in Phoenix, Arizona, and our summers are brutal. If I use a cat trap, it would have to be in the shade or something.


INteresting! I'm in Phoenix too! Well Chandler. We have strays all over this complex.

I just took in a foster cat that had babies so I'm pretty busy with my two and the foster, but I've decided to do the TNR thing with the ferals out here. I just need to borrow the traps.

That kitten is beautiful

What part of the valley do you live in?


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

I've been "attempting" to sleep for the last 5 hours, but this kitten cries NON-STOP!

It is eating wet food, and drinking water, and even used the litter box. It gets comfortable enough around me to approach me within inches, but will absolutely not tolerate being touched or picked up. I don't know what it wants. Probably its mom, but the meowing is relentless. It has gotten the attention of my dogs at this point and they just watch the door in curiosity.

Is this normal!?!


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## FastNOC (Sep 14, 2008)

It just takes time. Remember that kitten has never known life without mom, so it's unsure.

Just give it a little time and it'll cuddle right up to you I bet.


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

FastNOC,

I live in Ahwatukee, near 48th and elliot. We have lots of 'ferals' around here, but I think the majority of them have people feeding them. This gray one was new to me and much skinnier than the other cats wandering the neighborhood. Where do you get the procedures done? The vet here charges a lot for a spay, but I'm sure a shelter will be much more affordable. 

My uncle tells me the mom was crying all last night too. I feel so bad. I really wish I could reunite them, if only for a little while. Is it really better that this kitten is raised in captivity than with its mom? 

Kitten is sleeping now. Last night he was walking around crying all night. It would also walk right up on top of my chest and look me in the eyes. If I tried to hold him though, he would escape. Sometimes I get ahold of the kitten, but it doesn't comfort it in the long run. Hopefully tonight goes a little better.


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## FastNOC (Sep 14, 2008)

I don't know the area here very well. I am familiar with Glendale and that area. I'm in Chandler, off Arizona Ave and Ray Rd. Is that close to you? Elliot is only a few miles north of Ray

There's a rescue group here that takes care of the bills. They have special rates with one of the vets and do a lot of things themselves like the vaccinations. Course they can't do the spay/neuter but they have ways to get it done. They're a great group of caring people.

If you're interested I could get you in touch with them. They even provide the traps for you

Send me a private message if you need more info

As for the topic. The crying will end. You're providing that kitten witha MUCH better life than it would get outside. Believe me once the crying stops you'll see the value.

I had a feral i took once. Lived in a complex on the ground floor. The mom would sit at my sliding glass door looking in to see her baby. it killed me. But after awhile it stopped.

Face it, the mom will part with the baby one way or the other. Isn't it better for it to be in a safe loving home?


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

When I was taming my last litter i found a few tricks that helped me.

They don't like this, so wear gloves the first few times. Pick up the kitten and hold it on your lap facing away from you. Scratch it lightly behind the ears, stroke it gently, and murmur very softly to it. After a short time (about a minute, tops) put the kitten down on the floor, then act like nothing happened. If you act like it was no big deal, i found they got to like it quicker.

When you feed the wet food don't leave kitty alone with it. Instead only leave it down when you're there. Put it in a little dish close to you, and wait very patiently. Don't watch the cat, if you do it'll get nervous. Act calm, yawn, blink slowly. Generally think calm thoughts. When kitty comes to the wet food stretch your arm out slowly and, while kitty's looking at the plate if possible, scratch it behind the ears.

Get a wand toy. The type doesn't really matter. lots of people here recommend da'bird, but anything with a little soft toy on the end works as well. Think of this as 'your toy' and kitty only get to play when you're in the room. I found that feral kittens responded better to it than my tame babies, they would already be learning to hunt, so they liked the practice i guess. At first wave t slowly around, then when kitty gets into it you can move it faster. Don't drop it on them from above, or move it really jerkily until the kitty is totally into playing, otherwise it could scare the kitty.

Using those three things i had one of my kittens purring by day 3! The biggest thing is to act very calm. The yawns and blinkies work wonderfully, it tells kitty that you're relaxed and not going to pounce them. 

Good luck! It sounds like kitty is already missing mum enough to start being desperate for affection, which is sad, but a good help in taming it.


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

librarychick said:


> When I was taming my last litter i found a few tricks that helped me.
> 
> They don't like this, so wear gloves the first few times. Pick up the kitten and hold it on your lap facing away from you. Scratch it lightly behind the ears, stroke it gently, and murmur very softly to it. After a short time (about a minute, tops) put the kitten down on the floor, then act like nothing happened. If you act like it was no big deal, i found they got to like it quicker.
> 
> ...


When I was feeding the wet food, I was either doing it off a butter knife, my finger, or in a dish I placed nearby. The kitten, when hungry, will eat the food off my finger, no problem. It will also eat dry food on its own now (discovered the empty dish this morning).

As for holding, I have been holding the kitten at times with little trouble. It's sometimes a bit of a challenge to get a hold of it, but once I do, I am in control and it seems pretty relaxed (or scared). I hold it close to my chest or lap and continuously pet it. Sometimes it will shake and I know it's scared, other times its still and slightly more relaxed. 

I took the kitten out of my room today and carried it around the house. I introduced it to the dogs so there would be no surprises later. My dog just sniffed it and left it alone. The dog we are watching was much more interested and the kitten hissed at him several times. The kitten also hisses at me sometimes. 

FastNOC,

You're way out east. 48th and Elliot is right next to the east side of South Mountain, hence the coyote problems. 

I'll send you a PM soon in regard to the the organization.


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

Update:

Kitten is doing wonderful! SHE is eating both dry and wet food and will eat the wet food right out of my hand. The crying at night is mostly gone but she is still the most active at night (just because that is what she is use to). I'll be sleeping and she'll be playing with my feet or crawling on top of me or going under my covers.

She's getting much better when it comes to petting, but only when there's some reason for her to be out and about (ie. food). She'll still back away though if you're not real slow about it. She's also very playful and it's really adorable. She'll play with strings, wrappers, feet, and anything that moves. 

One question: Should I discourage play with hands? This is how I first got her playing, by laying my hand palm down and tapping my fingers on the ground. However, she paws at my hands, which can sometimes be problematic when she puts her claws out. Should I ensure that hands are for pets and food and not for play?

I'll upload some pictures as soon as I get some. Haven't had a chance since I am typically gone from 7am - 7pm because my course schedule is RIDICULOUS (25 credit hours, 18 is the max). My parents have been coming in to play with her during the day though. I play with her in the mornings and at night and I've been sleeping on the floor each night, as uncomfortable as that is (concrete!).


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Yes, you should discourage her from playing with your hands, unfortunately.  I would find a toy that she likes and drag it along the floor for her to chase. Of course, Da Bird seems to tempt most cats. 

This is her way of learning to be a cat. When she was with her litter mates, she was jumping on them and play biting. However, you don't want a grown cat to bite and attack your hand. It's harder to keep kittens from attacking your toes, though! You might find yourself being awakened by attacks every time you move your feet under the covers.


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

Here's a picture taken today for you guys!


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Be still my heart! :heart


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## 2kids3cats4me (Jan 6, 2004)

It's hard to tell her size with no background objects to compare her to but I would say she looks to be at least 3 to 4 months old. Cute cat!


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## seashell (Dec 5, 2003)

She is so beautiful  I'm so glad she seems to be settling in now.

seashell


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

Here's a video of the kitty being playful taken last night:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pTZsHb2Gro


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Cute video - adorable kitty.  

The Arizona dust storm video was very cool/scary, too! 8O


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

What fun! She's such a cutie!


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## Debbie of SD (Apr 14, 2007)

Your kitty is sooooo very cute! Does he/she have a name yet? What about the mama cat? Does she still hang around? She is very beautiful too!


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Sooo cute!


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

So I'm going to keep posting in this thread instead of starting new threads.

The kitten is doing absolutely wonderful. She plays like no other an she literally just crashed in my lap, on her back. I really wish I had my camera in reach. She is so adorable.

Her first vet appt. is tomorrow afternoon. I'm hoping everything will check out OK. She sneezes sometimes, but I don't think it's anything I should be worried about. We'll see what the vet says.

No name yet. I want something that suits her well, so I want to make sure it matches her behavior. 

Here are a few more images for you guys to go 'aww' at  You really should see her right now though. Cutest thing ever.


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## Smirkitty (Apr 19, 2008)

Nrets said:


>




America's Next Top Cat Model.....


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## Nrets (Sep 8, 2008)

So 'she' went to the vet today and it turns out 'she' is really a HE! Shows how well I can identify my own sex.

Anyways, he tested negative for feline leukemia and FIV. He got a few vaccinations and a dewormer. The vet says he's about 9 weeks old, which means he was just about 8 weeks when we caught him. The vet did notice something blue on his back teeth and I couldn't figure out what it was. It could have been plastic from my clothes hamper, as i noticed it was chewed up a few days after he came home with me. However, it does not seem as if he has chewed on this further since. It could also be bits of his kitty litter. The litter box we are using is an open top, and when he digs to go poop, sometimes litter gets flung about. My guess is that he's chewing on some of these bits that end up on the ground. I'm doing my best to keep them inside the box and am considering getting a closed top version soon. 

More pictures to come. He really is adorable. He's kind of tired right now though, he had a stressful day.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I find Siamese cats so loving and intelligent. And yes, he _is_ adorable! 

I'm so glad he's in good health.


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## noludoru (Jun 19, 2008)

Nrets said:


> One question: Should I discourage play with hands? This is how I first got her playing, by laying my hand palm down and tapping my fingers on the ground. However, she paws at my hands, which can sometimes be problematic when she puts her claws out. Should I ensure that hands are for pets and food and not for play?


Most people say no, but for me it depends on two things: will you be keeping him? If your answer is no, so is mine, because you don't know if someone else will want a cat that plays with hands. And, most importantly, do you want a full-grown CAT that plays with hands? It's cute now, but you might not think it's so cute when he's an adult. If you _don't_ think it will be cute when he's a 10lb cat, don't. 

I have three that play with my hands gently when I initiate play or they're on a catnip high. Tom only plays with my hands, no one else's, but the other two will play with anyone who who wants to. They're gentle and it's a pretty fun game. It can be a pain to teach them to be gentle when they are kittens, though. Then again, I also play bitey-hands with my dog, so most people think I'm a little unhinged when it comes to playing with my animals.. lol.

If you make the decision to not let him play with your hands, don't raise your voice or anything.. it'll make him more skittish. Just take your hand away and sternly (but quietly) say something like "no hands" - whatever you want to say that means the game ends when his paws touch yours. Then get up and walk away or ignore her.


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