| Over the past several years, the wild mother cat | | | | kittens. After the kitten has eaten food off the end |
| who has taken up residence in our barn in rural | | | | of the fork/spoon, THEN you can put a little food |
| Wisconsin has given me many opportunities to figure | | | | down for the kitten to eat on its own. |
| out how to tame wild kittens. The mother cat | | | | 4. Repeat step 3 every time you offer the kittens |
| always hides her kittens very well, and then, when | | | | some canned food -- At first, the kittens are going |
| they are big enough to leave the nest and are big | | | | to be cautious about your hand coming toward them. |
| enough to eat kitty food, she brings them out and | | | | The fork with the food will help to overcome that |
| expects me to feed them. | | | | resistance. After you have done this a couple of |
| When the wild mother cat brings her kittens out of | | | | times, the kittens will look forward to eating off the |
| the nest, it is the first time in their lives they have | | | | fork and will start to lose their fear of you and your |
| seen a human being, and they tend to be hissing, | | | | hand. |
| spitting bits of fluff that really look as though they | | | | 5. Stay right there while the kittens are eating -- |
| mean business. And since they already have teeth | | | | After you have put out some canned food for the |
| and claws, I would rather not push the issue. I also | | | | kittens, stay there and don't move off. Let them eat |
| would rather not let them remain wild, living in my | | | | with you next to them. This will help teach them to |
| barn, having kittens of their own. Six kittens, within a | | | | associate human beings with "good things." |
| year or two, could turn into 56. | | | | 6. Carefully start to pet the kittens -- After feeding |
| As of early 2005, the wild mother cat has had more | | | | them a couple of times without trying to pet them, |
| than 20 kittens in our barn, and I have managed to | | | | which will begin to teach them that they can trust |
| tame them and to find homes for most of them | | | | you, put food out and let the kittens start to eat. |
| (unfortunately, several were lost when the wild | | | | Then slowly reach down and pet them a little bit. |
| momma kitty took them out to teach them how to | | | | Continue to sit there while they finish eating. |
| hunt). | | | | 7. Carefully start to pick up the kittens -- After you |
| Here are some tips for taming wild kittens: | | | | can successfully put out food and remain there while |
| 1. Buy some canned kitty food -- In my experience, | | | | the kittens eat and can pet them a little bit, try |
| kittens are always hungry and are always interested | | | | picking up a kitten. If you can, grasp the kitten by |
| in canned kitty food. I have noticed it doesn't matter | | | | the scruff of the neck. This is how mother cats |
| what brand, just so long as it has fish in it. The smell | | | | carry their kittens, and when you do this, the kitten |
| of fish seems irresistible to kittens. | | | | will go limp. Hold the kitten against your shoulder and |
| 2. Let the kittens smell the canned kitty food -- Open | | | | talk softly to it, but don't say "Hi kitten" or anything |
| the can and then try to get as close to them as | | | | starting with an "h" sound. To a kitten, this sounds |
| possible so they can smell the food. Once they get a | | | | like a cat hissing, and the kitten will become |
| whiff of it, and this is especially true of younger | | | | frightened. Hold the kitten for a minute or so and |
| kittens that are anywhere from four weeks old to a | | | | then, grasping it by the scruff of the neck, set it |
| few months old, they will be so interested in the | | | | down. After you have done this several times, the |
| canned kitty food they will forget (somewhat) that | | | | kitten will realize that no harms come to it from being |
| you are right next to them. | | | | picked up and handled. |
| 3. Use a fork (or spoon) to scoop out some of the | | | | Depending upon the age of the kittens and basic |
| food and let the kittens eat off the end of the fork | | | | personality traits, the whole process, from starting |
| (spoon) -- This is an important step. Do NOT put a | | | | with canned kitty food on the fork to being able to |
| forkful of food down and then back off. From the | | | | pet them and pick them up, could be accomplished in |
| very first, hold the fork toward the kitten and let the | | | | a few days or it might take a few weeks. Eventually, |
| kitten eat off the end of the fork. Stick to your | | | | the kittens will know that people mean good things, |
| guns and do not give up. If the kitten wants canned | | | | and when they see you coming, they will come |
| kitty food, the kitten MUST eat it off the end of the | | | | running to meet you. It has been my experience that |
| fork or the spoon. This is the first step in getting the | | | | cats quickly recognize when a situation is to their |
| kitten used to being close to you and in growing | | | | advantage, and once the kittens know you are a |
| accustomed to your hand coming closer. This will be | | | | source of good things to eat and that you mean |
| useful later on when you are trying to pet the | | | | them no harm, they will want to be friends. |