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