Three's a kaboodle

[rickvs]

We seem to have acquired a third feline. The kids across the street picked up Mittens on Craigslist, apparently at the age of three weeks. He has been a hissing handful, even swatting the human baby in their house, so we agreed to take him in and try to teach him to speak Cat. I thought yesterday that the only word he knew in that language was a hiss -- since he did that even while flouncing on his back while waving his paws.

After twenty-four hours of having his own room to himself, he seems to have decompressed enough to purr and accept pets when they're offered. We'll probably get him his shots this weekend.

Comments

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

Are you hand-feeding him? Three weeks is a long way from being weaned!

We've had feral kittens ranging from "can be picked up and held immediately" to "if you put your hand in reach, you're going to draw back a bloody stump*". If they're young enough, most of them will gentle down fairly quickly.


* I still wish I'd thought to get some video of Mr. Snarly when he was first caught. That was an AMAZING spit for such a tiny kitten!

[freyjaw.livejournal.com]

You're also in the critical time (actually, I think it's at 5-7 weeks) where human contact is crucial if kitty is going to be human-friendly and not semi-feral. Gentle pettings, especially associated with things the baby likes (food), any positive feedback you can do, will help. The other cats can help socialize the baby under strict supervision at first.

Nimitz taught Honor bite inhibition, and none too soon! She was a real chomper!

[serrahok.livejournal.com]

KITTY! Pictures plz :)