How Do We Socialize Kittens?

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Valerie - 11 Sep 2005 02:47 GMT

Anybody here ever seen a little kitten chomping everything in sight? Well, we
definitly have. Our little foster kittens are just starting to learn how to
play, and they are ssooo cute. Everyone will be sound asleep, dreaming little
kitten dreams, when suddenly, someone wakes up, and looks around. Thats the
first sign of trouble. If the little fiend isn't stopped, he walks that
little clumsy kitten walk over to the nearest chew toy (which may happen to
be a arm, leg, ear, of his nearest sibling) and starts chomping. Those poor
kittens, lol, they never knew what bit them :) Luckily, they don't really
have teeth yet, so no one gets hurt. I can't wait until they get bigger,
playing kittens is the cutest thing ever. Though I'm a bit worried about
mommy cat after those teeth come in, ouch. We have a website for them, if you
want to see pictures or are interested in adopting one:
http://www.geocities.com/thecatsmeow110/ . We're south of Houston, TX.

BTW, I had a few questions for everyone. Besides for daily hugs and kisses
and lots of attention, nail clipping and being shown dogs, what else can we
do with these kittens (2 wks old on the7th) to make them really sweet and
brave? I've read about showing them washers/vacuums/loud noises/brushing/ect.
but how should we do that? Just hold them while its turned on? What about
tooth brushing? (When they get teeth, lol). We want them to be really sweet,
but how should we introduce them to other people? I guess we should invite
other people to come see them, but should we involve treats(baby food)? How
many people should come visit? Do you count it as men, women, girls, boys or
as people? Does anyone have any other ideas? Do you think we should wait till
they're older (around 3-4 wks) to do the vacuum/washer/visiters or start now?

One more question, lol. Any ideas about how to get them adopted? We've
started early, looking for homes at 2 wks, but so far we've only had one
inquiry, and she only wanted to know if they were free =P (their not free due
to a adoption fee to cover spay/neuter). We made up some posters for the vets,
stores, ect., but we haven't put them all up yet. Should we put them in the
paper? If so, what age should we do it at? Do you think we should try the
houston paper or our local paper? Does anyone know of any really other cat
boards that we could post them on? We're posting them on Petfinders already.
Well, I thinks thats everything, for the moment, lol.

BTW, If anyone knows any cat people in texas, could you please send them the
adresse to the kittens website: http://www.geocities.com/thecatsmeow110/
in case they know of anyone who would want one.

Thanks!!

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~*Connie*~ - 11 Sep 2005 04:09 GMT

> BTW, I had a few questions for everyone. Besides for daily hugs and kisses
> and lots of attention, nail clipping and being shown dogs, what else can
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
> already.
> Well, I thinks thats everything, for the moment, lol.

This is so up my alley. I foster for the local shelter and constantly have
youngsters in my house. I currently have five week old kittens that were so
shy when I got they they were hissing and spitting.

The more things you can introduce them to the better, . You can hold them
while you introduce things like vacuums, or just be engaging them in play
when someone else brings it in to the other side of the room. Play with
their feet a lot (don't trim nails till they are weaned as they need them to
stimulate milk flow), rub and kiss their tummies. When they are a little
older handle their heads - look in their ears daily and open their mouths
from time to time (will help with the teeth brushing and pill giving later)
Give them lots of praise and fussing over after doing new or invasive
things. I like to give mine baths too. Often cause young kittens have no
idea how to clean themselves till they are six weeks.. but if you have a mom
cat that isn't a problem. Bathing them though gets them used to water. One
of my fosters who I had to bathe a lot actually jumps in the shower with her
new owners. I also like to take them on car trips. Anywhere you might take
a dog, you can take a cat. When they are very young, you can usually out
run them if they get away, but if they are older you might want to consider
a lead and harness. (not a bad thing for them to get used to anyway) One of
my fosters (that I adopted) I took on lots of car rides, and he became very
comfortable in the car. I used to take him out to get ice cream all the
time, and he loved the attention. Since they are currently pretty confined
due to their age, having a TV or radio on helps introduce to new sounds. I
would wait on an excessive amount of people till they are four weeks or
older, as sooner might stress out the mother too much. Don't worry about
baby teeth on her.. she's built for it, and will know how to curb it if it
gets too much. I can't recommend enough that they stay with her till at
least 12 weeks. Some people recommend 16. She teaches them a LOT about
good behavior in the month after they turn 8 wks. Kittens that leave too
early tend to be biters and play too rough.

I applaud you for having them altered before adopting. Petfinder.com would
have been my suggestion. This part Im not too educated on, as all of my
fosters go back to the shelter I volunteer for to be adopted.

One good website deserves another ;) www.webwmn.com/kittyblog

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rpl - 17 Sep 2005 02:50 GMT

> BTW, I had a few questions for everyone. Besides for daily hugs and kisses
> and lots of attention,

> nail clipping

IMO you should not. Cats should know they have claws and how to use/not
use them; the next person may not clip them.

Umm... don't wear shorts for the next few weeks.

> and being shown dogs,

Are you retarded ?

> what else can we
> do with these kittens (2 wks old on the7th) to make them really sweet and
> brave? I've read about showing them washers/vacuums/loud noises

Cats disappear when you turn on the vacuum or washing machine... so what
? Cats also have more sensitive hearing and quite frankly a 1 lb ball
of fur *should* be afraid of things that makes loud noises; that
includes things like cars.

> /brushing/ect.
> but how should we do that? Just hold them while its turned on? What about
> tooth brushing?

no clue.

> (When they get teeth, lol). We want them to be really sweet,
> but how should we introduce them to other people? I guess we should invite
> other people to come see them, but should we involve treats(baby food)?

for the people ? the kittens have food.

If they're really young watch the mother, not the kittens; if she looks
nervous, back off. Don't let anybody near the nest.

Use common sense; visitors take their shoes off at the door. No morons
or young children.

I would not suggest having strangers picking up the kittens. [1]

> (their not free due
> to a adoption fee to cover spay/neuter).

yah... how about they're free because you were irresponsible enough not
to get the mother spayed in the first place [2] and had them neutered so
the new owners don't have to bother.

Or have the new owners take care of the neutering. A reasonable
adoption age for kittens is 3 months; a reasonable spay/neuter age is 5
months.

Pat

[1] A friend of mine not from a culture that considers cats as pets
picked up one of my itty-bitty 2 week old kittens rather rudely. She
growled at him; when he didn't put her down she stuck her claw halfway
through his hand. Funny as hell, but we had to bandage my friend up and
the cat was traumatized (took her a year to properly socialize with people).

[2] if it's a stray you've adopted, ignore my rudeness.

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