Furrever Friends Rescue and Volunteers, Inc.

If you come across a kitten that seems wild and hostile to people, you can tame her so that she will make a suitable pet.  To do this, you will need time, patience and love.

Initially, you will probably want to keep the kitten confined in a cage or small room.  Far from being cruel, this allows the kitten to calm down and become oriented to its “home.”  Plus, this keeps the kitten safe.  Be sure that dangerous objects are out of the kitten’s reach.

You will have to spend time to earn the kitten’s trust; there is no substitute for “quality time.”  And like most animals, the way to a kitten’s heart is through its stomach.  Feed the kitten lots of treats, so that she will come to associate you with food.  Also, blink at the kitten.  To a cat, blinking is a sign of trust.

If the kitten is afraid of being petted, use a mitten attached to a stick to pet her.  This will not be as frightening to the kitten… plus, it will be safer for you if the kitten is prone to scratching or biting.

Also, kittens learn from other cats, and your kitten may have learned fear of humans from her mother.  If you have a tame cat in your home, interact with your cat in front of the kitten, petting your cat and playing with toys.  This will show the kitten that playing with humans is not only possible, but fun!

The following sites have additional information on taming feral kittens:

http://www.feralcat.com/taming.html

http://www.carolsferals.org/taming-feral-kittens/

http://www.saveacat.org/tamingferals.html