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Two new kittens - help!

We have adopted two kittens from the RSPCA - they are 11 weeks old. We have experience of cats, have had 4 over the years all from kittens. We have one cat who is 13 years old and now the two kittens.

As it has been a long time since we have had kittens I am asking advice. The two kittens have settled - eating, drinking, using the litter tray, using the scratching post and playing. The only thing is they will not be picked up or touched. We have only had them two days and the fosterer has not picked them up much.

We are talking to them and playing with them and are in the room they are staying in. Will they eventually trust us and let us stroke them? We need to take one of them to the vets on Saturday and I am stressing as at the moment they run away if we venture near! So how on earth do I get her in the cat box on Saturday?

Do I just give them time? I am sure that is the answer as they have only been here for two days and they are lovely and it feels like they have been here for ever.
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  • missbiggles1
    missbiggles1 Posts: 17,481 Forumite
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    I'd give it time. When we adopted a couple of youngish cats, they didn't appear from the airing cupboard for nearly a fortnight!
  • room512
    room512 Posts: 1,412 Forumite
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    I thought so but hope it's quicker as I don't know how to get her in a cat box. Will wait until Saturday morning and then stress!
  • hazyjo
    hazyjo Posts: 15,475 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    room512 wrote: »
    I thought so but hope it's quicker as I don't know how to get her in a cat box. Will wait until Saturday morning and then stress!

    Get her in a room with furniture she can't hide in/under. Mine go crazy so I now put gloves on and cover my arms (I have scars!) and keep your face well away. It can help to wrap them in a blanket - that's the only way I can do one of mine's flea treatment. Keep the cat basket out so they get used to seeing it for a day or two before.


    Tip them in, or put the basket on something like a chair or table at the edge. Nothing with a surface they can stand in front of the basket on. Their legs need to dangle so they have no choice but to go forward in the basket.


    One of mine lets me pick her up if I insist, but not for long. The other one would go absolutely crazy if I dared pick him up! He's around 9. Some will never let you.


    Good luck - enjoy them! :)


    Jx
    2024 wins: *must start comping again!*
  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 18,275 Forumite
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    I'd give it time. When we adopted a couple of youngish cats, they didn't appear from the airing cupboard for nearly a fortnight!

    My cat was in hiding for over a month when she first moved in. If I tried to entice her out and pick her up, she would struggle out of my grasp and dash off to her hiding place.

    Three years on, I can pick her up, make a fuss, and even rub her tum. She also spends most of the time on my (her ?) bed and will only hide if a stranger comes to the door.


    For the OP - I'd suggest keeping the cat box in the same room as the kittens - The may see it as somewhere to hide and generally get used to it. Give them time, and I'm sure they will eventually come to trust you and come to you for a fuss.
    Her courage will change the world.

    Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.
  • UKTigerlily
    UKTigerlily Posts: 4,702 Forumite
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    I just have to say, this thread isn't valid without photos please! I got two 10 week old kittens five days ago, and they are bananas!

    When I got them, they'd already had a cat carrier in the pen with them, so saw it as their safe place/bed & I take the door off of mine & leave it in the room with them, with some catnip spray & a calming spray (the room has a Feliway plug in also), and they mostly will sleep in it & so it'll never have to come out for vet visits

    Maybe try having it in the room with the door open, and feeding her in there (even if you leave the room to do so), so she sees it as somewhere good to be & feels safe & not all ' ah the carrier, vet time'

    Mine hid for the first day, then started to come out but run if they saw me, and now I can't get rid of them & out of everywhere they have to play, including a 6ft 3 scratching tree, they like to play around the pc chair legs, as you do!

    Photos please! What are their names/colours/breeds? Kittens are so cute, I usually get adults but just lost my dog & cat within 5.5 weeks of one another so went for the kittens this time x
  • fairy_lights
    fairy_lights Posts: 9,220 Forumite
    After two days your still pretty much a stranger to them so I don't think it's surprising if they're being a little shy. They'll come to trust you but it will take time - they've got new humans, a new house, a new big old cat to get to know which is all a lot for their fluffy little heads to take in.
    By Saturday they could be feeling a lot more settled and friendly.
  • room512
    room512 Posts: 1,412 Forumite
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    edited 30 August 2016 at 3:45PM
    Thanks everyone. The big cat doesn't want to know them so they are not having to contend with her too. She's decided that she will stay out of the lounge whilst the door is shut!

    They are crazy - doing laps of the lounge at high speed and they love playing. They aren't hiding every time we come into the room now which is a start. I figure if they are eating, drinking and using the litter tray then at least they must be happy!

    They are called Tess and Claudia. Here are some pictures :D (I have included one of our 13 year old too as I don't want to exclude her)
    [IMG]https://store.pinkdolphinmusic.com/image/catalog/20160828_173518 1.jpg[/IMG]
    20160830_120512.jpg
    20160317_214314_HDR.jpg
  • UKTigerlily
    UKTigerlily Posts: 4,702 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Awww they are all beautiful, my old cat I just lost aged 18 was a black Tess x
  • his_missus
    his_missus Posts: 3,363 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Awww...black cats, so gorgeous!


    I would agree with the poster who suggested leaving the cat box in the room with them to allow them time to get used to it. It worked with one of my cats, he would sleep in it so whenever we got it out he would just go into it voluntarily and curl up for a sleep.


    If they don't get used to going into a cat box, I agree with the poster who said to 'dangle' them over the tilted box and place them in backwards, the vet showed us that trick.


    Good luck with the trip to the vets.
  • room512
    room512 Posts: 1,412 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Cat box in the room is working a treat. They go into it to play! Also one of them is now taking treats from our hands and the other one licked my big toe last night :D They are staying out more and sleeping in full view of us rather than hiding behind a bookcase. Thanks for all of the advice so far.
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