Need help taming kitten

[McKenzie]

Hello!
My cat had kittens several weeks ago. We had to get rid of the mother, and gave her to a friend of ours. We kept a kitten. The kitten is around 8 weeks old and is quite shy. The kittens lived in our garage, where they were born. They all got a little wild while they were there. We gave the mom away on Monday. We have kept the kitten in a little pen, feeding and watering,holding, and petting it each day. She has tamed quite a bit, and rubs on you and purrs when you hold her. I decided to let her run around a bit today. She was really nice at first, and rubbed on me and enjoyed the petting, but then she got a little wild. When I approach her, she runs. I have never done anything to hurt her, and I don't understand what is wrong. She also started to not enjoy the petting. She would not let me catch her or anything. I don't know if it is in play, or she is serious. She runs with tail all floofed up and attacks various things like plants, but when I approach her, off she goes. I caught her and put her back in the pen for now, with some food and water and a bed. I don't know what to do with her. I have a two day trip over this weekend and I don't want her to be pinned up the whole time (my brother offered to feed and water her while I was away). Anyone have any suggestions?
Oh, and also, when the kitten escaped the pen once, she headed right back to the garage. I am scared she will want to live in their instead of staying up by the house. Note that she is an outdoor cat ONLY.

Thanks for any tips. I really don't want to keep her in that pen any longer. She cries and I feel so bad for her. But yet I don't want her to run off or dislike me.

[MA]

Why isn't this baby in the house? You make it sound like she is outside? She is to young to be exposed outside, and she should be with her mom ideally until she is 12 weeks old.

She is running from you because she is afraid of you. After all, for all she knows you hurt her mom. One minute her mom and sisters were there, and the next she is alone. This big human monster swallowed her family!

Please bring this kitten indoors, and not in a garage. Put her in the center of your family, and she may hide under the bed or a table, but she needs to be with people and animals, not by herself in a pen. Sit down on the floor near her and just let her come to you, don't look her in the eyes, and the first time she comes up to you DON'T move. Just sit there and let her smell and climb all over you. But please take her out of the pen and give her the life she deserves to have.

[Tina B and crew]

MA is right...kittens need daily exposure to humans to tame up. She is exposed to so many dangers outside, the risks are extremely high. I'd also recommend keeping her indoors or finding her a home where she can be inside. Kittens that are played with and handled daily usually tame up nicely, however they will have different personalities. I have a litter of seven I am fostering (they are 8 weeks) and some of them love to be picked up while others will scurry away if they see hands coming at them. You say the kittens was born a few weeks ago? How many weeks? Like MA said, ideally kittens should stay with mom around 12 weeks (I follow an 8-12 week rule myself)

I would also suggest not leaving her for two days and just having someone come in to feed and water her. Kittens can get hypoglycemic if they go without food for too long and dehydrated if they go without water. They can spill their water easily and be without...I'd strongly recommend finding someone who can take her into their home and watch her for the time you are gone.

[Linny]

I agree with the others that the kitten should be brought inside. Even if you plan to keep her outdoors when she grows up, bring her inside now to tame and socialize her. My sister-in-law has raised several cats (many were strays or kittens of strays). She brings them inside and keeps them there until they are grown. Many of them she allows out during the day but they come inside for the evenings/nights. Both she and I have been successful taming "wild" kittens. My cat Tigger was rescued from a pipe behind a retail store at about 8 weeks old. He had had little human contact other than people leaving him food. We had to use a humane small animal trap (borrowed from the local humane officer) to catch him! He was malnourished and suffering from exposure to cold temperatures. When I brought him home, I kept him in the bathroom, gave him a small kitten-sized litter box and kept his food and water there. I have read in cat magazines etc. that it is good for a kitten introduced into a new home to have a safe place or refuge. (As he was full of worms, I didn't want to give him free run of the house until they were fairly cleared anyway.) When my husband or I came into the bathroom, he would hide behind the potty. We didn't force ourselves on him, but he would let us hold him, and I would lay him on my lap and pet him some every day. He would not come out of the bathroom on his own. After a few days, and when he was feeling better, I would sit in the hallway outside the bathroom and play with him with a cat toy (ball on a string), and as he began chasing the ball, I would use the toy to lure him out into the hallway more and more. He would dash out into the hallway after the ball, catch it and then look around, and realizing he was out of the bathroom, dash back in again. After a few days of this, he came out into the hallway more and more. He eventually came out of the bathroom and started exploring on his own. It was a big day when my husband and I were on the couch watching TV and suddenly Tigger's head popped around the corner from the hallway into the living room! From then on he gradually became more comfortable in the whole house and we moved his food and water into the kitchen. It took a few months for him to be really comfortable, but you just have to be patient. It depends on the cat. My sister-in-law has had some "wild" kittens that were completely comfortable and outgoing within a week of this kind of training. She also usually keeps them in a bathroom or small room for the first few days, or however long it takes them to feel safe and secure in their new environment.

My cat is an indoor only cat. Some people, like my sister-in-law, have indoor / outdoor cats. Indoor versus outdoor is a subjuct of much debate, but whatever you decide for the future, it would be best for the kitten to bring him inside now. He will be much happier and healthier and be a much better pet if you bring him inside and properly socialize him.

Linny

[Linny]

A couple of things I forgot to mention. Be careful about giving a very shy kitten the run of the house too soon. A friend of ours did this, and the kitten spent all of her time behind or under furniture, only coming out to eat or use the bathroom. (This kitten was Tigger's sister. He rescued her about two weeks before we were able to catch Tigger.) Our friend could not tame her because he could not interact with her. Once he managed to catch her and put her in a small room of her own, where she would feel safe but he could interact with her and spend time with her each day, she quickly warmed up to him and became affectionate and loving to him.

Linny

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.
I cannot have cats indoors because I am allergic to them in I am in an enclosed place with them for a while. They make me sneeze, and I cannot breathe.

Why are so many people against having kittens outside? That is where they have originated for so many years, so there is nothing wrong with it. Some people just can't or don't want to have (which I DO want to have) cats indside, so an outdoor cat is the only remedy.

I was wanting to get a hairless cat (Spynx), but I hear they are not totally hypoallergenic.

Anyways, I took her out out of the pen. I was not planning on keeping her in there forever. She is very tame now. She loves the petting, and sits on my lap. LOL, sometimes I have a hard time getting her off. I am sure she will be fine now. She is currently enjoying a can of Fancy Feast turkey cat food.

[Traci]

Why are so many people against having kittens outside?

Your Cat is Safer Indoors!

This link only scratches the surface of why cats should be indoors.

Here's some more reasons:

Hit by car, seriously injured for life, or killed

Attacked by a dog, or killed by one

Teased, attacked or abused or killed by children or teenagers

Trapped by animal control, to be euthanized at a shelter

Weather elements: hyperthermia and shock, heat stroke, freezing temps, unable to find shelter from storms, freezing snow/ice and other weather elements

Transmission of infectious disease: Rabies, FELV, FIV, FIP, coronaviruses, bordetella, calicivirus, herpesvirus, hemobart, toxo, the list is endless

The average life span of an outdoor cat is roughly 3 years of age. The average life span of an indoor cat is 13-15 years of age.

That is where they have originated for so many years, so there is nothing wrong with it

Originated? Nothing wrong with it? Humans are responsible for the overpopulation, responsible for strays and ferals, and it is humans who are responsible for educating the public about overpopulation, spay/neuter, and ensuring the health and welfare of all animals. We reap what we sow.

Some people just can't or don't want to have (which I DO want to have) cats indside, so an outdoor cat is the only remedy.

One remedy is talking to your physician about tips and possible allergy medications you can approach so that you CAN have a relationship with an indoor cat.

Sphynx cats are not simply an answer. ALL cats release saliva that causes dander, which is the ultimate cause of a human allergy. A long-haired kitty would probably not be for you, but a short-haired cat would probably be fine, providing you are interested in talking to your physician about allergy remedies.

[McKenzie]

I see what you mean about having the cat outdoors can have dangers, but some people just can't have cats inside. I don't like being chewed out for having a cat outside. My mother will not let me have an indoor cat. She claims she is allergic to them, but I think she is lieing. If we had an indoor cat, my brother would never be able to visit because he is so allerigic to them that we swells up when he is around them. I wish there was a way around it. My mom does not like the shedding either.......and I am not either. I cannot eat with cat hair in my food. That is why I think a Spynx would be perfect. I read up on it and it seems to be a great breed.

We are planning to have my cat spayed anyways. So she will not add to the population of cats.

[DeVon]

I see what you mean about having the cat outdoors can have dangers, but some people just can't have cats inside. I don't like being chewed out for having a cat outside. My mother will not let me have an indoor cat. She claims she is allergic to them, but I think she is lieing. If we had an indoor cat, my brother would never be able to visit because he is so allerigic to them that we swells up when he is around them. I wish there was a way around it. My mom does not like the shedding either.......and I am not either. I cannot eat with cat hair in my food. That is why I think a Spynx would be perfect. I read up on it and it seems to be a great breed.

We are planning to have my cat spayed anyways. So she will not add to the population of cats.

Why bother to have a cat in the first place? I see where you stated you 'had to give' the mother cat away. Yet you kept a kitten. It sounds like the 'allergy' problem manifested itself before the mother was ever given away. Personally the whole cat thing sounds like you will do what YOU want in order to have a cat, even if it means having an outdoor cat, and not necessarily doing what's best for the cat involved.

My 15 year old daughter doesn't care for the cat hair around here either, but she's learned how to use a lint roller pretty good, and we certainly don't let the cats flock around us when eating

[Guest]

I want a cat because I enjoy having them! You guys tend to go so crazy when someone has a cat outside. It frustrates me to death! We had to give the mom away because me dad only allows me to have one cat at a time, and the mom was not friendly. I found her when she was weeks old so she did not tame down very much.

Even if you don't let the cats flock around you when you eat, cat hair still finds it way to the silverware and dishes. When cats rub on vents, the hair gets trapped. When she air conditioner comes on, it send the hair flying around the house.

I cannot believe you guys go so nuts over me having an outdoor cat. I know you love your cat, but sometimes you go so far as to tell someone they should not have their cat outside can upset them. I am allegic to cats ONLY if I am inside with them for long periods of time. For some reason if they are outside, they don't bother me.