How can I get my kitten to be less scared/shy?

Question

I just brought home a 2 month old stray male kitten that I adopted from a shelter. He is my first pet. I was so excited and had planned to cuddle him and play with him the entire day, but as soon as he came out of his carrier, he went into hiding under my bookshelf. Now I have him in a small room with his litter box, a bed, his food and water, and a small toy. I've closed the door to give him a chance to get used to his new environment. What should I do to get him to warm up to me? Would it be bad for me to pick him up anyway and hold him for a while? I worry that my kitten will be the kind of cat that doesn't like human contact... Kinda feel rejected. =\

Answer 1

Don't force contact with him. If he's hiding under things he is not feeling safe yet. It takes a bit of time for some kits to warm up and realize they are no longer in danger, some are not as traumatized and bounce around you immediately. He may have had a rough scary life before he was lucky enough to find you!
Try being in the room with him alot and talk to him. He needs to get accustomed to your voice, your scent and that people moving around is a normal noise. Avoid the loud, loud sounds for right now,no thumping/rocking music maxed out on the speakers.
Best thing I found to help 'tame' kittens is to sit on the floor with roasted chicken for supper. The smell brought the kittens close to me and I fed both them and myself while sitting on the floor at their level and talking to them. They progress from snatching a bit set down at arms length to coming up to and maybe in your lap asking for more. When he gets secure enough to stay by you to eat instead of grabbing and running, you can softly stroke his back between food bits. Don't grab him up while he has the food in his mouth- he may think you are another big cat trying to take the food from his mouth and may bite you. Talk to him in a normal voice,Make little meows and purr noises like his mom used to. Cats are independant but they are social animals. If you want him to bond with you, don't bring in an extra one for his company. He needs to see you as his only clan member and equate you with food, security and love. If you have the space, leave the carrier open with a soft towel so he can use it as his 'cave' once he gets over being scared of it. That will save you some grief when you have to use the carrier for any travel with him.
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Answer 2

I too used to have a shy, scared cat.i got her when she was a kitten.But with love ,reasurance and patience She came out of it.It is good to give some space to the cat,but you also have to try and get him/her use to you.Try entering the room everyday for an hour or two .Talk to the cat and try to get the cat out of hiding by playing with the cat toys near her/him.With time im sure the cat will come out.Just try to be patient and try not to pick up the cat or cuddle him too soon.Wait till you think hes ready

Answer 3

The best idea to make a friendly cat is to socialize him with as many people as possible. Beginning with putting him in his own room is an excellent start. Then visit him every day. To start with, you don't have to force him to get picked up, just be in the room sitting on the floor doing something like reading a book. Once he realizes that you're not going to hurt him, he may get curious and come check you out. He might not, but this stage is important because he'll get to know your scent. After at least a week of just being in the room with him, then you can start trying to handle him. Begin by picking him up (make sure to support his legs, so he's comfortable). Offer him a treat after you visit him so he knows that you're a good thing.

On the other hand, if this cat has been abused, he may react negatively to your advances in any case. I don't really know what to do about this because it's outside of my experience, but if he continues to act negatively even despite the advice above, I would consider trying to leave him alone.

Also, since he was a stray cat, you're definitely going to want him to get all his shots before you handle him much. He could give you rabies, or eczema.

Answer 4

I'm sorry the kitten is so scared, but in time and with tender caring, he will become your little buddy. He does need attention from you so he can get used to you. When you feed him, make a point of letting him know that you are feeding him and maybe try to give him a little pet then. Any chance you get to spend with him is a chance for him to get used to you. Good Luck!

Answer 5

no dont worry its just going to take some time for him probably while you are sleeping he will sniff at you and once he feels comfortable he is going to warm up to you...consider the enviroment that he was living in at the shelter in a cage and all the other animals barking and meowing all day and night plus if he was a stray they are scared at first of humans until they start to trust one once he sees you feeding him and caring for him he will love you but just be patient he is still a baby too...

Answer 6

Well, be patient with him. You could spend as much time just hanging out in the room with him until he gets comfortable enough with you to cuddle with you. I didn't have to worry about that with my cat as he took to me right away

Answer 7

just wait for the kitten to get adjusted to his new habitat and if the cats doesnt like human contact get another cat for the cat to play with :)

Answer 8

You need to spend lots of time with him. Get him used to you so he will find out that people aren't that bad after all. It will take time but he will eventually warm up.

Answer 9

You need to be very patient, your new buddy is afraid and will get used to you slowly. He will become more affectionate as he learns to trust you.

Answer 10

Take them out for a walk!