Cat Chat Feline Forum

Ooo!!! So frustrating.
We have two 20 week old kittens, brother and sister and very close. It's been 18 years ago we adopted Backy and Twitch as kittens, so I figured we knew everything. Turns out 18 years ago is a long time, and 20 weeks is a lot different to 10 weeks (or maybe even 5 weeks) that B&T were. Our two new kitties are both really friendly, but totally skittish at the same time. I think with B&T we were able to bond with them early, but our new ones are already bonded to each other. They'll either flee before us, or let themselves be stroked with gusto and much purring - two extremes. The problem is they really don't want to be picked up We've only had them a few days, but want them to learn to be handled early on. I've tried picking up and putting down one of them so they realise it's not a threat, but I'm treading a fine line because I don't want him to be negative towards me.

We have also failed to come us with a unanimous decision on their names - but that's hardly their fault. Mischief and Mayhem are being heavily considered.

I think I'm still feeling sad that both Backy and Twitch are now gone. It would be good to wake up to find a cat on my head, it would be comforting, but they can never be a replacement.

Congrats on the new kittens, sure they will settle in in time. Other end of the age spectrum, but I remember thinking I knew all about elderly cats when I took Misty on, having just had my c18 year old Sally put to sleep. Misty soon showed how wrong I was!

alanc wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:27 pm Congrats on the new kittens, sure they will settle in in time. Other end of the age spectrum, but I remember thinking I knew all about elderly cats when I took Misty on, having just had my c18 year old Sally put to sleep. Misty soon showed how wrong I was!

I can imagine. They're all so very different. Elderly cats can still have a lot of ping in them. My colleague at work just told me her cat is 23 and still going strong.
We're just going to to keep trying to pick them up until they realise we're not a threat.

Have you tried gentle scruffing? Never pick them up that way of course but if you start by gentle neck massages when they do accept affection, gently work up to holding them gently for a few seconds but not so they struggle - let them go if they want to go - they should still respond to being held around the shoulders and neck by going limp at their age. Then when you progress to picking them up, have them sit on one forearm and held gently around the scruff with the other hand, and from there to holding around the body as you normally would. Even my wild unrestrainable Molly loves a neck and shoulder massage and that's still the only place I can touch her with both hands at once.