Is it possible to tame a cat. How to accustom a kitten to hands: simple and useful tips. Too small kittens without a mother can not be taken

Many cat owners complain that their pets are unkind and wild. Do not pick up, do not caress. They do not know how to teach a cat to handle, and suffer greatly from this. After all, sometimes you just want to pet your pet. Yes, and this is a good antidepressant, a measuredly rumbling warm miracle on your hands.

How to teach a kitten

If a baby under eight months has got into the house, then it is quite easy to accustom him to hands. Regardless of the breed, and some of them are very independent and wild, kittens are very friendly and playful. It is enough to hold the toy in your hands, move it, so that the kitten becomes interested and jumps on its knees to play. You don't have to pick it up right away. Let him sniff, get used to it. Even if he immediately runs away - it does not matter. The first step has been taken. And curiosity will continue what has been started. Moreover, once realizing that no one hurts him and does not encroach on his freedom, the baby will climb up on his hands, even if no one dreams about it.

How to teach a cat to handle

With an adult cat, the situation is more complicated. She can no longer be taught to caress. Some adults categorically reject contact with human hands. All that can be expected from them is sitting somewhere in the immediate vicinity of the owner. Often the previous way of life affects, which caused distrust of people and their rejection in their environment. But it's still worth trying.

The method of attracting adult animals to the hands is the same as with kittens. Only a treat that attracts the attention of a cat will be more effective than a toy. In no case should you show the slightest attempt at violence against an animal - somehow push it, rush it, try to hold it when it climbs up on its hands to sniff the delicacy. The cat must feel that even in the immediate vicinity of the master's hands is free to do as he pleases. Only after inspiring confidence in the animal, you can proceed to the next stage.

If the cat, having climbed to its knees for a treat, is no longer in a hurry to jump off, but calmly licks it from the palm of your hand, you can lightly stroke it with your other hand. It should be remembered that stroking can be regarded by an animal as an infringement on its freedom. And therefore the most expected result is that the pet leaves the owner's lap again.

The process of taming a pet is very laborious and often quite lengthy, requiring a lot of patience from the owners. The main thing is that after successfully resolving the issue of how to accustom a cat to hands, a new one does not appear - how to get rid of her persistence.

How to stroke a kitten - video

It is quite possible to make a wild (feral) cat a home. This animal lends itself to education and training. In just a couple of days, you can turn an aggressive kitten into a tame and affectionate one. Therefore, do not be afraid to take a pet from the street. Following a special technique, you can change the character of even an adult cat, but this will require a lot of your patience and time.

A small kitten found in a basement is much easier to pet than an adult. The main thing is to set a goal, which will be to make a wild, shy cat kind, sweet and completely safe for others. There have been cases when aggressive pets caused significant damage to human health, so the safety aspect is the main one. An inadequate cat that thinks it is protecting itself from danger can frighten or injure a child, and we must not allow this.

In medicine, there is a special term - "cat scratch disease". With this syndrome, you can easily get to the hospital. The damage that remains after a bite or scratch is quite painful and often becomes inflamed. It is very difficult to protect yourself and your loved ones from such situations, because it is impossible to predict the behavior of an unfamiliar animal that lived in unknown harm.

You cannot put a muzzle on a cat so that it does not bite. It is also difficult for her to cut her claws to avoid scratches. Therefore, it must be educated. A pet should be affectionate and safe for all family members.

To make an adult cat or a small kitten a kind tame animal, you first need to earn his trust. This can be achieved by satisfying his vital needs. The animal should be fed well and tasty, play ball with it, speak in an affectionate voice, gently stroke it. All these simple manipulations will lead to the formation of trust and affection.

How to behave with a kitten picked up on the street?

To tame a kitten, it must first be isolated from humans and other cats in an enclosed space, such as a cage. It is best to place it in a quiet place, and cover it with a towel on top. The kitten needs to put a tray and a saucer with water.

After the conditions for a new pet are created, it must be left alone. During this period, it is not recommended to approach and disturb him. Soon the animal should be hungry.

After three hours, you can approach the cage and talk to your pet in a gentle voice, try to offer him delicious food. For example, fragrant chicken or special cat food. The main condition is that the fluffy ball must take food from your hands. If he hisses and does not want to eat, move away and leave the pet alone for a while. A feral kitten must learn that food must be earned with good behavior. Realize that you are his friend and breadwinner, not his enemy.

When the animal stops hissing and throwing itself at you, you can open the cage a little and stretch out your hand to it. Movement should not be abrupt. Please note that a wild kitten will be frightened by these actions, as they are not used to people. He may continue to hiss at you. You don't need to pay attention to it. If the kitten tries to hit your hand with his paw, he needs to "hit back" (shrug off), which will let him know who is in charge. When the baby calms down and stops responding to you, you need to give him a small piece of fragrant food. This is complementary foods, and the main portion of food will be a little later.

After about 15 hours, the kitten will get hungry, come out of the cage and take food directly from your hands. If this happens, we can conclude that you are on the right track. Do not make sudden movements, speak loudly or shout. From this, the pet may be frightened, and everything will have to start again.

After the kitten has started to approach you, you should try to stroke it, holding the food in your hand. If he reacted normally and allowed himself to be stroked, you can open your hand and allow him to eat from the palm of your hand. So the kitten begins to get used to caress.

Over time, he will begin to understand that a person does not want evil. When the pet begins to trust you, you can start picking it up, stroking its ears and tickling its stomach. In addition, it is gradually necessary to accustom him to games. If a kitten has scratched you, he should say “no” in a strict tone and leave.

By patiently and systematically doing such manipulations, in three days you will receive an affectionate and domestic cat. If a new friend has begun to trust you, then you can start introducing him to the rest of the family and letting him near the children. An adult wild cat can be domesticated in about a week. The main thing is to be patient and radiate warmth and love, because animals feel everything.

How to tame a wild cat. I have wild cats at work. I've been feeding them for five years now. Now there are only four cats left alive - two from the fourth generation, one cat from the fifth, and the ancestor of all these cats is "grandmother", as I call her. But I don’t know what generation this “grandmother” is. Judging by how careful she is, I can tell that she is not from home either.

In all the years she has never allowed me to approach her less than three meters. Every year she brings three or four kittens, but almost all of them die in their teens. Some are from worms, some are from diseases, some are bitten by dogs. For some reason, boys die more often.

I feed them in a shed outside. There is a hole there that I adapted for them in such a way that the dogs could not get through. Dry food and water I put them in the barn. We have a medical facility, and there are no residential buildings and basements nearby where they could hide from the cold and feed themselves in the garbage.

In winter, the barn is slightly warmer than outside. But I installed two large cardboard boxes with insulation inside. Sometimes they sleep there, but in the very cold they go somewhere into the sewer manholes.

All winter I clear the approaches to the manhole from snow for them. Even in 30-degree frosts they run in the snow and play, although their fur is not fluffy. I never tried to tame them, because. they have been wild for more than one generation, and are afraid of people. Maybe it's for the best.

In the evening I took him home. Last year, in early May, two cats of the fourth generation calved at the same time, and they could not share their kittens in any way. I don’t know where they were born, but after the May holidays, a kitten about a week old appeared in a box in a shed. There were no cats around.

I put the food on and went to work. In the afternoon I looked into the barn again, and was stunned. There were already three kittens in the box. And after a couple of hours there were already four of them. In the evening, there was no one else in the box. Only I have the keys to the barn, so no one could take the kittens.

The same pattern repeated itself on the second day. This ordeal went on for two weeks. The kittens appeared and then disappeared. I decided to follow the cats. And that's what it turned out ... One of the cats took the kittens somewhere into the bushes, and the other brought them back.

So they dragged them for almost a month and a half until I noticed that one of the kitten's eyes was swollen and covered with pus. It was the most beautiful kitten. Gray-blue in color, fluffy and with a short tail. There were two more kittens with the same short tail, and only one with a long tail.

All spring a big dark tailless cat was spinning near my cats. I thought that he was pinched somewhere, but now I realized that he was thoroughbred - and these tailless ones, his children. Subsequently, I took this stud cat home. You can read about how this happened.

It was necessary to choose the moment, to catch the kitten with sore eyes, wash them and smear them with eye ointment, otherwise he might remain blind.

At lunchtime, I went into the barn and saw that there was no cat nearby, and only the kitten I needed was sitting in the box. I took him in my hands, and quickly rubbed his eyes, and smeared them with ointment. I wanted to put it back, but I realized that I could not leave this helpless lump. After all, this procedure will have to be repeated several more times, and suddenly I will no longer have such an opportunity and the cat will go blind.

I had no choice but to take him. All the way to my office, the kitten was trembling, hissing and spitting. But then he warmed up in my bosom and calmed down. It turned out to be a girl. In the evening I took her home.

Our Wild Pipa

For almost a week, the pussy didn't come out of the box. I was afraid of my other cats and dogs. Then she adapted and even began to play. She slept with me at night. She chose our oldest cat instead of her mother and sucked the fur on her neck to her mind. She has been sucking him like this for a year now, and he is happy.

The cat itself is very affectionate, but almost does not allow itself to be stroked. Strangers don’t get it at all, and veterinarians arrange such pandemoniums (hisses, spits, bites) that they are afraid to even touch it. Like it or not, but several generations of wild cats make themselves felt.

Here she is, our favorite. Wild but sweet.

If I had decided to take her at least a week later, I probably would not have been able to keep her. She became friends with our cats, but they are still afraid of her.

How to tame a wild cat? No way! This is a feral domestic cat, you can tame it, but a wild one, and even an adult one, is unlikely.

The world's most expensive cat named Little Nicky cost its owner $50,000. She is a clone of his former cat, who died of old age.

What to do to accustom a kitten to hands?

Of course, the very training of a kitten to caress should begin as early as possible. However, the future owner does not always have the opportunity to observe the development of a kitten from birth and start accustoming it to hands from two weeks.

Depending on the age of the kitten, the process of getting used to the hands can take place in different ways. The smaller the kitten, the faster it adapts to the changing environment and learns how to behave in different situations. Try to play with the kitten as often as possible so that sympathy and trust arise between you.

In any case, you will need to be patient and start the learning process gradually, without exposing the kitten to a sudden change of scenery.

If your pet readily responds to affection, then you can often take it in your arms and stroke it. But when a kitten is not very willing to be picked up, several training methods can be applied.

How to train a kitten to handle?

First, you can use treats as a reward. When the kitten comes to you, do not give him food immediately, but take him in your arms, pet him, and only after that - treat him. Gradually increase the amount of time the kitten is in your arms, but never force it.

Secondly, stroke the kitten as often as possible, even a little, even a few seconds. Not immediately, but the animal will understand that human hands do not only provide food. You will not pose a threat to him, but on the contrary, you will become the one with whom he will be safe.

Thirdly, you can gently stroke a sleepy kitten, take it in your arms and try to make it fall asleep and sleep on your lap. Waking up, the kitten will understand that you have in your hands - the safest and most comfortable place. Thus, you will become a reliable hiding place for him.

You need to lift the kitten carefully, in no case should you take it by the scruff or paws, lift it sharply, squeezing the torso. The main thing is that your pet is not afraid.

If the plans include an exhibition career, then it is necessary to accustom him to the noise and large crowds of people and other animals. And this process can also be quite lengthy.

Start by making sure that your kitten is not afraid of loud sounds: gradually increase the volume on the TV or radio, turn on programs or movies with a lot of harsh sounds. When the pet stops responding to these irritants, start taking it outside.

At first, you can leave the entrance for just a few minutes, gradually increasing the time and moving away from the entrance farther and farther, on your hands. Then walk with the kitten, but at the same time follow the safety rules: the kitten must be on a harness (even if you walk without lowering the pet to the ground) and away from walking dogs.

Then you can visit the shops together so that the kitten gets used to the hustle and bustle of people. At the same time, try to keep the kitten in your arms or on your shoulder, securing it with a harness.

One of the very successful methods of getting used to exhibitions is to actually start your kitten to participate in these events early. If you have the opportunity, try to take your kitten to exhibitions from a fairly early age (4 months). To begin with, you can visit them as a guest, and then as a full member. So you can bring up a wonderful show temperament in your animal.

Cats are very intelligent animals, they can adapt to any situation. Your patience and love will help your kitten become an affectionate and calm companion, ready to accompany you in any situation.

Many cities are full of stray cats. For example, there are over 70 million stray cats in the US. In Russia, where the population is noticeably smaller and there is no practice of keeping such statistics on animals, the numbers will be somewhat different, but this does not change the seriousness of the situation. Many municipalities are unable and unwilling (due to lack of funds and interest) to solve this problem with nothing more than trapping and euthanizing animals. Due to the deplorable situation of a stray cat or kitten and the high risk of death of an animal from an accident or illness and starvation, you may consider it your duty to help him on your own. This process will take some time from you, so you will have to be patient. However, successfully taming and helping an animal in need will give you an overall sense of accomplishment.

Steps

How to lure a street cat

Learn to distinguish lost stray cats from feral ones. A stray cat had owners in the past and is only now left without a roof over its head, while a wild cat was born on the street and is initially hostile to people, therefore it is usually considered unsuitable for domestication.

Take precautions. Wild cats can be unpredictable, so it's wise to take a few precautions if you decide to try and befriend one of them. Cat bites often become inflamed, and sometimes quite strongly. Be sure to wear long sleeves and pants before making contact with your cat.

• Another danger is the lack of knowledge about whether the cat has been vaccinated against rabies and whether it is infected. Rely on common sense. If the cat hisses and growls at you, looks sick (has discharge from the nose and eyes, is covered in scabs, sneezes/coughs, breathes heavily) or behaves strangely, do not try to approach her. Call the trapping service, and return to your home yourself.

1. Start developing a friendship with your cat. If the cat looks healthy and behaves favorably towards you, then you can try to tame it. Determine the place where the cat likes to be most often, and wait for her to appear somewhere nearby.

   • Sit or lie down (if you can), or just squat down. This way you won't appear to be such a frightening object to the cat. Stay in this position for a while. This will demonstrate that you are not going to offend the animal.
   • At the same time, in order not to scare the cat, you must initially be at a sufficient distance from the animal (about 3 meters).

2. Offer the cat food. Try giving your cat some flavored (wet) food or even a can of fish (with tuna) to lure her in while she waits. The cat should begin to associate you with something good, in this case a hearty meal.

   • Fragrant bait is required only on the first day. After that, you can switch to pieces of dry cat food so that the cat comes back for more each time.

3. Continue to lure the cat with treats (pieces of food or tuna) closer and closer to you. Every new day, move the cat's feeding place a little closer to you (30 centimeters). Be aware that if you first hold the food in your hand, then your smell will remain on it. It will not turn the cat away from the food, but it will make it make an associative connection between you and the food, which will be to your advantage. Finally, try letting the cat sniff your hand.

   • If she starts to hiss, flatten her ears, or otherwise show her displeasure, then you have crossed the line. Slowly and carefully remove your hand from the cat.

4. Start showing your cat friendly signs. After a while, the cat should itself try to get closer to you. In this case, reach out to the cat and let him sniff. Continue to feed the cat and silently sit nearby. In the end, she will gain confidence in you to such an extent that she will begin to come closer herself to beg for some more food or affection. But don't expect it to happen right away. Just as do not expect the cat to immediately decide to accept food from you.

   How to care for an outdoor cat or kitten

   1. Try to find the owner of the lost animal. Ask your neighbors in the area if any of them have lost a cat. Cats that are let out by their owners sometimes get lost or go too far. You can also try calling local veterinary clinics to see if people have contacted them with information about a missing animal. Flyers with a photo of a found animal or social media postings can help a cat return to its original family.

      • If the cat is wild, then there is simply no one to return it to.

   2. Find a new home for your cat or kitten. After all the above procedures, you will get a healthy and incapable of breeding pet. Your efforts will pay off with the understanding that you saved the cat from the hard life of the street. At the same time, you can take the pet to yourself or find another suitable home for him.

   • If you decide to keep your cat, consider purchasing toys for her. A scratching post, squeaky toys, and even a simple ball of yarn can keep her busy while you're too busy to play with your pet.
   • If the cat looks well-groomed and well-fed, do your best to try to find her previous owners.
   • If the cat is very afraid of you, leave it alone. You can just leave food for her. In the end, this will allow the animal to gradually feel sympathy for you.
   • If you notice that the cat blinked at you slowly, be sure to answer her in the same way. This gesture for cats is similar to the phrase "I love you", it can indicate that the cat has completely accepted you and is ready to become your pet. However, if the animal is staring at you and not blinking, step back and lower your gaze. This sign is an analogue of the phrase "get out of my territory."
   • If the street kitten is very small, then there may be a cat's den with other kittens nearby. Be careful!

   Warnings

   • Remember that you can only take a cat as a pet if you are ready to take care of it all your life. Otherwise, just find her another home. If you decide to go the second way, then it is wiser to find new owners for the cat on your own, and not to take it to a shelter. Shelters are often overcrowded, especially with cats, so in the absence of space, animals that are not in demand may be euthanized. Even if your cat is not immediately euthanized at the shelter, her appearance may cause another cat to be euthanized.
   • Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after interacting with your cat until you take her to the veterinarian.
   • Refrain from publishing ads about the found cat on the Internet. You can be contacted by those people who only pretend to be the owners of the animal, but in fact turn out to be animal dealers, animal buyers for various experiments, or simply flayers. If you still want to advertise, do not post a full photo of the cat and do not give a full description of it. The real owner should be able to describe their pet to you.
   • Never run towards a cat. For her, this will serve as a sign of aggression on your part, and she may bite or scratch you.
   • If your cat is showing aggression, don't try to befriend her. Even if you succeed, she will still remain wild and sometimes quite irritable.