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If Your Kitten is Shy ...
from:Some kittens are frisky and others are more laid back, but sometimes a kitten can be quite shy or they shy away from human touch. These are the loners who may constantly hide in secluded spots away from everyone as they grow if something isn't done to orient them to people. Although this behavior is not uncommon, it can be dealt with in a way that will open the kitten up to being more interactive with humans. If you find yourself with a new kitten that tends to shy away from people, here are a few suggestions that might help.
First, try putting your new kitten in a small room where the areas they can hide are blocked off or eliminated altogether. They should be in the room by themselves with no other pets. Start them off in a cage with enough room for them to run around and put a box in the cage where they can go if they need to feel a little security. The cage can be partly covered with a blanket or towel to help them feel safer.
Don't stare at the kitten because staring is predatory behavior and could scare it. When you look at them, make sure you blink a lot and turn your head often. Practice trying to touch the kitten after its been in the cage for a couple of days. If its not receptive to your hand right away, try using something like a back scratcher to rub their fur as you gradually move your hand down to get closer to the kitten's body .
As the days go by, start spending more and more time in the room with the kitten. A kitten should have at least two hours per day of interaction time with you. One person should do this at first, probably for the first 5-7 days you've had the kitten and then one or more other people can be added to help the kitten get used to being around people. Use a toy in your hand to play with the kitten and get it used to being close to your hand. Move your hand closer to the kitten when you hold the toy until you can touch it. Also, giving the kitten a special food treat may help it get used to you being close to them. As I've said before, being the hand that feeds them will usually get their friendship if nothing else works.
Another trick is to play a radio softly on a talk radio station for a few hours a day to help the kitten get used to the sound of people's voices.
Once you've progressed to the point where you can touch the kitten without any problems, you can start letting them out of the cage. Also, take the litter box out of the cage and put it and their food at opposite sides of the room. Start playing with them by using toys they've developed a fondness for, such as newspaper balls and string toys. In time, they'll look forward to this play time and that's when you've won the battle. Oh, and don't forget to touch and pet them during play time.
After a time you'll be able to just sit in the room with the kitten and do what you usually do -- read, watch TV, use your computer etc. Since the kitten is not the centre of attention, it will help them get used to people just being around them. After a while, you may find the kitten will start to come to you to play.
All of these things will help a shy kitten come out of its shell. If you have such a kitten it's quite possible that if you do nothing to get it oriented to people, it may want to hide all the time. Gradual and loving integration into your family's daily routine will help the kitten get used to humans and human interaction. However, keep in mind that some will need this help more than others. If you've got a real loner on your hands and all else fails, the best solution might be introduce a second kitten into the mix.
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Glenn Cutforth is a writer, eBook publisher and graphic designer.
Visit his websites at: The Complete Cat.com and How To Classics.com
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