The kitten is afraid of its owner and how to tame it. How to train a domestic cat to be handled

It is quite possible to make a wild (feral) cat a pet. This animal is amenable to education and training. In just a couple of days you can turn an aggressive kitten into a tame and affectionate one. Therefore, you should not be afraid to take a pet from the street. By 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 the basement is much easier to adopt as a pet than an adult.

The main thing is to set a goal, which will be to turn a wild, fearful cat into a kind, sweet and completely safe cat for others. There have been cases where aggressive pets have caused significant damage to human health, so the safety aspect is paramount. An inappropriate cat that thinks it is protecting itself from danger can frighten or injure a child, and we should not allow this to happen.

In medicine, there is a special term - “cat scratch disease”.

You can easily end up in the hospital with this syndrome. The damage that remains after a bite or scratch is quite painful and often 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.

It is impossible to put a muzzle on a cat to prevent it from biting. It is also difficult for her to trim her nails to avoid scratches. Therefore, she needs to be educated. A pet should be affectionate and safe for all family members. To make an adult cat or a small kitten a kind pet, you first need to earn his trust. This can be achieved by satisfying his life needs. The animal should be fed well and tasty, play ball with it, speak in a gentle voice, and stroke it gently. 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 people 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 be provided with a tray and saucer of water.

After the conditions for the new pet have been created, it must be left alone. During this period, it is not recommended to approach him or disturb him. Soon the animal should get 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 your pet alone for a while longer. A feral kitten must understand that food must be earned by good behavior. Realize that you are his friend and provider, and not his enemy.

When the animal stops hissing and rushing at you, you can open the cage a little and extend your hand to it.

Movements should not be sudden. Please note that a feral kitten will be frightened by these actions because it is not used to people. He may continue to hiss at you. There is no need to pay attention to this. If the kitten tries to hit your hand with its paw, it needs to “blow back” (brush it off), which will let it know who is in charge. When the baby calms down and stops reacting to you, you need to give him a small piece of aromatic food. This is complementary feeding, and the main portion of food will come 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. This may make the pet scared, and everything will have to start again.

After the kitten begins to approach you, you need to try to pet it while holding the food in your hand. If he reacted normally and allowed himself to be stroked, you can unclench your hand and allow him to eat from your palm. This is how the kitten begins to get used to affection.

Over time, he will begin to understand that a person does not wish evil.

When your pet begins to trust you, you can start picking him up, stroking him behind the ear and tickling his belly. In addition, he must gradually be accustomed to games. If a kitten scratches you, he should say “no” in a stern tone and leave.

By patiently and systematically performing such manipulations, in three days you will receive an affectionate and domestic cat. If your 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.

Some people have the opinion that cats do not need to be taught to be handled, since they themselves are ready to sit on their owners’ laps for hours. But it is not always the case. Many owners dream of having this purring miracle sitting in their arms, because they so want to stroke and cuddle the kitten, and everyone knows that our pets are a good antidepressant.

They, with their characteristic arrogance, allow themselves to be fed, cared for, but as for their hands... Moreover, this applies not only to an adult taken home, but also to a cat raised with their own hands, groomed from a tiny kitten. In our article we will try to explain in detail what causes this cat behavior and how to accustom a cat to handling.

Reasons why a cat doesn't like to be held

Animal psychologists say that there are some good reasons why cats do not like to sit in their owner’s arms. Let's look at some of them:

Firstly, it is difficult to sit a kitten in your arms that has lived on the street for a long time. If no one has ever held him in their arms before, he will sincerely not understand why he needs to sit on his master’s lap. Well, they fed me, gave me something to drink, but why these incomprehensible hugs?
The cat does not like to be without balance, in weightlessness, this is exactly how the pet perceives this situation when it is at the height of human height.
There are cats that are afraid of heights.
Bad memories do not allow the kitten to relax and calmly sit on its owner’s lap. If the animal is a street animal or from a family where it was not treated particularly well, or, on the contrary, was abused, then it will be difficult for it to adapt to a new relationship. The cat's memory has a completely different picture of what can be expected from human hands.
The pungent odor emanating from the owner may not allow the cat to sit in his arms. As you know, cats have a highly developed sense of smell; their delicate nose perceives even the most insignificant odors. Those odors that come from the owner's hands can be pungent and extremely unpleasant for him. It could be the smell of washing powder, detergent, hand cream, or your favorite French perfume.
There are also some especially freedom-loving breeds that do not tolerate “calf” tenderness, an abundance of communication and the master’s hands. They prefer solitude. These cats are good for busy business people who are rarely at home. These are breeds such as the British, Scottish Fold.

How not to behave around a cat

Cats are quite freedom-loving and touchy creatures. If the owner has ever offended the cat, the cat will never approach him again. And you can’t even dream of him jumping onto your lap. If the cat receives affection and attention from the owner, then gradually he will get used to the person and respond with mutual affection.

It should be remembered that cats will never do anything against their will. There is no need to forcefully hold them on your knees; this still will not lead to the desired result. The animal itself must want to sit or sleep on its owner’s lap.

If a small kitten tolerates the owner’s caresses normally, then at the first sign of anxiety, it should be released. When the animal begins to nervously beat its tail on the floor, it says that I’m tired, I have a lot of things to do.

Some training methods

If you are not one of those lucky people whose cats love to sit or even sleep in your arms, and you really want your pet to be “tame,” then you need to know that there are different ways to help tame this wild miracle:

All cats love to eat tasty food, and it is better for a well-fed, dozing kitten to allow itself to be taken on your lap.
An affectionate monotonous conversation with a pet encourages mutual communication. He, listening to the owner’s gentle speeches, will begin to squint and squint. In this state of mind, the pet will jump into the owner's arms.
Animal psychology claims that a cat should get used to being handled gradually, in several stages. First you just need to pet her behind the ear, all cats adore this. Once the pet is near your palms, you do not need to grab it and hold it by force.
You can act with the help of treats. At first, you can feed the kitten by hand, then put the yummy food on your lap. He will certainly jump after her. At the stage when your pet, having jumped up for a tasty treat, is in no hurry to jump back, but calmly eats it, you can try stroking it with your other hand. You shouldn’t hold him back by jumping on your lap over and over again; he will get used to it; giving him a treat will help instill in his master’s hands how to receive pleasure.
If your cat is afraid of heights and weightlessness, then look at how correctly you are holding it and whether it is experiencing a feeling of pain. When lifting a kitten, you cannot hold it by the withers or by the body near the ribs. You need to hold the armpits of the front paws with one hand, and place the other under the hind paws. This way he won't feel like he's floating in the air.
If the kitten is terribly afraid of heights, then first you can pick him up while sitting on your knees.
Often the rapprochement between the owner and the cat occurs during play. At first, you can play with a bow or wrapper on the floor, gradually bringing the toy closer to your lap. As soon as the pet is in your arms, you need to let go of the toy and leave it under the full control of the animal. While he is enjoying the caught prey, he himself, without realizing it, is in his arms and at an unconscious level there is a period of adaptation.
Some owners carry very small kittens in the pockets of terry dressing gowns; they sit there like kangaroos and get used to the owner’s smell. In the meantime, he will perceive the robe as his property, and the owner's smell will always be associated with the sweet period of childhood.
As a last resort, pet stores have cat sprays with a high content of pheromones, which attract pets like a magnet. If you spray your palms with this miraculous method, the cat itself will reach out to you. You should not use this product often, because, against the background of pheromones, it will become addictive and then another problem will arise: how to wean your pet off cat spray. Catnip can be substituted for cat spray.

You need to understand that a kitten gets used to its owner’s hands faster than an adult cat; in the latter case, more patience will be required.

Knowing the free-thinking and independent nature of a cat, you can get along with your pet without much difficulty. If you still cannot achieve the desired result, then you need to leave it alone. After all, cats are quite characteristic animals, and character, as we know, changes throughout life.

Tame very young, when they are just born. Kittens quickly become attached to humans, and as adults they never leave their owner’s side. It is during this period that little kittens learn to understand who is next to them, who is caring for them, and of course they will reciprocate. And when meeting with their relatives who grew up on, they may become aggressive.

In order to find friendship between a kitten and a person, you need a very good relationship. It is necessary to pick them up more often, stroke them, talk to them, at least one hour a day. A short interaction with your beloved pet can lead to ill will on his part, and the kitten will trust its owner less in the future.

It is very important that all family members can charm babies who have just been born. Interacting with only one person will only create attachment to that person. To prevent this from happening, everyone needs to take care of their pets: both adults and children. At first, you can simply pick up the kitten, stroke it and talk to it. As he grows up, you can learn to play, the most common game is with a candy wrapper on a string, it gets the kitten more and more excited.
Thanks to active games, the baby becomes more active.

You need to train a cat for everything: food, toilet, how to behave at home, etc. Many cats respond better to this training at home, since they, like small children, love and appreciate their owner simply for being there.

And if you want to tame a barn cat, it is advisable that its age is no more than 7 weeks, then there is a chance that it will get used to you.
Cats that live outside have adapted to their living conditions, so it is very difficult to “domesticate” such a cat. Your home conditions may seem like bondage to her, and in doing so, you will harm not only the cat, but also yourself. Therefore, before taking a kitten from the street, make sure you are not making a mistake? Can you really tame an animal? After all, we are responsible for those we have tamed.

Cats are quite capricious, freedom-loving, independent animals. Each individual, even within the same breed, has its own disposition, temperament, habits, and character. Some mustaches constantly require the attention of their owners and literally do not get off the laps or hands of their beloved owner, others are reluctant to make contact with a person and allow themselves to be stroked and cuddled only when they have the desire and the mood. How to raise an affectionate, easy-going pet? How to accustom a kitten to being held? You will learn the answers to these questions from this article.

Unfortunately, not all small kittens are happy to sit quietly and spend time in the arms of their owner, especially in stressful situations or if the pet is very scared. In addition, not all furry cats require increased attention and avoid close contact with humans. This applies not only to wild street adult cats, cats of certain breeds, but also to kittens that you came out of a helpless little lump. But you really want to cuddle and caress your beloved pet.

Cats tend to be arrogant. In most cases, cats allow themselves to be loved, accept our care, guardianship, and attention. Even a small kitten will not always sit quietly in your arms, allowing itself to be squeezed for hours. Remember that cats are very capricious and freedom-loving animals.

Why don't cats like to be held? The reasons for this behavior may be the following:

Breed characteristics, genetic predisposition.

Fear of heights, loss of balance. There are cats that are afraid of heights, weightlessness and do not like balance. Sitting in your arms, the kitten experiences fear and discomfort.

Incorrect socialization, adaptation.

Frequent stressful situations, mobile type of nervous system. If the cat is frightened or has suffered a strong attack, even the calmest kitten, experiencing anxiety, will try to escape from the hands and run to a safe place.

Rough treatment of animals. Cats remember their abuser very well, and if you used physical violence, the pet will no longer fully trust you.

Strong unpleasant odors, according to the cat, coming from the owner and his hands. Cats do not like the aroma of perfumes, especially citrus notes, or the smell of tobacco. Perhaps you have previously petted another cat or dog and the smell of the “stranger” scares the kitten away.

We quickly accustom a kitten to hands (British, Scottish)

How to train a cat to sit quickly in your arms? The complexity of this process largely depends on the age, character, temperament, breed characteristics, and upbringing of your mustachioed pet.

For example, a British or Scottish fold kitten will take longer to train.
As a rule, kittens develop socialization skills around the second week of their life. Therefore, from now on, you can carefully pick up the kitten in your arms, gradually accustoming it to hands and affection. The process of socialization and adaptation should be as favorable as possible for a small pet.

Accordingly, the sooner you accustom an animal to communication, the faster and easier it is to achieve the desired result. Even if you got a cat and he is not six months old, with the right approach, accustoming the animal to your hands and raising an affectionate pet will not be difficult. Especially if the cat had a positive experience in communicating with the previous owner or with a person.

During the first days, do not bother your baby with your excessive attention. The little pet explores a new territory, gets used to the smells and surroundings. Everything is interesting and curious to him.

Protect the animal from stress, communicate with the kitten in a gentle tone, but at the same time pay attention to the cat as much as he wishes.

Do not squeeze or forcefully hold the animal in your arms if it breaks out. If the kitten meows, lower the pet to the floor, caress, calm, stroke, interest him with a toy.

At first, you need to hold the kitten in your arms for no more than 3-5 minutes, gradually increasing the time. Talk to the kitten in a gentle tone, treat him with a treat, and interest him in playing together.

You can take a feather and play with your baby when he is on your lap. As soon as the fluffy gets used to it and begins to trust the owner, he will sit peacefully and more calmly in his arms.

Advice! Pet and pick up a sleepy, just woken up kitten. Hold him in your arms for at least a few seconds. Over time, the baby will understand that the owner’s hands provide not only food, but also pleasant sensations.

If you want to pet a kitten and pick up a pet, do it as carefully as possible. The animal should not experience any discomfort or pain. Hold the kitten by the front legs while supporting the back legs. The pet will not like sudden movements and lifting, and he may be afraid of such actions.

Read also: Choosing a dry toilet for cats - review of devices

If the kitten refuses to come to you, does not want to sit in your arms, call him in a gentle tone and treat him with a treat. Take a toy, a ball, a bow on a string and make sure that during the game, chasing the “prey”, the pet jumps onto your lap.

As soon as the baby is in your arms, caress, stroke under the chin, behind the ear, reward with praise or a treat. Stroke your baby until he begins to struggle and become restless.

When the kitten is in your arms, monotonous, affectionate conversation helps to establish contact with the animal. A cat, listening carefully to the speech of its owner, calms down, closes its eyes, and feels safe.

If the kitten readily responds to affection and needs your attention, pick it up as often as possible and hold it for as long as it wants. No violent actions or insults on your part. Be patient, surround the animal with affection and care, and the furry pet will definitely reciprocate.

What not to do

Even if the kitten is reluctant to make contact, does not want to sit quietly on your hands or knees, never scream, and especially do not hit the animal. Violent disrespect will only make the situation worse. Just patience and consistency in action.

Do not grab the kitten by the scruff of the neck, do not pull the front legs, and do not make sudden movements. The animal should not feel that you are a threat. Your hands should evoke only positive associations. Make the animal want to sit on your hands and lap.

Many of us sooner or later see a kitten or even an adult cat on the street that we simply cannot pass by, and then we are faced with a serious problem: should we take the animal into the house, and how can we then tame it so that it can always live in the family? This problem is extremely important, and its solution should be approached with all responsibility, because stray cats are not always easy to train and can take root in a home. Therefore, you will have to work hard.

First steps in a new home

If the animal recently came into the street (for example, it ran away from its previous owners or was thrown out), then it will get comfortable in the house literally in the first days, and there will be no special hassle with it. But a feral cat that has lived for a long time in street conditions will have to be tamed gradually.

So, a found kitten (or adult cat) is brought into the house, where should you start? The first step (after the first feeding) is water procedures. Even if the kitten seems clean, in reality this is far from the case. Therefore, taming a kitten must begin with a bath, and it is advisable to immediately wash the pet with special shampoos against fleas and ticks.

The next step is for the found kitten to receive an anthelmintic. If you don't know which one is best to give, consult your veterinarian. He should also help you rid your new pet of ear mites, as well as conduct a full examination of the kitten and give an opinion on its health. Therefore, you should plan a visit to the doctor immediately. And be prepared for the fact that the kitten will have to be treated (most often for a fungus, but there are other “street” diseases), and if you don’t want to waste time on this, it’s better not to get a pet.

Taming a cat: basic secrets

The next stage of your life together with your pet will be its taming. This is a rather difficult process, because stray cats often do not trust people, having had negative experiences with them. It will be easiest for you if you picked up a kitten under 7-8 weeks of age: the baby still fully trusts people and sees them as possible friends. In all other cases, be prepared for the fact that at first you will have to learn from your own experience what cat xenophobia is - fear, and often even dislike, of strangers. It manifests itself in the fact that the animal simply cannot feel calm in the presence of people, and in such a situation, taming a cat will take a long period.

It is also worth preparing in advance for the fact that the animal (especially if it is an adult) will retain a number of “street” habits: stray cats actually never become indoor cats, maintaining aggressiveness and a negative attitude towards strangers even several years after getting into the house. Considering this, be patient: it is very difficult for an animal, like a person, to learn to live in new conditions. Here's what you need to do if you're wondering how to tame a cat without harming it:

more attention and affection, although, most likely, the found pet is unlikely to go into your arms right away, so try to express affection with your voice,

the ability to act gradually - taming a kitten begins with gradual feeding, and then training in “domestic” life,

the ability not to limit the freedom of the animal - those who already know how to tame an adult cat understand that the animal is often afraid of being locked in a cage, so he needs to create maximum freedom in the house,

the ability to accept cat aggression - at first the cat will be very tense and may see a threat in your every action.

How to tame a cat?

This is perhaps the most difficult thing! Sometimes the owners of a cat adopted from the street do not succeed in this, so do not look for effective advice on how to tame an adult cat. Try to act on a whim. For example: Feed a cat and then reach out to her with the intention of petting her. At the first moment, the animal will jump away or even fall to the floor, but if you persistently hold your hand in the air, showing that you do not intend to harm the animal, the cat will sooner or later reach out with its muzzle to your hand. Don't try to forcefully pet her, just try to touch her head and make a few light strokes. If the cat stubbornly refuses to make such contact, try... playing with it! Offer an interesting toy, and sooner or later she will definitely respond to this offer!

You need to act in a similar way if you want to know how to tame a cat in your arms: if the animal trusts you, pick it up carefully and never hold it forcibly if the pet breaks away. It is better to show more patience and attention, waiting for a wayward cat to come to you on its own, than to scare away the beast in the very first days, and then constantly be tormented by the question of how to tame a cat that does not trust you.