Hand reared kittens- do they make good pets

[freshstart24]

I am looking for a kitten after loosing 2 beloved oldies recently.

I've been offered a rescue hand reared kitten. I'm a bit concerned that if he's not been reared by his mum he might be really tricky to house train ( litter box initially then outside), or in other ways.

Has anyone got experience of the type of cat that a hand reared kitten may turn out to be?

[littleflowershop]

My little kitten was hand reared as she was the runt!

The most affectionate little thing ever, super healthy and somewhat dog like tendancies (she likes to play fetch and brings the mail upstairs for us!

[littlemissM92]

Mine was hand reared and he is DIVINE!

[littleflowershop]

Also forgot to mention, no problem house training her, she's never has an accident or gone anywhere apart from her little tray.

She's also super good with other cats!

[littlemissM92]

Mine has had couple of accidents but always in same place so now we put his tray there and since doing this he hasn't had another accident. He is SO friendly and loving I couldn't love him more x

[Wishiwasmoiradingle2017]

Hand reared 5 many years ago. Kept 2, I learned to fetch my dd hair bobbles!! The other one lost a leg in a car collision and lived a great life with at least 4 homes!! Much closer relationship with the family than subsequent cats!! Never any bother house training either.

[Fizzball]

I have two hand reared cats, raised them both myself from around 1 week old (but different litters several years apart). They are completely different. One cat is incredibly affectionate, cuddly, talkative and loves people. The other is a typical aloof cat, loves her own people on her terms but is very wary of strangers, never sits on laps and very rarely purrs or meows. Neither were difficult to litter train, nor have they had accidents in the house since they were tiny.

[Aroseforemily]

We have one that was hand reared from 4 weeks old. No problems with using the litter tray. She is brilliant, adores people though she is very needy and thinks nothing of pushing other cats out her way.
DH is her 'mum' and she still suckles on his clothes now she's 5 yrs old.

[exWifebeginsat40]

our littlest was just 5 weeks when i got her. she is the sweetest, funniest cat i have met. i am her mum as far as she's concerned.

at just over a year she's a stone cold killer though.

[cozietoesie]

Oneago was hand reared, more or less from birth. The only difference with him is that he might have been just a little quieter than the others. That's a 'might' though - it could have been just his way.

[Isitjustmeorisiteveryoneelse]

I hand reared my old (beloved) cats first litter of three as she accidentally rolled over and smothered one and then didn't seem able/willing to raise the others. I kept them for sentimental reasons and they were adorable as kittens and cats. No more difficult (or easier for that matter) to house train. And no more or less independent.

[Checklist]

We have feral kittens, caught in a TNR effort and then hand reared. Very affectionate, easy going cats, who have never had an accident - actually far more tame than our previous cat, brought up by her mother in a family home! Think miniature tiger!

Big bonus was when one needed syringe feeding at the vet's, they commented on well she took it - as she would, because that was how she was hand reared! The vets say every time they see them

"Feral to this - very tame!"

[RustyPaperclip]

I hand reared a kitten that my parents own and is now a grand old age. Despite the fact he was hand reared, he is the biggest hunter we have known. I now have another rescue that was hand reared by someone else and he is a little darling. Both cats are litter trained and haven't caused any problems apart from the odd 'present'. The only difference I have found is that hand reared cats can be a bit more needy for human attention and perhaps a little less independent but that's fine with me

[iloveeverykindofcat]

According to my friend who's a vet, hand reared animals are crazy. To be fair, she works with zoo animals, and has picked up the pieces of several people's attempts to raise baby chimps, so her bias is obvious. IME hand reared cats can be lovely, but you do have to remember to treat them like cats, not babies. They need to claw, chase, wrestle and pounce. You probably don't want that on your skin.

[bobdylannumber1]

I've taken 2 hand reared kittens their mother was killed on the road when they were about 3 weeks old my mother reared them she had them in a barna building at night and there was a litter tray there she used to have to wash and dry them do everything, our dog died and we took 2 kittens they used the litter tray from the beginning we kept them in for 3 weeks they are amazing friendly clean they go in and out utility window, this is fine as im off work but I will get a cat flap when I return to work,the cats both go up to bed with the children, they have been a great edition to our family.