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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

New kitten hissing

15 replies

Lilypad15 · 20/09/2018 07:50

We got two kittens on Sunday. Brother and sister, 4 months old. They had been sold to another lady previously who hadn’t paid them any attention so she gave them back to the breeder who told me they were very shy once they came back and didn’t like being handled at all. The girl has come on great and since being with us is comfortable jumping up on the couch for cuddles, loves being stroked, follows me round rubbing herself on me etc. She’ll also let new faces stroke her although now and again she will run off and hide but she’s doing well.

Her brother, the breeder said, was still very wary and shy and with us, he will come out and play very happily. He will play fight with his sister, running mad round the house but if any of us so much as breathe near him, he runs off to hide. Sometimes if we walk near him or our hand/foot is near him, he will hiss.

I know it’s early days and it will take time with him and that’s okay. Other than playing with him, we haven’t tried touching him or picking him up and if he comes out to explore, we just leave him to it. I was just wondering if there’s anything we can do to ease him in to our family and make him feel safe and comfortable enough that he doesn’t hiss and run off to hide if he notices we are in the room. We want to get them down to the vets for a once over and have them both neutered and microchipped but I don’t think we’ll be able to until he’s more settled.

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 20/09/2018 08:06

Just do what you're doing. But be really careful- cats can get pregnant very young......

Lilypad15 · 20/09/2018 08:50

Thanks, yeah that’s why I want to get them both neutered asap. They won’t be going outside at all for at least another few months but I want it to be done soon. Do the plug in things work at all? Or are they a rip off?

OP posts:
Vinorosso74 · 20/09/2018 09:08

It's still early days so let him have space.The plugins do work although can be different with each cat.
It might be worth just biting the bullet and getting them to the vets. Have they been vaccinated, wormed and flead? If so at least take the girl to be spayed asap as siblings will mate.....

BertrandRussell · 20/09/2018 09:09

Sorry- please tell me to shut up, but they don't have to go out for the queen to get pregnant.......

I know some people swear by the Feliway plug-ins, but I have no personal experience. I think just carry on-five him treats when he comes out and don't rush him. But be aware that some cats just aren't very sociable-you may have two different personalities there!

BertrandRussell · 20/09/2018 09:14

And if you haven't had kittens before- they do have several "heats" a year, and it's not always obvious.....

PingusPaws · 20/09/2018 09:15

@Lilypad15 yes the Feliway plug ins work, they emit the same mad made hormone that the mother would have produced, this gives the kitties an overall sense of calm(works on older cats too) and relaxation.
Congratulations on your two new furry friends, you seem to be doing all the right things already Smile

Fluffycloudland77 · 20/09/2018 09:28

I'd get her neutered now if she's heavy enough for the op, ours was trying to mate with his sister at 17 weeks.

viccat · 20/09/2018 09:59

Get your girl neutered ASAP, siblings can mate and it's best to spay before a girl's first season anyway.

Sounds like another irresponsible breeder who didn't have a clue... Angry

Have you had cats before? Your boy needs "tough love" to teach him humans are OK - he needs to be touched as much as possible, especially when he hisses or he'll learn you're scared of him. Start at feeding times, sit near the bowl and pet him when he's eating.

BertrandRussell · 20/09/2018 11:54

One of them certainly needs to be neutered asap...

YetAnotherSpartacus · 20/09/2018 12:05

They both sound gorgeous - but they really don't have the human taboo re incest.

BeeKeeping · 20/09/2018 12:15

I had a feral kitten so maybe different- he needed lots of handling (with gloves as he bit and scratched). Every time he hissed I picked him up for a cuddle- he soon learned hissing didn’t work. I also had one of those small animal harness and used to plonk him in a room with me tethered so he couldn’t hide. He used to get wedged in tiny crevices (behind the loo, under the kitchen cabinets etc) before that as his instinct to hide was so strong.

He’s still quite independent now, but such a cuddly boy when he is home ☺️ You would never know he was born ferel.

Lilypad15 · 20/09/2018 20:05

Thank you, ladies. I did think incest tendencies may be a concern lol so I think I will take the girl asap and then attempt to get the boy spayed maybe in a few weeks or so. They’ve been wormed, flead and vaccinated already. I have had kittens before but never two together and never ones who have not been very friendly from the offset. I have tried sitting near him when he eats but after a while he gets wise to me being there and runs off. I suppose he might just not be a very sociable cat which is okay, I know some cats just like to please themselves! I might try the diffuser if he’s no better

OP posts:
3WildOnes · 20/09/2018 20:08

Our little boy was similar. He did eventually start to come over to us and is now very affectionate. When we took our girl to be spayed at 4 months she was already pregnant 😔 so get her done ASAP!

Lilypad15 · 20/09/2018 22:14

Yikes! I’m going to get to the vets tomorrow after work and get her booked in asap

OP posts:
littlebillie · 21/09/2018 07:11

We had a very very scared hissy kitten. I isolated her into a quiet warm room and spent time every night calling her and the cuddling her she is an absolute babe now. Quiet rooms with warmth soothe kitties

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