8 week old new kittens - handle them or not?

[Marlus]

We've brought home to 8.5 week old kittens today, adopted from a farm. They are happy to explore and are playing with each other, but do not like us to come too close. There seems to be mixed advice, though, on whether you should start handling them right away. They had some of this in their old place, but maybe not too much. Do we leave it for now or try? If we wait, how long should we give it?

I dont know but, they are gorgeous! What are their names?

Oh my word they are the cutest things ever.

Leave them alone when sleeping, let them retreat but keep the basket out in the open so they don’t become shy cats.

They just need lots of play & gentle handling, human hands have to be predictable and kind.

Sweet

We just got kittens last Sunday, ours were used to being handled but were still a bit shy at first. We let them have a few hours to wander around and then as they seemed to want to come and sniff us out, we got braver with picking them up. At first they were tentative, we were tentative, but over the first few days we all got used to each other. It might have been wrong but we picked them up when sleeping and put them on warm blankets on our laps. Now they sometimes seek out our warmth and sit on us voluntarily when going to sleep.

I read online to handle handle handle so advised both my kids to keep picking them up, interacting with them, putting them on their laps to go to sleep - we've done this and the kittens haven't complained at all and seem to be more used to us now.

Good luck!

Also kitten foster mum.

Handle, handle, handle. Ignore the hissing and biting or whatever...they will come around.

Plenty of treats so they have a good association with being handled.

Look at them in the eyes and do a slow blink (look up cats and slow blink on YouTube)...

I would let them have the basket as their safe space where they know they can have time out from the DC and leave them alone when sleeping (no one wants to be woken from a nap).

Love the advice, am going to give them another cuddle session just now (kids will be on screens in 7 minutes, so good timing ). I’ll leave them while they’re sleeping, but take them into the living room and have them on my lap while watching TV tonight. No names yet, we’re voting this evening. Some ideas so far: Bandoo, Benedict (Benny), Meg, Lumi, Nimbus, Raisin, Magic, Dashi, Galaxi, Barrot. Might have been a mistake to get the kids involved

The sooner, and more, YOU handle them, the better.

But I would very carefully supervise your DCs.

Progress tonight! They fell asleep on my and DS1‘s (9) lap and they have names: Pip (black and white) and Pushkin (ginger). Thanks to all your advice we’re well on the road to being a happy cat household

Watch Flatbush Cats on youtube for advice about handling spicy kittens

That's a great update - it will get better everyday from now.

Seems like your training has begun

Lovely names.

Yay!! Now you have a good excuse not to do housework etc as you “have a cat” on your lap/head/hip/shoulder ....
It’s a valid excuse in this household.

Bargebill it seems to have been an excuse today for DS1 to go to bed over an hour late but we also had the best chat in about a year, so all good! Thanks want2beme and chocolatespiders, looking forward to our cat-led adventures

That's so lovely - my best chats with DD used to be when she was in the bath!

A stray cat had kittens behind our shed Sept last year. Sadly only one survived.
We then adopted Mummy and surviving kitten. Kitten is now 8 months and a big ginger soppy fluffball. Mummy is not as friendly and prefers to be outside lounging in her cat hutch but she is getting better all the time.

New day new question. We have a very open-plan house with no doors through most of downstairs. We’d planned to keep the kittens in the kitchen for a week and put up a 0.5 meter barrier to keep them in. Any higher and our 5 year olds will struggle to get over it. This morning Pip and Pushkin have started to jump over it though and are loving exploring the living room. How important is it to keep them in one room? We’ll have to be pretty inventive and is it already too late?

If their confident let them explore but remove delicate ornaments, block chimneys, recliner chairs have gaps under them to be aware of so you don’t want to be opening them up if a kittens under there and blind cords need to be tied up so they don’t hang themselves on them.

I would let them explore too. They then find their own favourite hideaways and places of comfort.
Glad they seem to be doing really well. They are really cute and will bring you lots of joy.

More photos please! ❤️❤️❤️

My boy was feral when we rescued him. I sat in the room with him and read outloud to get him used to my voice. He eventually started venturing out from his hiding spot for food, i would just sit very still so he wasn't threatened. Then I progressed to stroking his head with a long stick toy, and after a few times doing this he let me get close enough to give his ears a scratch.

Today was a bit too crazy for Pip, but Pushkin lets my son pick him up no problem. They’re pretty much all over the house, except the bedrooms. This is them in the recycling

Oh my Pip is gorgeous--those eyes!

Oh, he's a little tuxedo. I have a weakness for tuxedos 😻 Gingers are gorgeous, too

Obviously, I've got a soft spot for gingers, but there's something about a little black and white kitten that makes me go all gooey.

They are beautiful.