My lovely kitten, will it change?!

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Bit of a strange post here! I am a bit of a cat novice only ever had dogs in the past.

Around a month ago I rehomed a rescue kitten when he was 12 weeks old. He and his siblings were left in a box outside at only a few days old 😭 and as such were handreared and raised in one of the lovely rescue foster family homes (alongside some very cat loving dogs) until they were ready for their new forever homes. The lady who fostered them said my boy was very sensitive and loving.

Hes been a total delight (besides the inevitable zoomies around the house and demands of playtime at 2am!) he’s great with my children and uses his litter tray well.

I have decided to keep him indoors for a while, he’s still quite small and seems very soft so I think it’s for the best.

Hes truly the most loving, cuddly and trusting little boy. I just wonder, will this change as he gets older? I know cats have a reputation for being aloof and I wonder if as he gets older if he’ll become less like this (hope not!) and if maybe he’ll become more of a “cat” once he’s allowed to venture outdoors??

Pic for kitten tax

He’s got gorgeous markings. What’s his name?!

My girl is 5 now and still really loving and affectionate. She especially loves me and will wake me by licking my face (if she’s in overnight, she’s also part feral beast!). I often say she’s the nicest cat I’ve ever had.

Yes they do change, some for the better and some for the worst! I had one who was a wonderful kitten but then turned and clawed anyone aside from DD who was her bestie. My current one was a devil of a kitten and whilst he has mellowed he is still loving and sweet.

Neutered boy cats tend to stay lovely and cuddly, my boy is 12 and loves snuggles and being carried. Definitely get him done to avoid his hormones kicking in, an entire male will hit puberty and want to be outside shagging and scrapping!!

Awww she’s gorgeous @FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee!!

love your username by the way!!

I hope he does stay lovely…
He was neutered and jabbed etc before he was able to come home to me, it was a condition of the rescue charity which I was perfectly happy with. I’m hoping being neutered might help to reduce his keenness to “roam” too much when he does go outside. Where I live is awash with posts online of cats going missing and I couldn’t bear that happening to him!

I think they go through stages. My dcat1 was the cuddliest kitten, as a teenager she was very independent and not keen on cuddles, now she is getting older she is more keen to sit and have a cuddle but doesn't like to be picked up. My dcat2 is 1 and the cuddliest boy ever! I think people think cats are aloof as they don't like strangers but they aren't with their families. They are very loving, in my experience. Id suggest reading a cat behaviour book, as learning about how they show love is really insightful e.g. slow blinking etc! Helps you to bind and understand that they are showing a lot of love, just in a different way!

In my experience, castrated boys are much less aloof than girls, although both of mine have been very much 'mummy's boys' and not so keen on daddy!

In my history of ten cats we've never had an unfriendly one.
They do change over time, some are lap cats some aren't and they all have their own characters but I tend to the view that if you treat them nicely they tend to return the compliment.
Your kitten looks gorgeous by the way - I'd suggest you keep inside until he's at least 6 months old.

Our boy will be three in January and is very cuddly and affectionate - but not a lap cat unless you’re lying in bed. He flumps dramatically to the ground so you can rub his tummy, and enjoys being carried like a baby. Our previous girl was a total lap cat, but hated being picked up and would have had your hand off if you touched her tummy. Both super-sooky after being out and coming indoors.

Your kitten is delightful - defo keep him in until he’s six or even nine months. He’ll most likely be a delightful idiot with no sense of danger for a while yet!

Much has a lot to do with the domestication process before they are 12 weeks. Cats that are reared by human hand from birth tend to be much more relaxed and warm and friendly. Those that have come from homes where they are either left to it or neglected even will live out their natural instincts which is that of an apex predator. They are very like their wild relatives and are obligate carnivores of course. They are the least domesticated of all pets.

Our last kitty came from a terrible environment where he had not been handled by people at all and he was essentially not fit to be in a human home. We loved him but he essentially considered and treated us as prey for his whole life (me at least!).

Your lovely wee thing has been held by humans for their whole life, chances are they will remain cuddly !

(just to add though there are exceptions that prove the rule!)

Thanks for all of your comments! I have met cats through friends who were rescued from unhappy homes and mistreated and have seen that very often the cat can be, and stays, wary and not always great around children.
Despite his sad start this little boy appears to trust every human and even when my mum visits with her dog he’s totally unfazed which is great but equally a concern if I let him outdoors, so I’ll be keeping him in until early next year at least.
Hoping the cuddles continue!

@MaggieBsBoat that’s really interesting and also totally not our experience! Our wee lad was born in a shed, the owners didn’t want the mum or kittens back. They lived outdoors until a lady took them in when the weather got really bad - but they were about 11 months then. We adopted him when he was just past a year old (after our lovely girl cat had to be pts) last April.

It honestly breaks my heart thinking of him in that shed with no-one to tummy him or attend to the litter tray the second he starts shouting he’s done a wee. When we started letting him out it seemed to take him a few months to really get into it and click that he would 100% be able to come back in 💔

He's gorgeous 😍

This is my boy. He's 18 and absolutely gorgeous and snuggly and lovely. Always up for a cuddle and love. I hope your boy never changes ❤️