Hi, last week we aquired a farm reared kitten, supposedly 12 weeks old but very small. We have a middle aged cat and thought it was time for her to train up an apprentice. Scared that he would run off into the yonder
we have kept him in the kitchen with an idea of taming and house training before he goes out into the big wide world. He is so wild that he is living behind the dishwasher leaving his cosy igloo bed by the rayburn unused.

There are disagreements within the family as to how to proceed, I reckon that he is not as scared now as when he arrived and will eventually come out if I move the food bowl gradually...he is eating and drinking well.
My sons say I should catch it and  make it sit still while its stroked, and he will calm down when he realises I am not going to hurt it???  He really is very wild.  Any ideas welcome please. I havent had a kitten for years, usually getting tame young adult cats from rescue.

I think this is a post for Lea who has recently taken on some cats who were said to be feral, so near enough so..

We've always had farm cats, well bar one(mine) and as kittens they were not very friendly, we've just let them get on with it and in their own sweet time they've trusted us, however they never liked the big cuddles the town cat liked...

Okay Dicksee, I will tell you what I did with ours, I am in NO way an expert but it has worked with the 2 ferals.
We got Connie from the CPL as a feral cat. once in a house but noone could go near her without Gauntlets on. She attcked anyone, drawing blood biting etc.
So she came to ours to live in the out house, be fed and hunt in the fields all round our house. Never to have human contact, but be fed every day.
Well we got her into the out house and went in to feed her, she would not come out of her hiding place, and hissed if you went near her for the first few days. Then she started coming round, baby steps, I first managed to stroke her tail, after 2 weeks I managed to pick her up, only briefly. So we brought her into our bedroom and kept her in there for another few weeks where she got more and more used to us, as we were in there all night. She would come up onto the bed and curl up beside us purring like a train. Still cantancarous, but a lovely cat.
We then got another Feral. Not vicous this time, just NO emotion at all. No purring, etc.
We put him in the out house, same view as connie, but he had other ideas. within 4 days he decided to find the only hole to get into the ceiling of the outhouse on the hottest day of the year(a hole that connie had never found) :( :( :(  After takling down part of the ceiling We pushed him with wood to try and push him towards the hole, he didnt do anything.No hissing no spitting no movement. We had to take down more of the ceiling and Pete Grabed him, put him straight in a cat basket and he went straight into a dog crate in our bedroom to get used to Connie.
Again we took it at his pace. let him decide what he wanted on HIS terms. within 2 weeks, again he was coming up to be stroked,
It took about 2 months for him to purr.
After 4 weeks of them in our bedroom and the dogs downstairs, we swapped them at night, so the cats had the run of the downstairs at night, and the dogs  upstairs, and visa versa during the day.
They both now come when called, and come up for a fuss.
This is only in 4 months. And we live in a bisy household, 2 loud dogs, 2 teenagers, rabbits, hamsters etc.
They now go out, Tod goes in and out the cat flap. Connie I chuck out at night and open the window for her in the morning (she has me well trained, and will not use the cat flap!!!!)
So my advice.
Dont do anything. put him in one room and keep him there (bedroom was good for us as they got used to us with no pressure while we were asleep) feed him (we have biscuits down all the time, but feed a felix pouch in the morning) stand near when you feed his meat.
Let him go at his pace. And make sure everyone else in the house does the same.
Dont catch him, it will not help. Even now if Connie and tod dont want to be held they push away and take umbridge!!!
Hope thats of some help. These are my first cats, and I did keep in touch with the women from the CPL and she couldnt give me any more advice as said I was doing fine.
Good Luck
Lea xx

Just to say, we kept Tod in the dog crate for about 3-4 days so they got used to each other and then let him out.
Hope all that post makes sense
Lea xx

Yes Lea is right -don't do anything and make sure food and water and litter tray is in a"safe" place so the kitten doesn't have to get out for it initially. Just wanted to add that by no means all cats will be as quick as Lea's (I think she has "the touch" with some people are just born with! My oldest daughter is one like that with cats, she can calm any cat.). I have one cat, not even a rescue, who I couldn't go near for 6 months. She came out of hiding of her own accord when she felt ready and today is extremely friendly. Another, who was returned to me after 6 years by the buyer (goodness knows what they'd done to him), spent a full YEAR in hiding behind the furniture. But he too came round and ended up great.

Thanks very much. I didnt realise it would take so long but hey I'm in for the long haul! This morning when I went into the kitchen found him sitting on the router in the window recess (nice and warm lol) and he strolled rather than ran off it back to his hidey hole behind the dishwasher. We have called him Scrumpy. I just hope I can tame him a bit before the weather gets too cold as he is destined to be an outside cat keeping our fourlegged long tailed visitors at bay.

thats good then. baby steps :) :)
And I am invisging when the cold weather comes that my 2 mousers will be settled in the house and not go out at all!!!!!
We get at least one mouse a night from them (I like the way mine only go out at night, it means the birds are safe :D)
Good luck xx
Lea :) :)

Just wanted to add, good luck with your cat.  I had a feral farm cat once and would never get a kitten from a farm again.  Our cat we have now is a lovely rescued mainecoon and he is just so wonderful that I can't believe what I put up with before with our 'little feral'!!  Axel does the same job but just so lovingly.  But I suppose, I have the cats to make me work for affection, if I wanted it easy, I should've got another dog!lol.

It is disapointing he is soo nervous as I was looking foreward to having a baby to play with...no chance lol. However this morning I was able to make a cuppa with him watching me from his spot on the router rather than scurrying off. Yep tiny steps. :-)

You can own a dog but never a cat!! I reckon my cats own me!! I used to take on everyone's cast off cats and some that were really wild. Give it time and lots of it and lots of space, act like there is no cat, try not to directly stare as this upsets them. Look at him then blink and slowly look away and blink and look back at him. Supposedly how cats avoid conflict when greeting each other, seems to work for me. Try a feliway plug in as well for a calming effect. Doesn't always have big effects though I found. Would he play with you? Piece of string etc to entice him when house is quiet, wouldn't force a cat into anything too many teeth and claws!

Lovely to have a newbie in the house though exciting, was thinking of a new baby myself but will wait till we move, am very jealous.

Hi Dicksee,
Hows things going with your kitten now?
Lea :) :)