We got our kittens a couple of weeks ago from a farm and we having real proplems with the tortoiseshell (Willow).  She will not come anywhere near us.  She still hides (usually under the settee) and will not come out until we have gone to bed.  We can go days without seeing her.  The other kitten (now found to be a boy!) is coming along nicely, will let you stroke him and pick him up sometimes and will wander around our feet without fear.  We have left Willow to her own devices as we didn't want to frighten her, but Pig is now starting to poke his nose outside if we leave the door open, and we are worried that if Willow gets out that will be the last we see of her.  Any ideas anyone?

You say they are from a farm?   Have they had any human contact?  were they brought up in the house or elsewhere?  If elsewhere just being in a house can be pretty traumatic if they aren't used to all the normal noises ;)

Unfortunately some farm cats never really take to humans if they haven't been socialised while tiny.   I had a cat that was born in an outhouse and lived there till we took her ("she's being put down tomorrow" :rolleyes: ) as a kitten she seemed happy enough but as she matured she became more and more stressed by our company and we had to rehome her to a rural area where she could roam safely and live mostly outside.

You may find that you have to either take her as she comes or force human contact in a controlled way by keeping her in one room and visiting quietly with her until she trusts you (tasty smelly foody bits will help ;) )  I have used this method successfully but it takes patience ;)  Food time is usually a good time as hunger is a great incentive :)  Try just tossing her some cooked chicken/fish and gradually toss it so she has to get closer :) give her all her ration by hand at this stage so she associates you with yummy stuff :) :)  this should help enormously ;)

Is there any way Willow can be put in a room on her own with her own food bowl, litter tray (placed well apart) and toys ?. It sounds like she is very insecure and the big wide world of people and things is just too much too soon. In her own room she should start to feel more confident and you could then spend time sitting quietly with her and she should eventually come to you. Don't leave her on her own too long, as you say, she's been left to her own devices but that might just turn her too feral - she must have lots of gentle human contact.
Good luck with Willow & Pig (great name !).

Val

I had a tortoiseshell and she was pretty aloof and independent for years.  Never really did the kitten playing thing or the laps until she was about 8.  She did progress from coming nowhere near to being in the same room once she was out of kitten stage but was never a cuddly cat in the younger years.  Lovely though!

cant help you sorry, just wanted to say Pig is a great name, my hamster is called Pig as when i first got him he looked like a glouster (sp?) i said he looks like a pig and it stuck :D

tanya

It is unusual for a kitten to take so long to want to socialise, kittens are usally so friendly, a few days but 2 weeks is a long time. I'm imagining kittens under 12 weeks. (How old approx are the kittens?) I've been to cat sactuaries with feral kittens and they have always been very friendly, so are they possibly much older? I guess living outside, now inside may be a great shock to her also.

When I had my first kittens (looooooong time ago) I was advised by the breeder that they should not leave the home for 3 weeks to get them used to the territory via windows and to feel it is their home, I have always done the same with new kittens whether the information is correct or not, but would also advise you doing the same.  I am with you that if Willow is still avoiding you she will not return once out in the wilds.

Can you go back to basics with her, do you have a dog crate, that you can put her in on a night, (totally unnecessary, but bare with me there is a reason I suggest it)  so that you can make daily contact with her in the morning, open it and stroke her then give her her breakfast, this may help to socialise her much quicker, and eradicate her fears of you, the more handling the better.

Thanks for all the advise everyone!

The kittens were 10 weeks old when we got them and I don't think they had ever been handled.  We are not expecting them to be house cats in the long run - we want to keep them keep the mouse population from eating all our grain etc, but thought that they should spend a little time with us initially.  We didn't want to shut them in the stables and leave them there as they would never get used to us and of course there are going to be times when we need them to allow human contact, ie when they go to be spayed and neutered.

We did have a bit of a breakthrough last night with Willow.  She ran into a room where we were, and usually would run straight out again but she stopped and walked past us (clinging to the wall!) to get by.  Pig is fine and is sitting on the desk purring as I type :)

For all those who didn't read my post about what to call the kittens, Pig is called Pig due to him having a curly tail