Expert: Tomay - 2/7/2005

Question
Hi,
I purchased 2 12 week old male seal point siamese kittens last week. The kittens were brought home and eat fine, play fine, use the litter box fine, but are afraid of my wife and I. They will play up to a foot or 2 of us, but if we pick one up they scream and struggle, clearly terrified. We bought these cats from a cattery that said they were handled every day, but doubt it. We love the guys already, so how can we get them to trust us, want to be around us, and enjoy being picked up and petted. Help! Many thanks for your help, Austin Hendricks
ahbudton@aol.cm

Answer
Hello,
Sorry to hear of your problems with your new babies.  Unfortunately, all I can offer is my own opinion, as there are others who are more knowledgable when it comes to the training and resocializing cats and kittens.  Your local ASPCA or equivilent, can sometimes give the best advice with behavioural problems.  But I can tell you this, just based on experience, that you are absolutely right about the breeder not being quite so upfront about these kittens being raised 'under foot'.  There are those cattery's that are not as 'hands on' as  others.  When kittens are truly handled from birth on, they are very well socialized and well-adjusted by the time they reaach 12 weeks.  Perhaps just letting them come to you on their own terms, and let them determine the time spent interacting with you.  Trust must obviously be established.  A very good interactive cat (or dog for that matter) toy is a pen laser light.  Usually found as a keychain, and are reasonably priced. Just check around.  They LOVE chasing the light, and if you associate that play time with a particular sound, they will become conditioned to come running when they hear that sound.  I used to keep mine in a wooden box with a sliding top.  They would come running from all corners when they heard the 'whoosh' of the door sliding open.  Much like the electric can opener can bring cats running to see if it's their dinner if they are conditioned to that.  Maybe petting them while the eat or while you feed them ,could help.
Also check this site to see if there is anyone who has an experise in cat behavioural problems.  Hopefully, things will work out and you can develop a close and mutually affectionate relationship.
Best wishes,
Tomay