Getting Started - Gentling


Gentle handling of your kitten

A common mistake people make with new kittens is not providing enough gentle handling to develop a friendly, relaxed adult cat.

If you don't want a skittish, scaredy-cat, you need to teach your new kitten to love being held and handled and to relax when you bathe, examine, and groom him or her.

Daily gentle handling teaches your kitten:  1) to accept human hands as powerful, friendly providers of food and affection, 2) how to overcome small amounts of anxiety and relax, 3) to accept all kinds of touching and handling, 4) to trust people -  reducing both fear and status related aggression in the adult cat.

• As you feed with one hand, use the other hand to gently touch and massage the kitten all over.
• Go slowly at your kitten's comfort level. A small amount of anxiety is fine if you can help the kitten work through it.
• Do not force any physical contact.
• You goal is to be able to move the kitten's skin all over and move every limb of a relaxed, rag doll like kitten.