How to Tame Wild Kittens

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By LeAnn R. Ralph

Over the past several years, the wild mother cat who has taken up residence in our barn in rural Wisconsin has given me many opportunities to figure out how to tame wild kittens. The mother cat always hides her kittens very well, and then, when they are big enough to leave the nest and are big enough to eat kitty food, she brings them out and expects me to feed them.

When the wild mother cat brings her kittens out of the nest, it is the first time in their lives they have seen a human being, and they tend to be hissing, spitting bits of fluff that really look as though they mean business. And since they already have teeth and claws, I would rather not push the issue. I also would rather not let them remain wild, living in my barn, having kittens of their own. Six kittens, within a year or two, could turn into 56.

As of early 2005, the wild mother cat has had more than 20 kittens in our barn, and I have managed to tame them and to find homes for most of them (unfortunately, several were lost when the wild momma kitty took them out to teach them how to hunt).

Here are some tips for taming wild kittens:

1. Buy some canned kitty food -- In my experience, kittens are always hungry and are always interested in canned kitty food. I have noticed it doesn't matter what brand, just so long as it has fish in it. The smell of fish seems irresistible to kittens.

2. Let the kittens smell the canned kitty food -- Open the can and then try to get as close to them as possible so they can smell the food. Once they get a whiff of it, and this is especially true of younger kittens that are anywhere from four weeks old to a few months old, they will be so interested in the canned kitty food they will forget (somewhat) that you are right next to them.

3. Use a fork (or spoon) to scoop out some of the food and let the kittens eat off the end of the fork (spoon) -- This is an important step. Do NOT put a forkful of food down and then back off. From the very first, hold the fork toward the kitten and let the kitten eat off the end of the fork. Stick to your guns and do not give up. If the kitten wants canned kitty food, the kitten MUST eat it off the end of the fork or the spoon. This is the first step in getting the kitten used to being close to you and in growing accustomed to your hand coming closer. This will be useful later on when you are trying to pet the kittens. After the kitten has eaten food off the end of the fork/spoon, THEN you can put a little food down for the kitten to eat on its own.

4. Repeat step 3 every time you offer the kittens some canned food -- At first, the kittens are going to be cautious about your hand coming toward them. The fork with the food will help to overcome that resistance. After you have done this a couple of times, the kittens will look forward to eating off the fork and will start to lose their fear of you and your hand.

5. Stay right there while the kittens are eating -- After you have put out some canned food for the kittens, stay there and don't move off. Let them eat with you next to them. This will help teach them to associate human beings with "good things."

6. Carefully start to pet the kittens -- After feeding them a couple of times without trying to pet them, which will begin to teach them that they can trust you, put food out and let the kittens start to eat. Then slowly reach down and pet them a little bit. Continue to sit there while they finish eating.

7. Carefully start to pick up the kittens -- After you can successfully put out food and remain there while the kittens eat and can pet them a little bit, try picking up a kitten. If you can, grasp the kitten by the scruff of the neck. This is how mother cats carry their kittens, and when you do this, the kitten will go limp. Hold the kitten against your shoulder and talk softly to it, but don't say "Hi kitten" or anything starting with an "h" sound. To a kitten, this sounds like a cat hissing, and the kitten will become frightened. Hold the kitten for a minute or so and then, grasping it by the scruff of the neck, set it down. After you have done this several times, the kitten will realize that no harms come to it from being picked up and handled.

Depending upon the age of the kittens and basic personality traits, the whole process, from starting with canned kitty food on the fork to being able to pet them and pick them up, could be accomplished in a few days or it might take a few weeks. Eventually, the kittens will know that people mean good things, and when they see you coming, they will come running to meet you. It has been my experience that cats quickly recognize when a situation is to their advantage, and once the kittens know you are a source of good things to eat and that you mean them no harm, they will want to be friends.

About Author LeAnn R. Ralph :
LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of the books "Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm)" and "Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam." You are invited to read sample chapters and to sign up for Rural Route 2 News, the FREE monthly newsletter from Rural Route 2. Visit -- http://ruralroute2.com
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Tips for Dog Grooming at Home

Photo by : ChrisY

If you have a pet then you will be responsible for taking care of him, and one of the most important aspects of health & care is dog grooming. All grooming needs quality combs, brushes and clippers that can be found at all pet supplies stores.

If you take your pet to a professional dog grooming service center then it can sometimes be expensive. It is not something that cannot be done at home i.e., it is possible only if you have the time and the equipment. The first and the foremost thing is that you need to be extremely patient with your dog during the dog grooming session and don’t forget to reward him once it is over so that you don’t face any problems the next time around.

The second important thing is buying the right pet supplies to enable grooming at home. The different types of pet supplies that you will need for grooming includes:

• Bathing accessories: This will mostly include hair dryers, shampoo, conditioner and towels

• Clippers: This will consist of pet grooming tools like turbo clippers, clipper kits, combs, trimmers etc.

• Others: This can include an array of pet grooming tools like nail grinders, FUrminator de-shedding tools, Styptic powder, Matbreaker dematting tool, dematting combs, dematting rake, flea comb, area slicker brushes, undercoat rake, etc.

Dog grooming is important for all pets but more for dogs and cats with a lot of hair. Dogs like German Shepherds have double coat and experience a lot of hair fall and hence should be groomed regularly. Some of the important parts of the body that need to be cleaned and groomed include the skin and ears and it is a must to clip the nails for cats and dogs.

Cleaning the ears of dogs is an integral part of dog grooming because of the fact that they get a lot of infections through their ears. Dogs with droopy ears are highly susceptible to different types of ear problems and infections caused by ear mites, waxy ears, and fungus. You need to check the ears of your dog once every week and clean them as well. Another important part of dog grooming is clipping nails and this is mostly done for dogs, as their nails can grow unusually big. Although they will never hurt you with their nails but are quite capable of scratching you while playing. You need to clip nails once every 3 weeks.

Let us consider some other pet supplies you may need:

• Treats: some dogs don’t like having a bath or being clipped, sometimes it’s a good idea to have a treat to distract your dog.

• Dental toothpaste: this is an often-overlooked necessity when buying pet supplies. Dental problems in cats and dogs are one of the most expensive veterinarian costs during a pet’s life.

• Toys: a great hide bone or Kong toy is a great idea when buying pet supplies. Anything to distract a dog will always help, especially if they playful by nature.

The one thing that most pets hate and dogs even more is bathing. Except for the Retrievers almost all dogs hate taking a bath and cats will always shy away. But bathing is also an important part of dog grooming. Before you give your pet a nice bath, ensure that you have the necessary pet supplies like shampoo, conditioner etc.

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If you need further information on pet supplies including dog collars and dog beds visit our on line store. We also have a great section on dog grooming for all sizes and breeds.