Crazy Kittens

Question
Hello, we have some stray kittens (with a mother) in our back yard we have captured 5 of the and they are about 5 months old. We have tamed 3 but 2 are just so crazy we can't tame them and they just hiss if you get close to them. How can we tame them????

Answer
Hi Jake, At 5 months old if these kittens have never been handled and have lived like wild animals they may never be able to be properly tamed and live like a domestic cat. There are rescue shelters that house these type of cats and take care of them for their life so that they are safe and comfortable. Sometimes that is the only option. You did not say how long you have had them but I would give them a couple of months of working on them and see what happens. They need to know that you are their source of food and that you are not going to harm them. This may sound odd but the best way to do this is to with hold food from them for half a day and then go in with a bowl in your hand. Take the tame kittens out and just keep these wilder kittens by themselves in a spare bedroom or bathroom. Sit quietly with them and let them come and take bits out of the bowl. If they won't,then just put the bowl near you and see if they will come. If you wait 30 minutes and they still won't come near then just leave the food there for them and let them eat for 15 minutes and then remove it again and try 3-4 hours later doing the same thing. Gradually you have them come closer and closer to you to get fed. When they realize that you are the "feeding person" they will start to bond to you more and trust you more. This doesn't mean that they will be purring and crawling in your lap and following you around. They may never be able to do that...
Teresa