Scared New Kittens

Question
Hi! We just recently adopted two feral kittens. They are 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 months old. They were cared for by a foster mom, and were doing well there. Now that they are here (have been with us for 2 days), they refuse to come out of hiding.

One of them allows us to pet him and will expose his belly to us and purrs, but he prefers to do it in small doses, and then runs right back to his hiding place.

The other purrs and purrs as long as you are petting him in his hiding spot. If you pick him up, he freaks out, starts to shake and wants to run right back to his spot.

They haven't eaten anything, but they have used their litter box.

Any thoughts on how long it will take for them to come out of hiding and enjoy being held? Why would one exposed his belly to us, but still be so scared?

We love them to death, but we want to make sure they are as happy as possible.

Thanks so much for any advice!

Answer
Hi Jolene.  Thanks so much for taking in these special needs kitties!

What you're seeing is to be expected with kittens who were feral.  Actually, even those who were socialized as newborns are often so nervous in a new home that they hide for the first several days.  

With ferals, you can expect to see them hide for at least couple of weeks in most cases.  But you must force them to come out and socialize.  I always recommend to keep ferals limited to one room at first, where they won't be able to hide.  A bathroom is perfect, but a den or a bedroom works well, too, as long as you block underneath the bed and behind furniture so they can't hide.  I personally keep my ferals in a cat playpen until they don't cower when I go to pick them up.  Make sure to pick them up and hold them several times a day, even against their will.  If need be, wrap them tightly in a towel with only their head exposed, to immobilize them.  Hold them for at least 10 minutes each time, stroking them, talking to them softly.  Things may get slighly worse before they get better, but they will get better more quickly than if you allow them to seek attention on their own.

Two things that I also find to help are toys and treats.  Use interactive toys like ribbons or toys with wands with feathers or stuffed animals at the end.  Feed them treats on your lap.  I personally prefer some chicken, but cat treats will do, too.

I feel confident that, given a little more time and a bit of work, you will have sweet and cuddly kitties to share your home with.