How to Care for Your Scared Kitten

Have you ever gotten a new kitten and brought him or her home shaking in your arms like a little leaf and found that your new little buddy is so scared of you and/or his or her new surroundings that all he or she wants to do is cower in the corner, under the bed, or somewhere else? You're having a hard time coaxing your kitty to come out of hiding and you're worried about it not eating or drinking? Most kittens exhibit this scared behavior when they're transferred to a new and unfamiliar home, especially if they've never been around humans before. Here's some tips on how to care for your new scared family member.

-Give your kitten some space. No matter how excited you may be about your new kitten and how much you want to pick it up and begin cuddling it right away because it's so cute, it is important that you fight that urge and give your kitten some space to become accustomed to you and its new home first. You don't want to rush your kitten and scare it even more than it already is. Even if your kitty is cowering and staying hidden all day long, just give it some time and in a couple of days, your kitten will slowing start peeping out and exploring. Before you know it, your kitten will be constantly underfoot and bugging you all the time!

-Have as much interaction as possible. Even while you're kitten is scared and may not want to be handled much, be in the same room with your kitten. Read a book, work on the computer, or sit quietly and let your kitten become accustomed to seeing you. When it eventually starts to venture out, it will be used to your presence. And when your kitty comes out of its "scared mode" try to pet and play with it as much as possible for this early interaction will make it much more friendly and affectionate later on it life.

-Make sure your kitten eats and drinks. When some kittens are scared, they do not want to eat or drink anything. However, it is important for a kitten to get a lot of nutrition, so instead of trying to pull your kitten out of its hiding spot and stick it in the middle of the kitchen for its meal only to have it scamper even more scared now back to its place of hiding, put some food and water close to the place your scared kitten feels comfortable. Leave the room and it will usually venture out long enough to feed in its privacy.

These are just a few helpful hints to make your kitten's adaptation to its new home easier and more comfortable. I followed these steps and within two days my kitten (who had never had any human interaction before) was out and about, exploring and becoming braver every day. Within one week, she was the most confident, spoiled little kitten ever, jumping up in my lap, following me around the house, and constantly begging for attention.