| jrhboxers |
07-04-2011 12:02 PM |
With patience and love, she will come to be a lover. You have to allow for her previous life's 'baggage' to show up in her new life. But you can erase that part of her life.
One way you can help this along is to find a treat that she loves. When you are sitting and loving on her in your lap. Start by giving her a treat and put your hand under her chest. Once she accepts that without reaction, then start with putting your hand under her belly. And just go real slow and you will be able to get your hand all the way under her. Once she is used to that, you can start by moving her 'up' your body - i.e. from your lap, to on your stomach, to on your chest, etc. She will figure out that being in your arms is safe and nothing for her to be afraid of. All the time you are working with her, talk to her in a soft voice and tell her what a good girl she is and how much you love her. Eventually you will be able to carry her around and love on her whenever you want.
I have had to rehabilitated feral cats and kittens over the years. If she was a very little kitten (3-4 weeks) you start by putting them in a tall cardboard box that they can't climb out of. Everytime you pass by, you stop and pick up a kitten and cuddle it to your chest, while you talk to it and pet it. Some kittens take a couple of weeks and some take a couple of days. But it does work. But it is work but SOOOOO worth it.
About the chewing on the tennis shoes - go out to the pet shop and purchase her a pig ear or some pig ear strips. Yes, I know that they are meant for a dog, but kittens love them too. And they are really good to use to curb their chewing. She is the right age that she is losing her baby teeth and getting her permanent teeth in.
BTW - she is beautiful. And that look in her face - you could really have your hands full once she is settled in.
From a rescuer - thank you for adopting an teenage kitten. They get overlooked a lot.
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