How to Domesticate Feral Kittens

In recent years, the feral cat population in this country has increased exponentially; experts estimate there are between 60 million and 100 million feral cats in America. Many animal lovers, working with animal control officers and local humane societies, have begun trap-neuter-release programs to at least prevent the wild cats from producing more babies.

Another way to reduce the feral cat population is to capture and domesticate the kittens as soon as they are mostly weaned (which is about the same time their eyes are no longer blue). Domesticated feral kittens can become wonderful, loving animals that will provide years of companionship to a lucky owner.

Things You'll Need

  • Small isolated room
  • Litter box
  • Kitty litter
  • Kitten food
  • Water
  • Food and water bowls
  • Cat toys
  • Book or magazine
  • Radio
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set up the living space. Choose a small, isolated room in your home -- a spare bathroom or large closet -- anywhere that is quiet yet part of the house for the kittens to live in for a few weeks until they get used to you. Make sure to have a litter box with litter in it, and food and water waiting for the kitten or kittens.

    • 2

      Capture the kittens. This is much harder than it looks, and you may need to call your local animal control officer or humane society personnel to help. Once you have the kitten(s), settle them into the room you have prepared.

    • 3

      Spend as much time in the room with the kittens as you can. Bring toys with you -- kittens that age love to play, no matter how wary or shy they may act at first. A ball of yarn, a piece of string, some cat toys from the pet store, a crumpled piece of paper all make good kitten toys. Bring some of the toys with you, and take them when you leave -- the kittens will quickly learn to associate your presence with fun.

      Other times you should bring a book or magazine into the room with you and quietly read as the kittens get used to your presence. Eventually you should be able to pet them, and eventually they will begin to purr and let you know they like it.

    • 4

      Get them used to indoor sounds. Place a radio in the room with the kittens and turn it on for them once in a while so they get accustomed to electronically produced sound in their environment.

    • 5

      Slowly allow access to the rest of your home. Once the kittens begin to act like they like you and are happy to see you -- and once they've proven that they know how to use the litter box -- you can gradually begin to introduce them to the rest of your home. Start with letting them out of their room for an hour, then two hours, then an afternoon, and, within a couple of weeks, you should have happy, affectionate indoor cats.