Why do my 3-month-old kittens avoid me? How can I make them like me?

It sounds like you have your hands full! For better or for worse, this is typical kitten behavior. He will mellow out as he grows up, although he may always have a rambunctious personality. For right now, schedule some time every day to play with him using a laser pointer, balls, feathers on a string, or any other toys he loves. Aim for 10 minutes three times a day. Try your best not to scream and move quickly when he runs underfoot because he will think it's a game and do it more. If he's an only animal, instead of feeding him in a bowl a few times a day, hide kibble around your home for him to hunt - start really small with this to make sure he gets the idea. Try to enjoy his antics and reach out for a consultation if you need more ideas!

Your question doesn't really describe what is going on. If the cats are fearful of you, taking time to let them approach you, and making sure you're the one feeding them, etc, can help with bonding. A toy that can be played with from a distance, such as a feather on a stick or laser pointer can also help with bonding without stress. If they get stressed out from handling, taking a break is best. If the cats are having trouble with each other, making sure they both have their own access to food, water, litter, etc can help avoid competition over resources. A pheromone diffuser such as Feli-way can also be plugged in to common rooms to help reduce stress.

From your description, I wonder if Nala is a feral kitten. A feral kitten is a kitten that is born to a cat who lives outside and is essential wild without very much human contact. The general rule is that if feral kittens are taken away from their mom by the age of 10 weeks that they can get used to humans and become well socialized. If they do not have human contact until after 10 weeks of age, then that can be much more difficult. I would ask your friend where Nala came from and get more information on her situation. In the meantime, I would not push Nala to have any more contact than she is comfortable with. Let her hide and come out when she is ready to. I would also consider adding a Feliway Diffuser ( https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected ) to your house to decrease stress. This is a calming pheromone that will work for a month. I have also had luck with Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water. I would try to find toys that she can play with herself that do not involve you if that stresses her out. You may find some good ideas on this website. https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!! It is important to provide cats at all life stages with lots of environmental enrichment and interactive play. Doing so will help to decrease the potential development for destructive or inappropriate behaviors, such as inappropriate scratching, aggressiveness, inappropriate litterbox habits. This can be accomplished through play with you and various types of toys, or through self-play with a cat tower, scratching post, food puzzles, etc. There is a great informational website for cat owners provided by The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine called The Indoor Pet Initiative (for Cats). I recommend that you visit this website as there as a wealth of information available.

It sounds like you're trying all of the right things, like having your husband be in charge of meals and other 'fun' things. It might help if you're not around while he's feeding her or playing with her. It takes some kittens a long time to become adjusted to new people and a new environment, so be patient and give her time.

I would recommend giving her more space and time. Offer her lots of treats from afar without expecting any interaction. It sounds like she's warming up, it's just slow going. Some cats take weeks or months to warm up, and some never really want to interact with their humans. It sounds like she's totally normal, just not a social kitty. I hope that helps!

You will have to take your time and be extremely patient with them. You could try to feed them close to you and then slowly move the feeding bowl closer to you after a few days so they get used to being around you and trusting you. You could also try some Feliway spray or diffuser and see if that helps, too. Hopefully with some time they will let you actually touch and pet them.