HELP! My two week old kittens hissing at me!

[merrin091]

Hi, I have 4, 2 week old kittens, and the mother left me with her kittens in a box, I used my pointing finger to rub their heads gently then the eldest started hissing at me, and so did the other three. Then they started banging their paws at me. Why are they doing that? Did I do something wrong? Or is this just a part of their development? And at what age am I allowed to fully hold the kittens so they'll get used to me. A million thanks!

[Cataholic]

Is the mom still with you/the kittens? If not, are you feeding them/helping them eliminate???

In either event, you can handle the kits all the time (I mean, within reason). Hissing is kind of normal, IMO.

[moosmom]

Hissing and spitting is very normal in kittens. If you can, wear a glove, wrap the kitten in a towel and pet it's head, slowly blinking your eyes and whispering to them. The more their handles, the faster they lose their feralness.

Good luck.

[happylabs]

Oh yes and they think they are so very ferocious when they do this. We had kittens under the deck years ago that were very tiny, had just opened their eyes...so dear. It is their natural defense I think to hiss like that. It doesn't take them long to figure out that being petted and loved is a good thing.