The domestic cat is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal. It is often called the housecat, or simply the cat when there is no need to distinguish it from other felids and felines. Cats are valued by humans for companionship and ability to hunt vermin and household pests.
Cats are similar in anatomy to the other felids, with strong, flexible bodies, quick reflexes, sharp retractable claws, and teeth adapted to killing small prey. As crepuscular predators, cats use their acute hearing and ability to see in near darkness to locate prey. Not only can cats hear sounds too faint for human ears, they can also hear sounds higher in frequency than humans can perceive. This is because the usual prey of cats (particularly rodents such as mice) make high frequency noises, so the hearing of the cat has evolved to pinpoint these faint high-pitched sounds. Cats also have a much better sense of smell than humans.
Despite being solitary hunters, cats are a social species, and cat communication includes the use of a variety of vocalizations (meowing, purring, trilling,hissing, growling and grunting) as well as pheromones and types of cat-specific body language.
Cats have a rapid breeding rate. Under controlled breeding, they can be bred and shown as registered pedigree pets, a hobby known as cat fancy. Failure to control the breeding of pet cats by spaying and neutering and the abandonment of former household pets has resulted in large numbers of feral catsworldwide, with a population of up to 60 million of these animals in the United States alone.
Since cats were cult animals in ancient Egypt, it was commonly believed to have been domesticated there, but there may have been instances of domestication as early as the Neolithic. A genetic study in 2007 revealed that all house cats are descended from as few as five female African Wildcats (Felis silvestris lybica) c. 8000 BCE, in the Middle East. Cats are currently the most popular pet in the world, now found almost everywhere in the world.
1) First, you must get to know his/her personallity. In what way are they afraid of you? Scared? Mad? If you think they may be dangerous you shouldn't try handling them until you find a professional. A feral kitten will normally get very attached to only one person, to get the owner to tame them.
2) Next, get them used to you and your voice. Go into the room with them and talk to them. Maybe get your favorite book and read out loud to them. Don't even try approaching them until you do that for about three days (depending on the cat).
3) The next step is approaching them. Get a spoonful of wet cat food or juicy canned tuna fish and hold it out as you approach them and call their name (this will help them learn their new name. If they make any big signs of aggression (lunging), go back to step one. Hissing is not included. It can mean they are just scared.
4) Once you get them to eat the food off your spoon, you will now have to get them used to your touch. Get a long wooden cooking spoon or spatula and wrap some soft cloth around it (fleece works nicely). Slowly put a spoonful of food out close enough to you so you can reach out without startling them. While they are eating, slowly reach out with the spoon and pet them with it. If they run away DON'T run after them. Save the petting for later.
5) Do that for a LONG time until they are really happy with it. Finally, when they are very happy, sneak your hand under the spoon and pet them with that. Be sure to wear plastic or rubber kitchen gloves! You never know if they have fleas or other fur/skin conditions. Then show them what you did and they should be happy with that.
6) Once they are happy with that you try picking them up with a towel or blanket. It really depends on the cat how long it will take in the end, and some cats will never be truly tamed.
7) If you do take them in, be sure to take them to the vet as soon as possible.
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