[header] How to pet a kitten [title] Sit down. [step] When you are first letting your kitten get used to you, it's best to get down to her level when you want to interact. Birds of prey are natural enemies of felines, so cats will instinctively fear anything looming over them. 
[substeps] When you want to play and pet your cat, sit down on a chair, couch, or on the floor to make yourself seem less menacing. If it's comfortable, you can even lie down on the ground.