Bradley Hills Animal Hospital » Health Info for Your Cat
Your New Kitten
Kittens need socialization starting at a very young age. Between 3 and 7 weeks old is critical time for a kitten to learn trust in humans. However, most kittens are not adopted until 8 weeks old, but your time together at this age is still very important. This means handling him on a regular basis, playing with his ears, tummy, and paws. This will make him easier to handle for nail trims, ear cleanings, etc.
Introducing him to new and different people and places will help him to be a more well-rounded and easy going cat. They more he is exposed to as a kitten the less fearful he will be in the future.
What type of play should I expect from a kitten?
Stimulating play is important. Stalking and pouncing are important play behaviors in kittens and have an important role in proper muscular development. If given a sufficient outlet for these behaviors with toys, your kitten will be less likely to use family members for these activities. The best toys are lightweight and movable. These include wads of paper, small balls, and string or ribbon. Kittens should always be supervised when playing with string or ribbons to avoid swallowing them. Any other toy that is small enough to be swallowed should also be avoided.
Can I discipline a kitten?
Disciplining a young kitten may be necessary if its behavior threatens people or property, but harsh punishment should be avoided. Hand clapping and using shaker cans or horns can be intimidating enough to inhibit undesirable behavior. However, remote punishment is preferred. Remote punishment consists of using something that appears unconnected to the punisher to stop the problem behavior. Examples include using spray bottles and making loud noises. Remote punishment is preferred because the kitten associates punishment with the undesirable act and not with you.
How do I ensure that my kitten is well socialized?
The socialization period for cats is between 2 and 12 weeks of age. During that time, the kitten is very impressionable to social influences. If it has good experiences with men, women, children, dogs, other cats, etc., it is likely to accept them throughout life. If the experiences are absent or unpleasant, it may become apprehensive or adverse to any of them. Therefore, during the period of socialization, we encourage you to expose your cat to as many types of social events and influences as possible.
How can I prevent problems from developing?
The key to preventing behavior problems is to identify all of the needs of the kitten and provide appropriate outlets for each. This is especially important for the indoor cat since all of its play, predation, exploration, scratching, elimination and social needs will need to be channeled into acceptable indoor options, while sexual motivation can be reduced by neutering.
Toys can be stuffed with food or coated with catnip and paper bags, cardboard boxes and hidden food treats can provide opportunities for exploration. A comfortable blanket or rug for napping, counters, shelves or play centers for perching, posts for scratching and a proper litter area for elimination round out a number of the cat’s needs. One important rule of thumb is that each cat is different so you must choose the types of play and toys that are most appealing to your cat and most appropriate for your household.
Can I prevent my kitten from becoming overly fearful?
Most kittens are highly social but sociability and social play begins to wane after two months of age. Therefore as soon as the kitten is obtained you should make every attempt to introduce the kitten to a wide variety of people (ages, races, infirmities) a wide variety of environments, other pets, and as many new stimuli (e.g. noises, car rides, elevator) as possible. One way to help insure a positive relationship with each new person, pet, place and event is to give the kitten one of its favored treats or toys with each new meeting and greeting.
How can I teach my kitten to enjoy handling?
Depending on the personality and early experiences as a kitten, your cat may enjoy, accept, or dislike, certain types of handling from petting to bathing. In order for your kitten to learn to accept and enjoy a variety of types of physical contact from humans, it is critical that the human hand only be associated with positive experiences and that all physical punishment be avoided. Begin with those types of handling that your kitten enjoys or is willing to accept, and provide small treats at each of the first few sessions. Once your pet learns to associate food with these sessions, slightly longer or intense sessions can be practiced. This type of handling can be used to help your kitten become accustomed to, and perhaps enjoy, patting, grooming, teeth brushing, nail trimming, and even bathing. Never force this type of handling upon your cat as any negative experience will only make the problem worse and your cat more resistant to further handling.