Raising a kitten is a process no less important and responsible than raising a child. When a furry baby just crosses the threshold of your home, along with the joy of his appearance, the owners have new concerns. How to raise a kitten correctly so that the pet does not cause problems for others, but is a source of only positive emotions? What is needed for this?
The first thing owners of a “fluffy miracle” need to acquire is patience. The foundations of education are laid at a very early age – in the first months of a kitten’s life. You need to act persistently, but calmly and patiently, until the baby understands what the owner wants from him.
The second thing you may need is attention and care. You need to devote all your free time to the kitten. The baby needs some time to get used to the new environment after being separated from its mother. Be close to him, caress him, scratch him - the kitten should feel that he is safe and that he is loved. The adaptation process is facilitated by a piece of cloth that can be taken from the place where you got the pet. The familiar smell will calm the baby.
Third , be consistent. Immediately outline the rules of the new home and the boundaries that the kitten cannot violate. Do not allow anyone to do anything that you would not allow an adult animal to do. This is the only way to achieve correct behavior. Prohibitions need to be voiced loudly, but in an even and calm voice.
Lastly , perhaps the most important - never hit a kitten if you want to raise the kitten to be affectionate and tame. Strictly prohibit this for yourself and your household. Beaten animals produce angry or frightened cats. Cats that have never been abused are characterized by a strong attachment to their owner.
At what age should you start raising a kitten?
Raising a kitten should begin before two months from birth.
Usually during this period the baby is still in the nursery or with the breeder, as he needs his mother and milk feeding. The cat instills basic skills and rules of behavior. The breeder teaches the kitten to toilet, and the mother teaches other cat skills. With such a kitten there are fewer problems, it is easier to train them to the new requirements of the owners. The situation is much more complicated with kittens found on the street - these are ill-mannered cats that have not received the necessary skills for living with humans, but the situation can be corrected.
One of the main requirements is to let the kitten get stronger, get good health and immunity. Caring for an animal will give it good health and proper psyche. You need to start accustoming him to the tray from the very first days, but with caution, without using physical force in case of mistakes.
At the age of 3-4 months, the kitten is very active, plays a lot, plays pranks and even misbehaves. During this period, it is worth showing rigor and patience. You need to demonstrate a firm tone, but without punishment or violence.
At approximately six months, puberty begins. This applies to both male and female cats. Under the influence of hormones, the pet's character changes, not always for the better, the animal becomes disobedient. But everything returns to normal around the age of one year, when the kitten becomes a young adult cat.
Cats can mark their territory and show aggression. If the owner does not plan to breed, it is worth considering sterilization or castration.
Tray training
From responsible breeders, little kittens usually learn to relieve themselves in a litter box even before moving to a new home. This is facilitated by the mother’s personal example. Often, even well-mannered kittens get lost when they find themselves in new conditions and stop going to the litter box. To remind your pet of the rules, you should pour in his usual litter, use a spray, or place a scent mark under the grill. For example, scraps of paper soaked in the left puddle will do. They can be removed later.
Kittens that are locked in a cage by their owners during their absence become accustomed to the litter box very quickly: due to the limited territory, the choice is not so wide
If the kitten sees the litter box for the first time, you will have to do the training yourself. In those moments when the baby is about to relieve himself, it is necessary to move him to the appropriate place. Surely the pet will try to get out of the tray. There is no need to forcefully hold the kitten. You should gently interfere, while stroking and calming the baby.
You cannot punish a kitten for mistakes: negative influence at an early age is ineffective and will only lead to a deterioration in the relationship. In addition, the baby can interpret what is happening in his own way and decide, for example, that puddles and piles simply need to be hidden better. You cannot transfer the kitten to the tray if it is already relieving itself. This will scare him and may cause negative associations.
The most important skills
The main skills of a well-mannered domestic cat are:
- compliance with the daily routine;
- proper nutrition;
- toilet;
- using a scratching post;
- games.
An important aspect of education is communication with a person. The pet must understand that it is the person who is in charge, that is, in the cat’s understanding, the leader of the pack. If the kitten recognizes this, many problems will not even arise.
Daily routine for a kitten
The kitten must live with its owner without causing problems or inconvenience to him. Many people note that at night the cat starts running around the apartment, jumping, creating a lot of noise and preventing them from falling asleep. In this case, you need to play with the kitten thoroughly during the day. The release of excess energy and emotional recharge will help the animal adapt to the human rest regime.
If this behavior starts early in the morning, you should simply ignore your pet. Gradually, the cat will independently wean itself from waking up too early and noisy games at inappropriate times. The ideal schedule for a cat looks like this:
- 08:00 – eat and sleep;
- 09:00 – meal;
- 12:00 – toilet activities;
- 15:00 – food;
- 18:00 – active games;
- 19:10 – food;
- 19:30 – toilet;
- 20:00 – communication with a person;
- 20:30 – eat, lick yourself thoroughly and immediately go to bed.
- 23:00 – sleep.
Of course, all the hours are given very approximately; not a single animal will play or sleep strictly on a schedule. The main thing is to catch the right sequence of activity, rest and feeding. The owner must accustom his pet to a daily routine that will be convenient for both humans and animals.
How to train a kitten to use a litter box
Usually a cat goes to the toilet after eating; this is their physiological feature. In the first weeks, the kitten should be transferred to the tray 10-20 minutes after eating. If he made a mistake, you shouldn’t shout at him or poke your nose into the puddle. Such manipulations have no pedagogical meaning, but can undermine trusting contact with the owner.
The same litter must be used, and there must also be a permanent place for the toilet. Small kittens are placed in the tray 10-20 minutes after eating. If he goes to the toilet successfully, he should be rewarded.
Where to sharpen a kitten's claws
If your pet does not have the skills to use a special scratching post, he needs to be taught to use it. This usually takes about two months. You can lure your cat using mint or lemon balm extract. Cats like the smell of these plants. If you can’t get used to sharpening your claws in one place, you can try trimming your claws.
A place for a kitten to sleep
A cat always chooses a soft, comfortable, safe place to sleep. The bed or house must fully comply with them. Sometimes they choose a more comfortable and secluded place where they can hide from prying eyes. In this case, a house with soft walls and a roof would be an ideal option. Cats often like to sleep at their owner's feet or in their bed.
Feeding mode
When caring for a kitten, it is important to properly organize the feeding regime for your pet. In this case, it is worth taking into account the age category of the baby.
| Age category of the cat | Feeding frequency |
| Up to 14 days | 10 times a day |
| 14-30 days | 8 times a day (of which 2 feedings are at night) |
| 30-60 days | 7 times a day |
| 60-90 days | 6 times a day |
| 4-5 months | 5 times a day |
| 5-10 months | 4 times a day |
| 10-12 months | 3 times a day |
Important! Starting from the age of one year, cats are transferred to two meals a day. Feed is poured only in the morning and evening hours.
How to raise a kitten to be affectionate and tame
Owners often wonder how to raise an affectionate cat.
When a kitten has just arrived in its new home, it does not yet understand how it should behave. He needs an adaptation period. You should not leave a small kitten alone for a long period. You need to play with him often, talk affectionately, since these animals very well understand a person’s intonations and his mood at the moment. If the owner wants to see an affectionate and kind animal in front of him, there must be trust. The owner must observe the established daily routine and adhere to it strictly. The kitten should have a lot of toys - soft balls, mice, strings and other objects. Kids play a lot and spend their time very actively, it is advisable that this happens together with a person. Don’t forget about moments of affectionate communication - despite their apparent independence, cats love to purr to their person and cuddle in his arms.
This will create trusting contact between the animal and the owner. How to properly raise a kitten determines its character and behavior in the future, when it becomes a mature animal.
Hand training
Hand training begins at an early age. The babies are petted and offered permitted treats. This allows you to form positive associations. You can only pick up a kitten if it does not protest. Overly intrusive attempts at training can cause a negative reaction.
I had experience in breeding cats and from my impressions I can say that not all pets like to sit in their arms. You just have to accept it. You can correct the kitten’s reaction if you do not behave intrusively and make it clear that you can be trusted, but if the cat categorically does not like such tenderness, it is unlikely that it will ever change its mind. Some kittens are very affectionate from childhood and constantly strive to get into your arms, others prefer to keep their distance. The latter are less intrusive, which can also be called an advantage. In any case, even those cats that do not like to be held can be very affectionate.
Correct games with a kitten
For games, you should use special toys that can be found in specialized veterinary stores or supermarkets. When a kitten plays with its brothers, it acquires the skill of not releasing its claws so as not to cause injury to another animal or itself. Kittens who have not received such knowledge may acquire unwanted habits, including aggressive behavior in games that will be directed toward humans.
It should not be allowed to bite a person's arms or legs. If this happens, you need to immediately point to the bite site and say NO. If this technique does not bring results, you just need to ignore the animal. This way it will understand exactly what is required of it. If played correctly, the kitten will not hurt or use its claws or teeth.
Interesting read: all the information about British cats.
scratching post
Sharpening claws is not a whim, but a necessity. In the process, the cat manages to relax, hone its skills in retracting and releasing the plates, and also remove excess layers of tissue. If your pet does not have a scratching post, he will begin to damage furniture and walls.
The main mistake owners make when training is choosing the wrong scratching post. It should match the pet's preferences. Observe your ward: some companions like vertical surfaces, others like horizontal ones, and others like inclined plates. Large cats need fairly high posts. Some animals prefer special furniture pads.
If a bad habit has already taken hold, you can cover the kitten’s favorite surfaces with foil to make them less attractive; personal presence is required as the pet may swallow the packaging
In order for the kitten to understand what he needs to do, you should carefully take him by the front paws and place them on the scratching post. Most often this is enough. If your baby has a negative attitude towards touch, you can show him a personal example and scratch your fingers on the surface. Spray is allowed.
Praise and Punishment
Anyone who has wondered how to raise a cat has wondered how to properly use rewards and how to punish in case of inappropriate behavior of their pet. Incentives can be of several types:
- stroking the cat;
- treat;
- games;
- verbal praise
- weasel.
For an adult cat, punishment and reward are the most effective way to train. The animal must also be punished correctly. Physical violence must be completely excluded. You can show the swing with a newspaper or magazine, but not execute it. You should not do this with your hands or your palms.
The punishment should not be delayed, so the cat will not understand why exactly it was done. Inevitability should also be an important principle. If a cat is stealing, it is necessary to punish for each episode, and not selectively. Only in this way can a disobedient animal be corrected and such behavior prevented in the future.
Is it possible to hit a kitten?
You cannot hit a kitten or an adult cat. Such actions can lead to the opposite effect; the cat will try to take revenge. This is especially noticeable with some breeds. Violence and physical force destroys contact with the animal. A stern voice is the best substitute for brute force.
Sphinx
Beautiful hairless cats, Sphyns, are considered one of the most affectionate pets. Their love and patience for their owner and other inhabitants of the house knows no bounds.
Sphinxes are very kind and friendly. They can spend hours on end cuddling, playing and simply spending time together with people dear to him. Hairless cats will definitely try to get to know strangers and will not run away or hide.
Attention! Sphynxes are ready to tolerate all the antics of children, allowing them to stroke, squeeze and carry them in their arms. If little naughty creatures cross the border, they will prefer to call their owner for help by meowing.
Sphynxes not only make friends and play with other animals. The cat can take on the role of a teacher and leader and will keep order in the house.
How to correct parenting mistakes
If an animal comes into your home with already formed character, habits, and skills that require certain corrections, you need to be patient.
This is a difficult but completely doable task. For an adult cat, there are other tips that differ from raising small kittens. If the animal is not accustomed to visiting the litter box, the procedure is the same as for kittens. Temporarily isolating him in an empty room with a toilet, food, and a place to sleep will help. If a cat exhibits aggressive behavior, it will be effective to show him affection and tenderness. This way the animal will understand that nothing threatens it in the new place. This can happen to animals that have been abused in their old place or street animals that have lived most of their lives in stress.
The pet chews or spoils things
Those places that are attacked by animals can be treated with citrus extracts. Such smells repel the cat. You can use a loud voice or the word “DON’T.” Usually this method brings a positive change several times.
Sharpens claws in inappropriate places
A scratching post can help in this matter. This may take up to several months. To speed up the habituation process, this cat accessory is treated with special substances that can be found in pet supply stores.
Material on the topic: popular colors of the Scottish cat breed.
Marks corners in the apartment
The first step is to remove all the smell that was marked. A vinegar solution can handle this. If upholstered furniture suffers from these actions, you can use laundry soap. You can purchase ready-made special formulations that can cope with this problem. If this happens to a horizontal surface, you can place a piece of foil on it. This will scare away the animal, and the desire to mark corners will disappear.
FAQ
How to stop a kitten from scratching and biting?
In such a situation, you should not tease or frighten the animal. The cat does this if the previous education was carried out incorrectly or was completely absent. Gradually, the cat needs to be retrained to new rules of behavior, stopping attempts to play in this way. The main condition is the complete absence of aggression towards the disobedient pet.
