Caring for a kitten. How a cat takes care of kittens. How to choose the right cat

Where to start raising a child?

An animal must know its place. For an apartment cat, this concept includes such aspects as:

the ability to relieve need in a tray intended for this purpose (and only there);
willingness to respond to one's own name;
no habit of begging or stealing food.

The listed skills should begin to be instilled in the baby as soon as he is taken to a new home. At 3 months (and it is at this age that kittens are best separated from their mother) the animal is quite capable of mastering the simplest rules of behavior. The main thing is to know how to explain your requirements to your pet.

Tray training

The kitten learns the habit of urinating and defecating in a designated place from its mother, so you need to check with the breeder how the toilet was organized in the baby’s home. Using the same tray and filler, you can greatly simplify your pet’s adaptation to new conditions.

The tray is clean, but the animal still leaves piles and puddles everywhere? It is worth looking for another place for the toilet. You can move the tray to a corner that your cat especially likes and, just to be sure, put a piece of paper in it, blotting one of the puddles your pet previously made with it. The smell of your own urine will help the kitten orientate itself.

You should praise the animal when it relieves itself where it is supposed to, but you should not scold it for peeing in other places. Moreover, you should not “raise” your pet by poking the baby’s nose into his own excrement. This tactic will give the cat the impression that he is being punished for the act of defecation itself. Should we then be surprised to find piles in very hidden places, for example behind cabinets and under sofas?

You will have to be patient, and instead of punishments, use special sprays (“Antigadin”, “Mr. Frech”, “Shitting? No!”, “STOP the problem. Doesn’t shit, doesn’t mark”, etc.). The smell of such products will make the cat feel uncomfortable. The spray is applied to surfaces that arouse the pet's interest until he gives up the intention to defecate on them. A similar effect can be achieved by rubbing freshly washed surfaces with citrus zest, whose aroma is also unpleasant for pets.

Calmness and patience will help teach the kitten any necessary skills, for example, the ability to respond to the nickname chosen for it. When performing any actions with a kitten, be it playing, feeding or other types of care, you need to repeat its name over and over again in a gentle voice so that it is imprinted in the baby’s mind and is remembered by him as an invitation to something pleasant.

To achieve success faster, you need to choose a nickname for your pet that will be easy for him to understand. It is better to give preference to a short name (no more than two syllables), and let it contain more hissing and whistling sounds that are attractive to cats: Ksyusha, Vaska, Roxy, etc.

From the very first days, you should accustom the kitten to feeding by the hour and strictly in the designated place. This will help you avoid begging and stealing food in the future. Having prepared a balanced diet for the pet in advance, strictly following the developed plan and showing inflexibility and strength of character in this matter, the owner will not leave the baby a chance to grow up to be a manipulator and picky.

What to feed cats? What should you not give?

Don't skimp on food. You won't eat just potatoes, will you? Economy class feed has approximately the same nutritional value. You can talk about it if the food costs from 400 rubles per kilogram. Shelter employees who collaborate with Teddy Food choose this particular category of food so as not to spend large sums on treating animals for gastrointestinal problems.

Cats don't get tired of crunching on the same food all their lives. In nature, they feed on the same mice and birds and are happy with this state of affairs. If you want to diversify your cat's menu, add wet food of the same brand as dry food.

Adult cats do not digest lactose, which is contained in milk, so it is useless to treat the animal with it. You also need to give up fish - it does more harm than good.

Don't forget clean filtered water. It should always be in a bowl.

Did she get dirty in something?
Is she participating in the exhibition?
Is she old or sick and can’t lick herself?

If you answered no to each point, leave the idea. This will be better for the cat and for you.

You can and should clean your ears if ticks have settled in them. In other cases, you should not touch them. Teeth need to be brushed if tartar appears on them. This can only be done in a veterinary clinic.

Even if the cat is domestic, it is not immune from fleas. If they appear, you need to apply anti-flea drops to the withers and treat the animal with an anthelmintic drug. Even a healthy cat needs to be given an anti-worming tablet every year - two weeks before vaccination.

It doesn’t matter how you got your cat—you got it from friends, came from a cattery, or you found it on the street. The first step is to show the animal to a veterinarian. Even if the owner of the cattery assures that everything is fine with the cat, it is better to verify this personally. What can we say about someone who had a difficult life before meeting you.

Your cat needs to be vaccinated once a year.

Yes, your pet is exclusively domestic and does not roam anywhere. But you have no idea how insidious viruses are.

If you did not buy an animal for breeding, castrate it. After this, your pet will begin a completely carefree life.

Drops and tablets that suppress sexual desire cause inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system. In the worst case scenario, cancer. It is not recommended to give them to animals.

Caring for kittens in the first minutes of life

The kitten is born covered in mucus and wet. First of all, the mother carefully and hastily licks it, thereby stimulating breathing and blood circulation, and encourages the kitten to move. In addition, the tongue is an excellent massager; using the tongue correctly, the cat improves and facilitates the digestion process in the kitten’s tummy.

We suggest you read: Spider bite - photos, symptoms, what to do if you are bitten by spiders

Immediately after giving birth, the strongest maternal instinct awakens in a cat - protecting her children, the mother is ready to fight with any enemy, even if he is several times larger than her. In the first hours after lambing, she may react inadequately even to her beloved owner, but after a short time this should pass.

How to raise an affectionate cat?

The owner’s main task is to maintain a balance: the baby needs to be given enough attention, without ignoring his desire to play and communicate, but at the same time, not to violate the boundaries of his personal space. It is necessary to equip the apartment with a “shelter” - a place where the cat can go to rest at any time and where no one will touch him. The animal must feel safe and learn to interact in a friendly, non-aggressive manner with its owner and his family members.

Raising a kitten involves, first of all, establishing a warm, trusting relationship between the animal and its owner. The easiest way to establish such a connection is during active games.

Cats are natural hunters, so it is not surprising that even during children's romp they try to imitate predatory behavior. At this point, it is important to set boundaries by showing that biting and claw pulling are not acceptable. Animals are excellent at recognizing intonation. By immediately stopping the game and speaking to the kitten in a stern tone, they make it clear to him that such behavior is unacceptable.

Of course, in any case, the kitten will remain a predator that needs to practice its hunting skills. In cramped home conditions, he will need special toys for this. Balls, feathers and mice made from environmentally friendly, safe materials are sold in any pet store. You can make gaming equipment yourself.

Of course, the baby will be happy to train on candy wrappers, balls of wool, and even the owner’s limbs. Pets should be weaned off the latter immediately, especially since it is unacceptable to tease and provoke the animal to attack on purpose. A fun game will quickly turn into an unpleasant and traumatic activity, as soon as the little fluffy ball grows up a little.

Trying to convey to the animal the idea that a person is not prey, the owner must ensure that the cat develops a respectful attitude towards all family members. This is especially true if there are small children in the house.

We invite you to read: Why cats bring their prey to their owners

Any attempts by the pet to attack must be stopped immediately. Shouts, claps and other sharp sudden sounds, stomping feet, threatening hissing, spraying with water from a spray bottle - anything that can bring down his hunting mood and show who is boss in the house is suitable. If a kitten at the age of 2-3 months does not learn that it is forbidden to rush at people, then trying to explain this to an adult animal will be useless.

Maternal behavior of cats and deviations from normal behavior

Magazine "Cats Info" 2020

Many cat owners, at some point in their lives, along with these most graceful creatures, decide to have their pet become a mother, and funny, noisy furry babies to live in the house for a while. There are many reasons for this decision: someone wants to seriously engage in breeding and improving their favorite breed, someone just wants to allow their cat to have kittens one or more times, someone decides to do genetic work to breed a new breed, but the result is the same: in the house offspring appears.

If the cat does not have any health problems, then giving birth and further feeding and raising kittens does not require any effort from the owner and does not cause much concern.

It is advisable to prepare a place for the cat, a nest, a few days before giving birth, where she can give birth and then feed the kittens. The cat must get used to the new object, understand what it is for, make sure it is safe and can be used for such an important matter as giving birth and raising offspring. Often such a place is boxes or drawers, at the bottom of which are placed rags and a diaper. Now special houses for cats have begun to be sold that will last for many years, so there is a wide choice. The main thing is that the nest should be in a quiet place, away from drafts, and not on the aisle. It should always be dry and clean inside; for this you can simply change the diapers once or twice a day. The cat needs to have a tray, water and food placed next to the house so that she can leave quietly without fear for the kittens. The cat will do the rest on its own.

Sometimes cats ignore the nests prepared by the owner and choose a place for birth themselves: in linen drawers, behind sofas, inside closets, etc., mainly in dark places. In this case, the kittens will need to be moved to a nest built by the owner, calmed down, given a treat, and shown that it is much better and calmer here. It is better to immediately treat the birth site: wash and spray with some repellent, strong agents: cologne, wipe with alcohol or special products sold in a pet store. And, of course, in addition to this, it would be good to block access to such places: close cabinets, limit passage behind a sofa, chair or bed using cardboard, rags, pillows or blankets. It is necessary to ensure that the cat and kittens cannot enter their favorite place or do not want to stay there because of the pungent odors.

Usually, such measures are enough - the cat remains in the nest prepared for it, and all problems end there.

Most cats prefer to be left alone during labor. The presence of the owner often increases the duration of labor and can even provoke deviations from its normal course. In this case, you need to watch the cat from a distance so that she does not see your interest, and you can always provide help if something suddenly goes wrong.

But there are also cats that absolutely cannot live without their owner - they will gladly accept your care and participation in such a delicate and complex process as childbirth. Most often, the owner is required to calm the cat, pet it, give it something to drink after the birth of each kitten, praise it, or even just be present. Your pet will do the rest itself.

After the birth of kittens, the owner only needs to change the bedding, bring fresh water, food, put a tray and leave the mother with her offspring in peace and quiet.

Immediately after birth, the cat intensively licks the kittens. This is not a simple hygiene procedure. By licking, the cat stimulates the kitten’s digestive system, blood circulation, breathing, heart, as well as intestinal function. Kittens themselves cannot empty their intestines; they need a strong massage, which will mechanically help the babies get rid of the original feces - meconium. In the future, the intestines will work independently.

Another interesting observation is that cats that give birth for the first time do not lick their babies as intensively and for as long as in subsequent births. This is connected not only and not so much with the cat’s experience, but with the production and accumulation of specific hormones. By licking newborn kittens, the cat licks the amniotic fluid, which contains substances that are beneficial to her and stimulates the maternal instinct.

There is a hypothesis that a cat, like other animals, licking kittens immediately after birth not only cleanses them, stimulates the work of all internal organs, but also leaves its mark. After all, the saliva of each animal is individual, and this is how a cat “marks” its kittens. If during this period you give her other kittens or even representatives of another species (puppies, rabbits, etc.), then the cat will perceive them as her cubs and will continue to raise them as kittens.

It was noticed that in nurseries where kittens were born to different cats at approximately the same time, the cats fed and raised all the babies together. This is also true for wild animals that form a stable pride.

In the first days, the cat practically does not leave her kittens, completely devoting herself to caring for them. During this period, you can only change the litter once a day, and only if there is a need for it. And it’s best not to touch the cat and kittens at first, give them time to establish their own relationships, strengthen family ties, recover and get stronger after a severe shock. The cat and kittens should not be disturbed until the babies are able to get out of the nest on their own.

If everything goes as nature intended, then the cat’s owners will not feel any big problems. However, there are cases when the behavior of the mother cat is not at all normal.

It happens that a cat neglects maternal responsibilities.

Sometimes cats abandon their kittens. This happens in a number of cases. Sometimes kittens are born with physiological problems, and, unlike their owners, the animal immediately senses this. Perhaps such kittens have a lower body temperature, which tells the mother about possible problems with the health of the newborn, and she switches her attention to healthier babies, following the law of natural selection. In this way, the health of the entire population is maintained.

There are known cases when the owners placed kittens abandoned by their mother cat with other cats or tried to feed them on their own. However, in most cases, such kittens still died. This indicates serious health problems that were diagnosed by the cat at birth.

However, refusal to feed cannot be attributed only to the possible pathology of the kitten. It is necessary to examine the cat itself and show it to the veterinarian. It is not uncommon for a cat to have a decrease in calcium in the blood during pregnancy and after birth (eclampsia), which leads to a deterioration in its physical condition. Especially after severe stress to the body - childbirth, the cat does not feel well. This can lead not only to a refusal to feed the cubs, but also to very serious health problems. If you do not provide timely assistance to the animal, a lack of calcium can lead to seizures, deterioration of the general condition and, without proper treatment, death or death of the cat. Treatment of eclampsia is quite simple - the administration of calcium supplements, however, the dose and frequency of taking the medication must be prescribed by a veterinarian.

A cat can refuse kittens if she has problems with her mammary glands: upon examination there should be no cracks, inflammation or pain when touched.

If an animal is very attached to its owner, it may abandon kittens to be close to a person. In this case, you need to return the cat to the nest and keep her close to the kittens so that she can establish a bond with the offspring. It is possible to consult with a veterinarian, who can prescribe a mild sedative that will not harm the kittens, but will calm the cat and return her to her children.

However, if, nevertheless, the cat does not return to kittens for one reason or another, it is necessary to find another nursing cat. Human-fed kittens have a very high risk of developing behavioral problems, which will only get worse with age. If this is not possible, then it is strongly recommended that they communicate with other cats or kittens from other litters. With such communication, kittens not only learn correct behavior, but also learn social norms of communication, nutrition, daily routine, managing their instincts and other “cat” wisdom.

Sometimes a cat may eat a kitten immediately after giving birth. A cat, eating the afterbirth and gnawing the umbilical cord, may get carried away and not notice the kitten. This is not real cannibalism, which is extremely rare in cats and indicates mental illness. Still, such cats should be excluded from breeding, since eating offspring is inherited.

The mother may accidentally kill the kitten by pinning it down. Most often, such cases occur in inexperienced cats who do not yet know how to communicate with kittens, do not understand and do not feel the geometry of their body, the kitten’s body, or the size of their nest.

Inexperienced cats may not lick the kittens clean enough, may not monitor them, the kittens may have been outside the nest for a long time, become hypothermic, and the mother does not warm her offspring. All this can lead to the death of babies. In this case, it is necessary to help the cat, to prevent the kittens from being dirty and with matted fur. Wipe the kittens with a damp, warm cloth and wipe them dry. It is important to provide warmth for the kids so that they do not leave their place for a long time. You can put a warm blanket and cover it with a diaper. Return the cat to the kittens more often, place the children close to the mother, hold the cat, reward her for staying in the nest with treats, affection, and often talk to the pet. It is necessary to show the cat that caring for offspring is good, very pleasant and correct; she must feel and understand that next to them there is peace, quiet and tranquility.

It is also necessary to say about maternal aggression. Mother's aggression can be directed at several objects. So, a cat can be very aggressive towards other cats, cats and other animals that are in the house, whom it has known for a long time and with which it usually communicates peacefully. The mother cat will hiss, growl threateningly, and even attack those animals that try to approach her nest and babies. This is explained by the fact that in nature, helpless kittens are often food for other predators, even cats. That is why, obeying instinct, a cat will protect its offspring, even if other animals do not pose any threat. In this case, it is necessary to isolate the cat and kittens so that no one can disturb her.

Even towards humans, some mothers show exactly the same aggression. At the same time, sometimes it doesn’t matter at all whether the cat has seen these people before, whether they are familiar to her or not. Of course, you shouldn’t let complete strangers near the nest if the cat perceives them very aggressively. But it is necessary to remember that kittens learn from their mother how to react to the outside world, learn from her the characteristics of behavior, aggression, affection, etc. This means that the socialization of domestic kittens should take place in the presence of people. A person must become part of a close circle of children; they must understand that they should not be afraid or attack people. Therefore, it is very important that the cat reacts calmly to the appearance of the owner, other family members and even strangers.

To achieve complete acceptance of people in such a difficult situation for a cat, it is necessary to make it clear to the cat that the presence of a person is completely safe for her and the kittens. To do this, you need to accustom the cat to the fact that the owner can appear within the mother’s visibility range and approach the nest. At first you can just sit close to the nest, then slowly approach the cat and kittens. At the same time, you need to talk to the cat kindly and quietly, offer it a treat, and try to pet it. It is necessary to feed the cat away from the kittens so that she calms down, relaxes and does not think that the owner poses a threat to her dear babies.

Socializing kittens is highly recommended. In this case, the mother cat can be kept on a harness or isolated while the owner communicates with the kittens. The owner must take the kittens in his arms, stroke them, accustom them to affection, talk, accustoming them to the sounds of a person’s voice, feed them if possible, warm them in their arms. It is very good when babies fall asleep in the arms of the owner and his family members.

It should be noted that a cat that exhibits strong postpartum aggression directed at humans must be removed from breeding and subsequently sterilized.

Most often, the first birth of a cat is very indicative. If the animal is healthy, and the first birth took place without serious problems and complications, then with a high percentage of probability we can say that the subsequent birth will not be very difficult. However, if the first birth was too difficult for the cat or led to any problems with physical and mental health, this is an important symptom that it may be better not to stress the animal again. Of course, such serious issues need to be discussed with a competent veterinarian who will examine the cat after birth and give recommendations for the further restoration of her body.

In any case, it is very important to constantly monitor the animal and its offspring. The owner's constant attention will ensure the safety of the cat and kittens, keep them healthy and help the mother cat raise wonderful successors of her kind to the delight of a caring owner.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Author of the article: felinologist Sokolova Yu. V. Author’s website: psychocats.ru

Attention! When copying an article in full or in part, you must provide an active link to the author’s website.

How a cat trains kittens

Cats are caring mothers; they always strive for the ideal. Likewise, they choose the place for feeding and raising their offspring with special care. Often females are not satisfied with the place where the birth took place and the cat takes the kittens to another place. There may be several reasons for this:

too cold or hot;
too light;
someone is constantly walking nearby, the movement of people in the vicinity is perceived as a threat to children;
the babies squeak, and the mother seems uncomfortable and uncomfortable;
the cat is frightened by some sharp sound;
the mother smelled an unpleasant odor;
The female has postpartum anxiety, hormonal imbalance.

Continuous dragging of kittens by a cat is dangerous - she can accidentally drop or hit the kitten, and its skeleton is still too weak. She can also grab the baby by the neck or stomach instead of the scruff, thereby causing injury. In this case, you should not take the cub away from her; at the sight of danger, the mother will simply clench her jaw harder and the kitten may die. That is why it is especially important to choose the most comfortable place for your pet - a quiet, dark and warm place to raise offspring.

As soon as the kids get a little stronger and get used to the new world, the cat begins to train them. Training begins with the simplest things - how to distinguish one’s friend from another’s, how to move, how to behave in different situations. Mom is an undeniable authority for kittens; it is from her example that they learn everything. By the fifth week of life, the cat teaches the kittens hygiene, to eat carefully and wash their faces after eating.

At the age of about a month, the mother begins to take the children for walks, and then teaches them to climb, jump and hunt. It is at this moment that babies are most often separated from their mother, although this is not entirely true. In order for the kitten to develop mentally and physically, it is worth leaving it under the care of its mother for at least two to three months. At the age of three months, babies are already fully trained in the rules of hygiene, behavior, and even know how to hunt a little.

The process of raising and raising kittens is a troublesome and time-consuming task. But any female copes with this task wonderfully thanks to her instincts. All that remains is not to interfere with her, to intervene only in the most extreme case - if the mother or baby is ill.

Caring for a new friend correctly: the most important aspects

When you get a furry pet, you must first let him get used to it. To do this, it is important to provide a quiet and calm environment, not make noise and in no case try to divert attention to yourself. The cat should be able to carefully examine every corner of the apartment and make sure that there is no danger lurking for it anywhere.

Some overly shy individuals can deliberately look for places that are difficult for people to reach, climb into them and hide for several hours. There is no need to try to get them out of there by force or lure them out by cunning. It is important to understand that cats by nature are very sociable animals. Over time, the feeling of fear will pass and the pet will definitely leave its shelter.

It may take several days for the cat to fully adapt to the apartment. During this time, you should not gather noisy companies at home. It is also not recommended to leave the baby alone for more than 2 hours. A child separated from his mother and left alone for a long time may experience real panic.

How to become an authority for a kitten?

A cat is not a pack animal, so building a relationship with it according to the classic hierarchical model, like with a dog, will not work. There is only one way to become an authority and a kind of leader for an animal: by showing it that obeying is beneficial. The pet must learn that a certain type of behavior is rewarded, while for other actions (attacking family members, damaging furniture, etc.) he will be scolded and punished, deprived of amenities and privileges.

What to feed cats? What should you not give?

Adult cats do not digest lactose, which is contained in milk, so it is useless to treat the animal with it. You also need to give up fish - it does more harm than good.

Don't forget clean filtered water. It should always be in a bowl.

Did she get dirty in something?
Is she participating in the exhibition?
Is she old or sick and can’t lick herself?

If you answered no to each point, leave the idea. This will be better for the cat and for you.

So, you bought yourself a smaller brother. Now all responsibility lies entirely with you. Animals such as cats and dogs are not as difficult to care for, but you still need to follow the rules.

Until three months, the kitten should exclusively feed on mother's milk. In the fourth week, you can already get used to milk, preferably cow's milk, because goat's milk is very fatty. You need to pour milk into a bottle, since the kitten will not be able to feed itself until it is 2 months old.

In a month and a half you can give grated cottage cheese, meat or vegetables. At 5-6 months, animals' teeth begin to change, so do not give solid food or hard toys. A kitten ceases to be small at the age of one year; it can already be honorably considered a cat. Remember that good nutrition is the most important thing. You shouldn't put cats on food, don't take risks. It has long been proven that food causes kidney stones and other diseases. This may not appear immediately, but then it will be too late to “run” to the veterinarian.

It should be from a month. Buy a tray at the store and fill it with a special mixture for cat litter, or you can start by laying down newspapers. The tray should always be in one place; you cannot drag it around the apartment. After each meal or sleep, the kitten should be picked up and placed in the litter box. Wait until he does all his work, and then praise him.

To prevent cats from chewing your things, you need to buy them toys or special scratching posts. There are also sprays that are unpleasant for cats. You can “nibble” a certain thing, after which the cat will no longer bite or scratch it.

Raising a cat is also not unimportant. First, take a closer look at the animal. Look at his temperament. You shouldn’t blame your cat for running around the house all the time or, on the contrary, lying down and sleeping. After all, everyone has their own character. Think of the animal as your friend, and he will thank you for it. There is no need to be nervous if the kitten walks and meows, try to find out what he wants. Maybe there is no water or your tummy hurts. Remember the world famous Kuklachev. How he managed to achieve harmony with his pets. But a cat is not a dog, it’s harder to teach it all sorts of tricks. Patience is the key to success.

Vaccination of animals. It is done in the first month of a kitten’s life, then after a month and a half, the next after changing teeth and the last one a year. These vaccinations help protect your cat from various serious diseases, for example: rhinotracheitis or calcivirus.

Do not forget to “expel” fleas and worms. For the former, you can buy a special collar or drops that drip onto the withers. The latter need to be “driven” once every 2 months. There are many anti-worm tablets, the only difference between them is the price and the manufacturer.

If the cat has become restless and is looking for a secluded and quiet place, it means that she will soon have kittens. Before giving birth, a cat instinctively chooses the most suitable place: dark - because babies are born blind, warm - because kittens are born wet and with short hair, quiet - sharp sounds can scare the kitten when it begins to hear.

How to train your pet not to damage furniture?

The need to sharpen their claws first appears in kittens at about six months of age. This is the best time to accustom your pet to a scratching post. You will have to buy several of these devices at once in order to place them throughout the apartment (preference should be given to places where the baby has already tried to sharpen his claws).

We suggest you read: How to trim cat and kitten claws correctly at home

If everything is done correctly, this will be enough to prevent the animal from wanting to damage the wallpaper and furniture. In case of failure, you will have to use tricks:

Get your pet interested in the scratching post by spraying it with catnip essential oil or a special product (“Ms. Kiss”, “Smart Spray. Accustoms it to the scratching post and places to play”). Praise your child when he uses the device as intended.
Isolate the cat from his favorite places where sharpening his claws is unacceptable. Cover the torn areas of the wallpaper with plastic panels, and cover the furniture with thick blankets. You can even not let the animal into the room where there is a sofa or chair that he particularly likes.
Stop unwanted behavior immediately. Having caught a cat “in flagrante delicto”, do not delay in raising it. It is important that the pet forms a clear associative connection and remembers exactly what actions entailed punishment.

Toys and other things for development and communication with a kitten

Don't forget about kitten toys. When buying toys, choose soft ones made from elastic materials. These can be balls, fur balls, mice and much more. The main thing is that the toy does not have small parts that the animal can tear off and accidentally swallow.

Don't forget, a cat is a predator, it needs to constantly play, hunt, tumble and climb. An active lifestyle allows the animal to be active and in good health. This is especially true for kittens, because in the process of play they develop their dexterity, flexibility and muscle activity. All this allows the kitten to grow and develop harmoniously.

To avoid trouble with damaged furniture, be sure to buy a scratching post. It is impossible to wean an animal from this; it is in its genes, because this is how they take care of their claws and grind them down. So just give your kitten a special place to sharpen his claws.

Is it possible to punish a kitten, in what cases and how to do it correctly?

Neither kids nor adult animals will tolerate humiliation and will express their protest in the only way available to them: disobedience. Using physical punishment for unacceptable behavior can achieve the opposite of the desired effect. How to organize the process of raising a kitten in order to convey your opinion to it, and not cause harm to the animal’s psyche?

Cats are sensitive to loud, unexpected noises. The trill of a whistle or a sharp clap of your hands will be an excellent signal for the animal: it is doing something wrong. You can reinforce the effect with a light physical impact - a stream of water from a spray bottle, a harmless click on the pet’s nose, or a slap with a rolled-up newspaper.

For kittens under six months of age, the completely ignored method works better. If your child has acted like a bully or has done something wrong in some other way, you need to show offence, refusing to play with him. This is enough for the animal to change its behavior strategy, seeking the owner’s attention.

Often, acts of disobedience on the part of a pet can be completely avoided with the help of preventative measures. Special sprays will teach the cat not to ignore the litter box, timely castration will teach the cat not to leave odorous marks in the corners, and a properly installed scratching post will prevent attacks on the furniture. Punishment should be resorted to only in exceptional cases, when the animal shows aggression or deliberately tears and spoils things.

Choosing a place for a kitten's toilet

Cats try to satisfy their natural needs in an intimate environment, and the place chosen for the toilet in the apartment must meet a number of requirements:

Availability. The kitten should be able to go to the litter box at any time.
Privacy. Animals do not like to be looked at while they are emptying their bowels or bladder.
Comfort. If the baby does not like the litter, then it is almost impossible to force him to go to the tray. It is recommended to take the pellets that were used by the breeder.

Familiar filler and a comfortable environment will allow the kitten to quickly get used to the new place.