Of course, gentle handling, coupled with petting, food treats, and games are in order. If you have children, they will naturally be very excited about the arrival of a new kitten. As such, be sure to keep all cleaning products in a locked cabinet. Socialize Your Kitten. Get her used to strangers but be careful that they don't scare or overwhelm her with a strong show of affection. Kittens should learn that strangers are benevolent and often come bearing gifts. advertisement. Well, In this article you'll learn How To Raise a Kitten To Be Affectionate. Slightly similar to giving your Kitten attention but this is more interactive play. Health and Care . Give her lots of love and reassurance and pet her gently, talking to her in a soft, calm voice. Thus, when selecting a new kitten, it is important to obtain an honest account of the behavior of the kittens close relatives before making a commitment. Temperament Starts In The Womb (Photo Credit: Shutterstock) It may be hard to believe, but factors that affect a kittens personality begin while theyre still in the mothers womb! It is not enough to protect the kitten against unwelcome advances; there have to be positive learning experiences, too. Set aside a few hours every day to devote to training and socializing your kitten, and remember that this may need to go on for weeks or even longer. Get your kitten checked within a week of bringing it home and see if it needs any medication or shots. Cats of all ages enjoy pleasant pampering sessions. Once your new cat gets comfortable with your touch, go ahead and start petting them. Make time to play at least 15 minutes with your kitten every day. The same technique works to alleviate potential mistrust of other cats, though any cat engaged in such socialization with your kitten must be healthy, vaccinated, and well behaved, or the mission can backfire. If she eats the treat, roll another one toward her. This is how they learn that some acts can have consequences; for example, in the case of 3. The first class typically happens without kittens present and is an opportunity for people to learn about how to raise If possible, start when your kitten is around 6 weeks old. Learn How to Introduce a Kitten to a Cat. The one thing that every new kitten owner dreams of is having their kitten grow up to become an adoring, confident, people-friendly cat; just like a good old-fashioned Maine Coon that dotes on its human family, loves all visitors, and is long-suffering to a fault (even when besieged by young children). Dont worry this is totally normal. And, if the worst comes to worse, even a cantankerous anti-social older cat can be turned around to some extent if the right approach is used. If you, the kittens new owner, are able to bring all these components together then you will achieve your dream cat. Find out more! Kittens can start kitten kindergarten between 8 and 13 weeks old. Invest in a pet tag, collar, bed, food dish and water bowl before you bring your kitten 2020 Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. Anyone who hears advice like, If your cats nervous around children, bring him to kids party, or If your cat doesnt like people, take him to the shopping mall and hell meet thousands in one afternoon, must know, right off the bat, that this approach will not work. Unfortunately, once this behavior is established it is difficult to break and the likelihood is the kitten will grow into an anti social cat. They may not be the best mousers on the block, but they stand a better chance of being well-behaved than a single kitten who is hand-raised. Raising a kitten properly can be a time-consuming processa labor of love, if you will. Between 4 and 8 months of age, if there is time and capacity and if the kitten is showing meaningful signs of social behavior, the decision may be made to place the kitten in a foster home for socialization and eventual adoption. Signs that your kitten may be suffering from separation anxiety include seeming stressed by you going out. Less Producing the purrfect cat is not a question of nature or nurture, its both. Make this a habit, and youll have a cuddly kitten in no time. Handle the kitten regularly. The kittens natural mom gives a lot of attention to her kittens but has certain expectations and sets limits. All Rights Reserved. One of the first maxims of medicine should be the first motto of raising a new kitten. The optimal way for a young kitten to be raised is within a family unit, in the kitchen or living room so that it spends its time with the family and exposed to the comings and goings of a normal home. One tip that helps prevent kittens from becoming overly cowed is to direct rather than correct unwanted behaviors. Thus they will be more than happy if they are the one and only cat in your resident. Go to a shelter, and hang out with the cats. Begin litter training by placing your kitten in the box after meals or right after waking and gently simulate digging with the kittens paws. When you first bring your new buddy home, they may act a little shy. You can teach an old cat new tricks it just takes longer. To make sure your kitten has an outlet for behaviors like chasing and pouncing, give it toys such as small stuffed animals or scrunched up balls of paper. Mix the scents by stroking first your resident cat, then the kitten, without washing your hands, and vice versa. Trademarks owned by Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. As used herein, denotes registered trademark status in the U.S. only; registration status in other geographies may be different. A kitten who already received the benefits of early socialization will almost certainly be easier to raise into a friendly, outgoing adult cat. Socially acceptable behavior, a.k.a. Its easy to tell if a kitten has good social skills. Community Animals Welfare Society, a volunteer-based nonprofit organization, has a strictly enforced policy that requires all kittens to be adopted in pairs. You can easily teach your kitten to tolerate short absences by leaving her in a room, closing the door and walking away. Judgment is involved in selecting the right breed and individual, because genetics plays an important role in determining temperament and behavior. This is the age when they start to differentiate cat vocalizations and jump into social play. Your kittens sense of balance will improve during this stage of life. Heres what youll need to do. Tips on dealing with separation anxiety include limiting the time you leave your kitten alone as much as you possibly can and trying not to make a big "production" out of leaving the house. The older the kitten is, the longer the process may take. Many cats are frightened as adults and hide when visitors come over because they were only exposed to a limited number of people outside of their family during their socialization period. Not by chance, thats for sure. Use the following tips to help raise a cute and cuddly family member. When your kitten first arrives home with you, remember it can all be a bit overwhelming for her. A good shelter or adoption center should have times when the cats are roaming around, and even if they don't, they're sure to let you play with the cat anyways. Dec 10, 2018 - Do you want your Kitten to become a cuddle bug? But with your help, your kitten can instead grow up to be a trusting, loving, well-adjusted cat. You can still likely raise an outgoing cat if you invest a little extra time. You'll want your kitten to become a cat that relates well to people and is a friend and companion. Some kitties are perfectly satisfied being near to people but prefer not to be touched, picked up, or handled. Introduce your new kitten to other pets gradually and one at a time. During the introduction, separate the pets at any sign of aggression. Kittens learn by playing. Your cat will start to associate being with you as fun. To prevent these problems, and to encourage the general well-being of the kitten, MEOW has adopted a policy of not placing any single kitten under the age of six months into a home without another kitten or young cat. They are the responsibility of any new kitten owner who wishes to end up with the adult cat of their dreams. Keep your kittens litter box clean as cats do not like to use filthy boxes. Handle Your Kitten Every Day. Playing is also a great way to socialize your kitten and form a bond with her early on in your relationship. If you are wondering how to raise a kitten into a cuddly adult cat respecting its independence is the right way. Good judgment, a proper understanding of the issues, and proper management are all involved. Be affectionate with your cat. Trust so garnered can be reinforced, as the kitten gets older, by implementing a slightly less rigorous, yet systematic, exposure of it to strangers under a myriad of different circumstances. After a few minutes, go back in but don't greet her. Separation anxiety, previously only recognized in dogs, is now acknowledged to occur in cats. Here Working to raise a kitten is challenging, especially if this your All this can be achieved. Felines are curious by nature. Play with the kitten every day. Delicious roasted chicken and rice in a mouthwatering sauce. How to Turn Your Cat Into a Lap Cat. Some breeds and breed lines seem to contain a higher proportion of skittish, overly anxious individuals than others. The challenge to the young cat can be incrementally increased over the ensuing weeks to include an eclectic bunch of strangers: short people, tall people, people with high voices, people with deep voices, etc. 4. People come in all different shapes and sizes and your kitten should have the opportunity to encounter them all. 2. For that reason, you may want to consider adopting a cat who already has a good base of social skills. The bad news is, she's now so attached to you, she won't like it when you go out. Unlike dogs, cats are relatively solitary and do not gush love onto their owners or guardians. When it comes to cats grooming is a social thing they enjoy grooming themselves and enjoy grooming each other. Precisely balanced nutrition with the delicious taste of savory minced ocean fish to help fuel the energy needs of cats during the prime of their life. It's also a good idea to warn the children that she may scratch or play-bite. This way, during an early period of the kittens development, it will achieve optimal socialization learning experiences. About our Ads. Pet them. If the kitten is already older than 8 weeks and not used to people, they are likely to behave like a feral or "wild" kitten. Learn how to train your kitten how to obey your commands without resorting to punishments with our obedience training tips. Gently toss or roll a treat to your cat and see how your scaredy cat reacts. If you're raising a whole litter of kittens rather than just one lone little one, the entire gang will do a fairly good job of teaching each other social skills and boundaries. Rememberthe younger the kitten is when you start socializing her, the higher your chances will probably be of raising a sweet and relaxed kitten. 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