Kittens don’t need to be trained like dogs, and it would be pretty tricky to do that, but it is useful nonetheless to establish some parameters for your new house guest.
Kittens can behave atrociously, and so you may end needing to lay down some ground rules even if you didn’t expect to. Here are some handy hints brought to you by Zoo Awesome:
- Try and designate a sleeping area for your kitten by buying them their bed or basket
- Reward good behavior and reprimand undesirable behavior. As with puppies and toddlers, it is all about clear boundaries and tons of patience
- Kittens don’t sit and plot lousy behavior (even if it seems like it!), they are merely learning the rules and testing them out
- Repetition is king, remember to be consistent and not weaken otherwise you will send your kitten mixed messages
- Kittens will quickly learn to use a designated litter tray, remember to keep it clean and clear of soiled cat litter because that can put the kitten off. Kittens are fastidious and don’t want to do the wrong thing in the wrong place. You can spray the litter tray with a proprietary spray such as Cat Attract to help encourage your kitten in the right direction
- Likewise, provide a scratching post that is just so much more tempting than your sofa. Your kitten is less likely to scratch you if you let them fulfill what that healthy and natural urge to scratch and flex their claws.
- Fighting is part of natural kitten behavior, and if you have a sole kitten on their own, then fighting with your hand or your ankles may be the next best thing. Try not to play with them using your hands as this will become very painful quite quickly. Use designated cat toys which the kitten can claw and chew quite safely
- Try and ignore nocturnal antics. It is quite reasonable for a kitten to be awake for some of the night and want to play and create a disturbance
- As with toddlers, bad behavior can be borne out of boredom or lack of stimulation so do remember to give your kitten enough affection and attention and some good uninterrupted playtime
- Bad or unwanted behavior can be discouraged quite quickly and harmlessly with a short squirt from a spray bottle of water. Remember, mother cats are pretty strict with their offspring and would not think twice about telling them off
- Manage play that is too rough by just walking away
- Kittens love to jump and climb, and they won’t distinguish the desirable from the undesirable. If your kitten accidentally falls onto some unwanted surface, remove it and put it back down on the floor. They will quickly learn which surfaces are not permitted.
Reasons Why Kittens Misbehave and How to Stop It
Cats love us and respect us, but sometimes, due to a lack of training, they follow bad behaviors that directly influence humans. We have to learn to avoid it.
Cats do not deserve the reputation of antichrists that they have but, sometimes, for not having received a correct and firm training, they can misbehave with us. The game, bedtime, or moments when you do not let them do what they want can be a cause of discomfort between the owner and his pets.
When they play, cats get aggressive
It does not happen to everyone, but sometimes it is their natural urge, and they cannot help it.
The game for your cat represents an extension of its hunting instinct. During the play, your pet shows its hiding, attacking, and predator skills. If they do not have furry companions to clear themselves, you will be the recipient, especially if your animal spends time alone.
The procedure of the game will be to start it quietly, but, as you get excited, you will lose your manners so it will bite and scratch you.
Solution: our animal needs to be entertained, but if it keeps biting and scratching, we will have to keep our body away and try to focus their attention on some toys.
Unprovoked attack
Sometimes, the owners or the people who visit them receive a bite or a blow without apparent reason. It may be attacking us because he feels cornered, for its territorial rights, because there is someone unfamiliar, some smell it has never experienced, and males usually do.
Solution: in such cases, you are scared, so it is good that you know that you are going to be exposed to a situation that makes you nervous so that you can prevent such behavior and protect yourself. You can give it pampering, add some delicious food, or give it its favorite toy.
Try to learn your cat to socialize from a very young age so that it will better support visits to your home. If the problem is acute, consult a specialist in cat behavior.
Your cat keeps scratching you
Our legs are a perfect mattress for our cat’s naps. There is nothing wrong or uncomfortable about it; what annoys some owners is the endless kneading they do before taking the desired posture. Before remedying it, know that this is an automatic action, your cat did the same thing as a child to stimulate its mother’s breast. Now that it is an adult, it means that it trusts you; it is a gesture of affection and means that your pet is at ease.
Solution: the only solution is that you remove it from your legs when it is doing it or sprinkle with a lemon scent that cats don’t like, but do you want to do that?
They steal food
Leaving your food is an unnecessary risk. Even if a cat is well fed, it will be able to attack this succulent prey when you are not around. After all, it is a hunter by nature, even though it doesn’t need to show its predatory skills at home.
Solution: do not leave delicious food around. Keep it out of reach from your furry friend.
Final Word
It is possible to train your kitten to do tricks; it’s a great way to engage with them and provides mental stimulation and distraction.
