What will you learn from the article?
- How to raise a kitten - tips Step one - litter box training
- Step two - learn to sharpen your claws
- Step three - wean off scratching and biting
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.
Education from the first days
It is important to know that kittens learn the basic rules of behavior up to 3 months.
- If the cat is older, nothing critical, it’s just that science comes to him much faster in infancy.
- However, it is wrong to tolerate bad behavior from an animal at any age.
- In order to instill good manners in your baby, it is important to keep an eye on him all the time.
- This will not take too much time, but at first you should not lose sight of the baby.
Don’t want your cat to tear the curtains and climb up your robe onto your shoulder, painfully scratching you with its claws? Stop such attempts immediately. Don't you like it when your upholstered furniture is turned into a scratching post? Are your plants increasingly leaving their places of residence and lying dug up on the floor? Don't like décor with torn wallpaper?
- This needs to be stopped immediately, and not when it’s ten o’clock, you come home from work and see cat innovations.
- The cat simply will not understand why the owner was so angry. And if he doesn’t understand, then he will simply classify you as inadequate and unpredictable.
- He won't know what to expect from you and then fear will set in. He will be afraid of you.
- And fear will turn a gentle, mischievous cat child into a downtrodden, nervous, aggressive creature.
By the way, if you told your little pet that you can’t tear up the sofa, but he touches this furniture again and again, it doesn’t mean that the cat is stubborn and trying to adjust you to it.
The fact is that the baby’s memory is not yet very developed, he forgets. How to behave correctly. And he needs to repeat this constantly. The kitten, like an ordinary baby, started playing and forgot.
You need to be patient for a long time.
When to start raising your baby at home
Raising a tame kitten at home should begin from the moment it arrives in the house. He doesn’t yet know how to behave in a new home, so he will need a lot of patience to adapt and learn the necessary norms of behavior.
Education is most successful up to six months, and before three months the foundations of behavior are laid. It is possible to properly raise an older animal, even from the street, but it will take much more time and patience.
A kitten is a child with fur and a tail, which means it needs to be treated as such
Anticipate events
An example: the owner is going to train the kitten to use the litter box. To do this, he bought an expensive, comfortable and beautiful tray, poured filler into it and even held the kitten three times until the “victory end”.
And then the owner comes home from work, and all the waste products of the pet are anywhere but in the tray. What does the owner do? Of course he punishes. And this seems quite natural to people.
- But the kitten is not a person, and for him it looks completely different. He was waiting for the owner, sincerely rejoiced at his arrival, ran to meet him, and he, instead of scratching behind his ear, began to scream, grabbed him, and even punished him. Next time the baby will be afraid of the owner's arrival. And later it will become completely uncontrollable.
- But what should be done? Just create conditions under which the baby doesn’t want to do anything dirty. Is the sofa tearing up? Spray the furniture with a special product that repels cats with its smell.
- There are some on sale now. Humans cannot smell this smell, but cats find it unpleasant. This type of spray is used to wean moustaches from relieving themselves in the wrong place.
If you can’t find such a product on sale, you can always use a sprayer for home flowers. You see that the kitten has approached the sofa and is aiming to clean its claws, so spray water on it. If you do this every time, very soon the baby will understand that there is no need to do this.
Moreover, it is important to remember that you cannot break your rules. You can’t prohibit a kitten from climbing on the table today and give up on it tomorrow. It’s impossible today, which means it’s impossible always.
Feeding
For cats, food is a resource that is distributed by the leader. With the help of food, you can demonstrate your own position in the hierarchical ladder. It is advisable to teach the kitten at least simple commands and practice them before feeding. This will create the impression that the baby not only received food, but deserved it. Developing patience is encouraged: you can fill the bowl and force the cat to sit near it until the permission command is given.
Clickers are often used as an aid in training cats and kittens.
It is strictly forbidden to give pets food from the table. This is associated not only with health hazards, but also with an increased risk of reinforcing the habit. Some cats start stealing food from the table. You should not allow your pet to manipulate itself in order to obtain treats or extra portions of food. You should feed according to a schedule or give your companion free access to food.
How to train to the tray
If the example of litter box training was given above, then it is worth understanding this issue in more detail. Moreover, visiting the toilet is one of the basic rules for a cat living with a person.
- If a kitten is taken from a conscientious breeder, then the baby, as a rule, has already learned to wear a diaper.
- If the kitten did not have a breeder, it is not difficult to train it yourself.
- To do this, disposable diapers are laid out throughout the room.
- Throughout the room so that the baby does not have to search for a long time or run to the right place when he needs it.
- And then you need to observe. Before making a puddle, the baby begins to worry - look for something, spin around himself.
- At this time, you need to quickly put him on a diaper (or immediately in the tray), and hold him there and stroke him.
- After the baby has done his business, he needs to be praised, you can even give him a treat.
It is important to remember not to grab the kitten when you see him looking for a place. And you can’t scream with delight after a successful visit to the tray either. Don't scare the child. Movements should not be panicky, but calm.
Everyone understands this, but, more often than not, it turns out the other way around - they grab the baby, drag him somewhere running, and as a result, the little kitten gets scared and is not going to do anything at all. Tolerates. It seems to him that making a puddle is something terrible, scary and he needs to postpone it.
- Endure until the last. That is why the picture is often observed - the owner definitely saw that the kitten was settling in, but in the tray he immediately lost all desire. And it’s not the baby himself who is to blame, but the owner.
- If the kitten has learned to wear a diaper, you need to gradually reduce the number of diapers laid out and move them to the place where the tray is located.
Later, all the parts of the diaper with the smell just need to be laid out in the tray. If the owner does not make mistakes, the kitten will quickly understand what is required of him.
Games
Games allow cats to realize their hunting instinct and throw out excess energy, which helps save property and repairs. Most pets prefer fishing rods with feathers and mice, but some like balls, bouncy posts, mazes and other accessories. When choosing, you should start from the preferences of your pet. Play sessions should be short but frequent. It is advisable to pay attention to your companion at least 2-3 times a day.
Interactive toys are suitable for those pet owners who are away from home for a long time
You cannot play with the kitten with your hands and feet. Later, an adult cat will do the same and can injure the household. The most dangerous games are those that the pet imposes on itself. For example, hunting for legs. Such activities should be stopped immediately. Feeding and play must be initiated by the owner, otherwise the pet may decide that it occupies the highest status in the hierarchical ladder.
How to raise a “good guy”
The toilet issue is not the only thing you should pay attention to. It is important for everyone to know how to raise a calm kitten. After all, you don’t want a monster to live inside your furry cutie. Plus, cat claws should not be underestimated.
In order for the pet to be calm and balanced, the owner himself needs to behave calmly, peacefully, and friendly.
How to raise a kitten to be tame? You cannot encourage or ignore moments when a kitten behaves incorrectly.
An example: A teacher retired and got herself a beautiful Russian Blue kitten. These kittens are incredibly cute. You really want to cuddle them, take them in your arms, caress them. And then the schoolchildren came to the teacher.
- Seeing the kitten, they began to stroke it, pick it up, scratch it behind the ear, and pass it from hand to hand.
- The kid, who had never seen such a crowd of people before, got scared and screamed heart-rendingly.
- The teacher immediately grabbed the baby, hugged him and calmed him down.
- And then she began to examine him to see if the children had broken his fragile bones. But everything worked out.
- With bones. But the kitten firmly understood that if you don’t like something, you need to scream with all your might.
- To this day, the big cat screams whenever he wants.
- And all because one day, by shouting, he achieved what he wanted. But it was necessary to simply rid the baby of a large crowd of people.
But how to raise an affectionate kitten? You need to make sure that he enjoys communicating with the person. To do this, from the first days you need to take the kitten in your arms, stroke it, scratch it behind the ear. But all a person’s movements should not be frightening, nervous, speech should not be loud and aggressive.
And then the baby will be drawn to the person, his touch will be pleasant to him. This is the answer to the question - how to raise an affectionate kitten.
Young children cannot always control the strength of their movements. Therefore, it is better for young children not to pick up kittens. You can have a great time playing with your cat, rolling balls, running around with a bow on a string, or come up with a new game that is safe for the animal.
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.
Raising a cat and a male cat
Many people ask: how to raise a kitten for a girl. Or, on the contrary, how to raise a boy kitten. There is no big difference in upbringing. Kittens of different sexes are accustomed to the tray, to hands, and to visits from guests in the same way.
- True, cats often show their “I”. In order to force a cat to do something, you need to gain his respect and firmly stand by your demand.
- Cats are serious guys. If you demand the same thing all the time, they give up. “Ah, so that’s what you wanted! Well, I understand! "
- Cats are much more cunning. They quickly understand what is required of them, but this does not mean that they will immediately rush to do it.
- The “girls” are smart enough to do everything to avoid commands. They will watch your attempts with naive eyes and stubbornly do their own thing.
With girls, when training or accustoming them to the rules of the hostel, you often need to resort to play. Only then will the beauty fulfill everything you demand.
Place to sleep
The cat must have its own territory. It allows the animal to feel safe and relieves stress associated with excessive attention from the owners. The best option is a spacious cage. It may well not be a prison, but a big house, if you gently accustom your pet to it. This needs to be done gradually and from childhood. You cannot force a kitten to be locked in a cage, otherwise negative associations will appear. The advantages of such a house are obvious: you can leave your pet in it without fear for repairs and the life of the baby.
Everyone has to decide for themselves whether to let a kitten on the bed; if the animal does not walk outside, it is relatively safe, but you will have to put up with the pet’s shedding
Most often, kittens do not have to be accustomed to standard houses, beds and play trees. Animals like such shelters, so they occupy them on their own. It is important to choose a house that the kitten will like. Some pets prefer to watch what is happening from above, while others require a confined space. If the kitten does not want to relax in the house, you need to move toys there to attract the baby’s attention. You can use a special spray.
Photo instructions for raising a kitten
Punishment
You can punish a kitten either by redistributing resources or by doing it like a cat. The first method involves ignoring the pet. It is perceived by the most sociable animals. For example, during the game the cat bit you. At this moment, you should stop having fun and go about your business. This way you will let the kitten understand that you will only play by your own rules.
The spray can be used if a teenager with a tendency towards dominant behavior shows open aggression
The second method is close to natural. It is suitable for teenage kittens who actively demonstrate their disagreement and are trying to achieve a higher status. The animal must be grabbed by the withers and pressed to the floor. This should be done carefully to avoid injury. The cat is held until it stops resisting and meowing. If you let your pet go too early, he will think he has won. This is a rather harsh method: in the process, you point the animal to its place in the pack. It is not used on cats that show submission.
It is forbidden to hit kittens or shout at them. This will only cause increased stress in the animal and undermine the relationship with the owner. After such punishments, in most cases the problems only get worse.
Walks
In general, cats do not need walks, but if you wish, you can use a harness for control and take your pet outside if there is a fenced area. An animal that has never been outside the house may react warily and remain in one place or run back and forth. This is fine. Take your time and be patient, allowing the cat to explore the surroundings and get used to the environment.
You should not try to stir up your pet. A kitten is not a puppy. The latter love active pastime. Cats prefer to quietly bask in the sun's rays and watch what is happening around them. It is strictly forbidden to let an animal go outside without supervision and control. Cats obey less well than dogs, so if they are frightened, even in the personal presence of the owner, they can run away and get lost. On the street, a pet can get hit by a car, become a victim of dogs, freeze, die from hunger, or contract an infection.
Possible difficulties
Cats understand the degree of intimacy of a relationship. So that the animal does not feel lonely and unwanted, it is necessary to play with it from childhood, finding 15 minutes for this in the morning and evening. In this case, it is advisable to ensure that the playing time takes place at the same time every day. This will teach the kitten to a certain routine when he can ask for attention.
You cannot play with an animal using your hands or feet instead of toys. You cannot tease an animal, considering it harmless games: it is precisely such “training methods” that turn a kind and smart kitten into an angry and aggressive one. You can’t pull its fur or pinch it: this causes pain, and therefore the animal can respond in kind.
If play becomes aggressive, it must be stopped by moving the pet to another room and allowing it to calm down. If it doesn’t reach him right away, then over time this measure will take effect. You cannot allow your cat to think that such behavior is worthy of a reward or at least some attention. Take your pet to another room and make a remark in a stern voice.
When cats are not indifferent to the curtains (for example, they spoil them, gnaw and tear them with their claws), you can try spraying the pets with water from a small spray bottle. This helps other individuals: in the future they try not to repeat this. If an animal has made it a rule to mark its territory, the marking areas should be treated with a solution of essential oil with citrus. In most cases, this discourages such hunting.
There are times when a cat does not recognize the authority of its owner. This is explained by the fact that since childhood the baby slept with a person in the same bed. It is in the bed that a large concentration of odor accumulates, and therefore, from childhood, the kitten considers itself an equal to its owner. With age, he may consider himself the dominant member of the family or its leader. Re-educating such cats is difficult, and sometimes even impossible.
To prevent him from shitting in different places, the tray must be cleaned every time the animal visits it (it is especially important to immediately get rid of excrement). You can’t push a cat away with your foot if he’s hanging around, you can’t scold him for something that’s not his fault.
The reason for screaming should never be the owner’s bad mood. Teach your cat to care, and over time he will learn to take pity on you, purring next to you and calming you by rubbing his face against your cheek or hands.
You can learn how to stop a cat from tearing up the sofa and wallpaper by watching the video below.
