Training A Kitten

No doubt about it, kittens are one of the most adorable creatures on the planet! However, they can lose their cuteness when they start running around the house tearing up your carpets and furniture, then using other parts of your house as their bathroom. Kittens need to be trained to become the adult cats you want them to be.

All kittens need to have exercise. Be sure your kitten has plenty of toys to kick, bite and chase after. Never let your kitten use you as their play toy like biting and pouncing on you. It may seem cute at first, however when they are adults and do the same thing, what was once cute is now painful.

Even though most kittens are taught how to use the litter box from their mothers, you need to reinforce it with training them yourself. Your kitten’s litter box should be large enough for them to go in and move around. Kittens and cats normally want to use a litter box after eating or a nap. So once your kitten is done with their meal, play with them for about 15 minutes, then take them to their litter box. Lead them into the box, then gently move the litter around with your finger to intrigue them. Once your kitten is inside the box, encourage them by speaking to them softly using gentle tones. Make your kitten feel that their litter box is a comfortable and secure place for them to be. Whether your kitten uses the litter or not, use the same soft voice and gentle tone. After a while, your kitten will start using the litter box on their own. Remember, be patient and consistent.

Kitten claws are not as sharp as adult cat claws, so your kitten isn’t as dangerous to your carpet and furniture as an adult cat would be. However, kittens become cats, so now is the best time to teach them that a scratching post is where they sharpen their claws and not your carpets or furniture. You may want to sprinkle a small amount of catnip on the scratching post to get your kitten interested. Once you see your kitten sharpening their claws on the scratching post, praise them and give them a treat.

Praising kittens and rewarding them for doing a good job helps in teaching them the right way to behave when in the house. Remember to always keep your voice soft and use gentle tones, never scream or shout or hit your kitten. These actions will only result in your kitten having bad behavior and will grow up to be a cat with very negative behavior. In addition, by constantly screaming at your cat or hitting them, they will start to view you in a negative manner. This could result in your cat avoiding you, hiding from you and even biting you.

Kittens are very lovable animals and when you spend time every day training them, they will grow up to be lovable, well mannered and well trained cats.