Training Kittens

Training kittens isn't quite the same as training a dog, but there are some basic trainings that can benefit most house cats.

The great thing about kittens is that they come litter trained. It is an instinct in cats to bury their waste, so all you have to do is show your kitten the litterbox, and he'll catch on very quickly.

That said, you may have to occasionally discourage your kitten from finding alternatives to the litterbox. Sometimes kittens just don't understand that the potted ficus isn't an appropriate substitution if they don't feel like going all that way to the official box. Cover inappropriate places with tinfoil if you discover kitty is using them for a litter box. Cats hate how tinfoil feels on their paws, and they'll soon learn to keep out of the area. You can remove the foil later once your kittens good litter habits become ingrained.

All cats scratch. You can't completely stop them from scratching, but you can discourage them from scratching inappropriately. Cats scratch as a way to exercise their back and shoulder muscles and shed the old sheathes from their claws. So, your mission is to give your cat something he can scratch on and discourage him from scratching things you don't want him to rip up such as sofas, chairs and perhaps even your leg.

Cats can be trained not to scratch the furniture, but you have to start immediately and be consistent in your training. One of the best tools for training kittens is a spray bottle that can be set to stream. Keep it filled with water, and give your kitten a squirt if he starts scratching the sofa. Cats don't like getting wet, but it doesn't hurt them a bit. They soon begin to associate scratching the sofa with getting wet, and they will soon stop scratching.

Provide your kitten a with a good cat scratching post. This should be tall enough that a grown cat can stand up tall and scratch without the post toppling over. You can even make your own. Wrap a 4x4 wooden post securely with rope or sisal, and attach it to a wide base. Cats love the feel of rope.

Kittens will play-fight with one another and also with you if you allow it. Of course, cats have a nice coat of fur, so claws and teeth make little impression. However, people are bare-skinned and can feel sharp little kitten teeth, so it's important to train your kitten not to bite and scratch people, even in play.

Some cat enthusiasts are prone to "rough-house" with kittens because they think it's cute to see a tiny scrap of a kitten attack a hand hand. What they don't realize is that they're actually training kittens to perform inappropriate behaviour. What may be adorable in a four ounce kitten is less adorable in a fifteen pound cat, so don't encourage rough play with people, or you'll have a confused cat when he grows up and suddenly no one wants to play-fight with him any more.

If the peaceful little kitten in your lap suddenly decides to grab your hand and begin gnawing on it, gently set him on the floor and quit giving him any attention. If he persists and want to jump back up and mouth your hand again, have your squirt bottle ready to discourage the unwanted behavior.

Kittenhood is the time to accustom your cat to regular grooming. Cats that aren't brushed as babies aren't usually willing to allow grooming as adults, and it can be a struggle to make an unwilling cat hold still for brushing. Daily brushing will be required when he grows up, especially if he has long hair, so begin brushing him during kittenhood. Use a softer brush than you might use on an adult cat, and brush softly while he's sitting in your lap. He'll soon learn associate brushing with pleasant attention. This is one of the most enjoyable tasks of training kittens.

After brushing your kitten, gently handle with his paws. You will want to trim his nails when he gets older, so accustom him to having his paws handled by you when he's very young. This will make the task much easier later. If you hold the paw between your thumb and forefinger and gently press on a toe, this forces the retracted claw to extend. You will need to extend the claws when you trim nails, so train your kitten to accept this procedure when he's young. If his claws are needle-sharp (and kittens' claws often are), you can snip just the pointy tip off. Only snip the white or clear part of the claw and don't snip back into the "quick" because this will hurt, and the nail may even bleed.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, training kittens is very possible if you begin training them when they are young. Always be consistent with your expectations, and your kitten will grow up to be a well-behaved and civilized housepet.

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• Category:Caring for Kittens
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• Cat Behavior