Everyone loves kittens. They are cute, energetic, soft to hold and generally delightful beings. However, a period of adjustment will be required after bringing the new kitten home, whether or not one has other pets. It needs to get used to a routine, to respond to his or her name, to learn where to scratch, go to the bathroom and eat. It also needs to know when it can play and where it can sleep. With a little preparation, time and patience, the kitten will soon become an enjoyable part of the household!
A Kitten's Healthiest Environment
If the kitten is born to its owner, it's the best situation as then one has control right from birth over its home environment. Most kittens that are not pure bred head to their owners around nine weeks of age. Pure bred, it can be as late as thirteen weeks. Ideally, the kitten should be exposed to a variety of people, animals and situations as soon as possible to make it confident and fearless. If it becomes timid due to being frightened early in life, it is usually difficult to change its temperament later on.
Play music, run the vacuum or coffee grinder, invite cat-friendly dogs over, allow it to interact with children and generally create an environment that is as naturalized and diverse as can be. If the kitten must be left alone for extended periods, play music and give it a mirror to interact with, then reassure it with extra care when one returns.
A Kitten's Ideal Routine
Kittens eat, go to the bathroom and play a lot. They need regular meal times, a clean litter box and a lot of different types of toys, including ones with bells, feathers, rubber and other textures suitable for chewing and chasing. A ball of yarn tied to the chair legs can lead to hours of fun. Quiet time is also necessary. If the kitten is becoming too hyperactive, biting, climbing curtains, digging up plants and ripping up toilet paper, then isolate the kitten in a room by itself, preferably the room where it was initially brought home to and socialized in. Make sure it has a comfortable bed in there.
If the kitten makes a mess don't yell at it, instead, separate it from the source of disaster, remove the object that caused trouble or in some way keep it from danger. For instance, to prevent a kitten from digging in plants, wrap the top of the plant pots in aluminum foil. Provide a scratching post. Put catnip on it and dangle toys off it. The kitten will then scratch it and not the furniture!
Saying no in a firm voice and then distracting the kitten with a toy is the best approach to annoying behavior. Always speak the kitten's name in a soothing way, associating it with food, treats and cuddles. All kittens have different characters but most love to be adored and paid attention to. Finding a balance between fun with the kitten and going about the daily routine without being impeded is a goal to aim for.
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