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Cats acquire basic habits and character traits at an early age. Up to 3 months, the pet learns to independently satisfy its needs and communicate with household members, finds out its own status in the family and actively masters the rules of neighborhood with people. Any mistake when raising a kitten can develop into a serious problem in the future.
- 2 Mode
- 3 Place to sleep
- 4 Feeding
- 5 Tray training
- 6 Scratching post
- 7 Games
- 8 Hand training
- 9 Punishment
- 10 Walks
- 11 Personal experience of experts and animal owners
Name
Name training helps create a bond between pet and owner. If a cat responds well to its name, it will understand when it is addressed. This makes it easier to unlearn bad habits. In the process, the animal becomes more affectionate and begins to trust members of the household as a result of positive reinforcement.
A cat will get used to its name faster if it contains whistling or soft sounds: “sh”, “sch”, “z”, “s” and “ch”. For a pet, such consonance is more pleasant and easier to distinguish from other words.
For training, you need to use treats. You should sit next to the kitten when he is relaxed and offer him a treat. First, the pet must taste the food. Then you need to say the kitten’s name and give him another piece. You can pet your pet while he eats if he doesn't mind. You should avoid tactile contact while eating if the kitten reacts negatively to it. The actions need to be repeated several times: again tenderly say the name and give a treat. Training sessions should be short but frequent as cats get tired easily.
Kittens from the nursery are given names by breeders, and they must begin with one letter, but nothing prevents you from changing the nickname to a double one or calling your pet differently
Subsequently, the kitten begins to be called from a greater distance, gradually increasing the distance. When the animal comes at the first call, you can start giving treats every other time. Affection can also be a reward. Ideally, treats are gradually removed altogether, but this is not always possible. For example, my cat periodically refuses to respond to a call and waits until they begin to persuade her and offer her treats. It is advisable to avoid such situations: if the pet once understands that it can manipulate the owner, this will continue. I had to make a compromise with my cat: I offer treats almost always, but she comes the first time. You shouldn’t call your pet twice, otherwise it will then ignore half the commands.
What kindness harms street kittens?
When you see an outdoor kitten, you will definitely want to pet it or help it in some way. And the first thing that comes to mind is to feed. Don't rush to give everything you find in your bag. It is better to spend a little time, go to the nearest store and buy suitable food. Try to leave food away from large crowds of people so that the baby does not get scared and avoid meeting, for example, stray dogs. Dogs are often aggressive. They can easily hurt a kitten or even maim them in order to take food.
If you are not ready to take the kitten with you, you should not call it over, giving false hope of finding a home.
Mode
By nature, cats are nocturnal animals. This creates a lot of inconvenience. When the owners come home from work and go to bed, the pet begins to play pranks, play and make noise. As a result, tired owners are forced to wake up to calm their pet down. Fortunately, cats have spent a lot of time around people and have adapted to our routine, so retraining the animal is not difficult.
It is advisable to ensure that your pet's peak activity occurs during the daytime. To do this, you need to play with your pet more often. It is recommended to take a vacation while studying. If this is not possible, you should study with your baby in the evening. A tired kitten will be more willing to sleep at night.
The kitten can be very persistent, but it is strongly recommended not to get up even to punish him: the animal may perceive this as a game
Most often, these measures are not enough. The kids still wake up the owners, but closer to the morning. Kittens can be very intrusive: they sit in front of the bed and meow loudly, start running and jumping on the bed, and can scratch and play with the hands and feet of household members. It is important to ignore any attempts by your pet. After just a few days, the kitten will understand that you are not going to get up at night, so it will stop waking you up.
My cat, when she was little, at first behaved quietly at night, but then after one incident I had to “fight” with her for a long time to change the regime. One day I got up in the middle of the night because I was thirsty. The cat rubbed against her legs and begged for affection in every possible way. I couldn't resist and stroked it. The favorite instantly drew me into the game. This lasted no more than a minute, then I went to bed, but this was enough for the cat to persistently try to wake me up at night for another month. If I gave in one more time, most likely, this habit would be firmly entrenched.
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.
How to deal with cat aggression
What should you do if your beloved furry pet bites, scratches, or gets into trouble with other pets? Such behavior may indicate a lack of attention from the owner or the animal’s desire to assert a leading position.
In such cases, the best method of training is to ignore the cat. It is recommended to strictly explain to the animal that this cannot be done and not to communicate or play with it for several hours.
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.
What to feed a stray cat from the street?
Life without a permanent roof over its head, malnutrition, and sometimes hunger for several days make the street cat unpretentious in food. But this does not mean at all that food from your table is suitable for a small kitten.
Fried and fatty foods, sausages and smoked meats, as well as fresh pork can lead to poisoning and gastrointestinal upset in a future pet.
beef or wet food. The portion should be small so that the kitten does not overeat. You should not give your kitten cow's milk, as it will most likely cause diarrhea. It is better to just give water at room temperature.
The portion for the baby should be small
Tray training
From responsible breeders, little kittens usually learn to relieve themselves in a litter box even before moving to a new home. This is facilitated by the mother’s personal example. Often, even well-mannered kittens get lost when they find themselves in new conditions and stop going to the litter box. To remind your pet of the rules, you should pour in his usual litter, use a spray, or place a scent mark under the grill. For example, scraps of paper soaked in the left puddle will do. They can be removed later.
Kittens that are locked in a cage by their owners during their absence become accustomed to the litter box very quickly: due to the limited territory, the choice is not so wide
If the kitten sees the litter box for the first time, you will have to do the training yourself. In those moments when the baby is about to relieve himself, it is necessary to move him to the appropriate place. Surely the pet will try to get out of the tray. There is no need to forcefully hold the kitten. You should gently interfere, while stroking and calming the baby.
You cannot punish a kitten for mistakes: negative influence at an early age is ineffective and will only lead to a deterioration in the relationship. In addition, the baby can interpret what is happening in his own way and decide, for example, that puddles and piles simply need to be hidden better. You cannot transfer the kitten to the tray if it is already relieving itself. This will scare him and may cause negative associations.
How to stop a kitten from chewing plants
In most cases, cats begin to chew indoor plants not because of their malicious nature or lack of upbringing, but because of a deficiency of vitamins. This problem can be solved by providing the kitten with a properly balanced diet and fortified supplements appropriate for its age category.
You can also plant special grass for cats on the windowsill, the seeds of which are sold at any pet store. You can stop a kitten from gnawing indoor flowers using a spray bottle or the same loud clap of your hands. It should be remembered that some indoor plants are poisonous and dangerous for the baby, so just in case, they should be removed where the kitten cannot reach them.
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.
Nail sharpener
Both kittens and adult cats love to sharpen their claws. The owner of the animal should make sure that it does not do this against furniture or wallpaper. To do this, the baby needs to purchase a special scratching post and teach how to use it (read how to accustom a kitten to a scratching post).
This is done simply. You just need to place your baby's paws on the surface of the scratching post so that he can feel how his claws cling to it. Soon the kitten will be happy to use this toy.
But what to do in cases where the baby still prefers the upholstery of a sofa or apartment wall to a scratching post? In such a situation, you should strictly explain to the kitten that this cannot be done and take it to the scratching post.
In addition, you can treat the furniture with orange peel. Cats don't like the smell of citrus fruits, so this simple trick will help stop your kitten from ruining your apartment's decor.
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.
Hand training
Hand training begins at an early age. The babies are petted and offered permitted treats. This allows you to form positive associations. You can only pick up a kitten if it does not protest. Overly intrusive attempts at training can cause a negative reaction.
I had experience in breeding cats and from my impressions I can say that not all pets like to sit in their arms. You just have to accept it. You can correct the kitten’s reaction if you do not behave intrusively and make it clear that you can be trusted, but if the cat categorically does not like such tenderness, it is unlikely that it will ever change its mind. Some kittens are very affectionate from childhood and constantly strive to get into your arms, others prefer to keep their distance. The latter are less intrusive, which can also be called an advantage. In any case, even those cats that do not like to be held can be very affectionate.
Some advice from experienced breeders
The rules of upbringing and training were developed over the years of close attention to representatives of the furry kingdom. Here are the results of many years of work:
- Educational activities are initiated from the first day of joint stay in the apartment/house.
- Do not encourage the kitten's familiar attitude, show that you are the master of the situation here and demand that certain rules be followed.
- Taboo on aggressive behavior and the use of brute physical force.
- Do not intimidate your pet with loud screams or sudden movements of the limbs.
- A proud pet will not tolerate humiliation. If you poked your nose into his puddle, this will cause an outbreak of resentment and vendetta in the future.
- A kind attitude will help raise a kitten to be affectionate and tame.
- The cat's perception acutely senses your emotional state and voice accompaniment. Therefore, to indicate an error, a sharp “chopped” phrase is enough: “You can’t!”, “No!”, “Scram!”
- The mental abilities of cats are at a high level, but acquiring skills, habits and abilities will take time and effort.
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.
Raising a kitten aged 2 months
Upon reaching this period, as we have already said, a small pet should be able to walk in a diaper. Moreover, it is important to try to develop the skill at such a level that the animal does the job in one place. When choosing a tray, look at options with a removable side or inexpensive low devices. You need to raise a cat for less than 3 months without punishment. But even later you cannot use physical methods of influence, sharp and loud screams. This can simply scare your pet.
At the age of 2-3 months, most behavioral skills are formed. The kitten learns to interact with the environment, which is influenced by both the owner and the environment. The place of residence must be safe. Remove objects that can injure the baby and chemical mixtures. We also recommend setting aside a place for animals, namely for resting, eating and toileting. Of course, they shouldn't be nearby. Special baskets that can be placed near the battery are perfect for sleeping. There may be several such options for recreation. If you have a wide window sill, then you can lay a bedding on it. There the pet will rest during the day. You can, for starters, watch the cat. See where it will be more convenient for him to sit.
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.
Vaccination
In order for a kitten in a new family to be healthy and happy, it needs to be vaccinated. Viral diseases such as calicivirus, rhinotracheitis, viral leukemia and “feline distemper” are deadly for animals. Even a domestic cat can easily become ill and die without treatment. She doesn't even have to look for them specifically. The owner can bring pathogens from the street on shoes or clothes.
Timely vaccination is the only way to avoid fatal diseases for your beloved pet.
Be sure to ask your veterinarian about the vaccination schedule.
The kitten must have all preventive vaccinations
