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We cannot stress enough how important it is to
handle your kitten gently and give it lots of love.
Most kittens like:
- A scratching climbing post - saves on furniture
and gives the kitten a place to aggressively scratch or bite without
involving you!
- An accessible window with a perch/ledge so
they can watch what goes on outside - (preferably a sunny window) -
keeps the kitten from becoming bored
- A snuggle bed is enjoyed by many cats, but
some do not use them - kittens like a warm safe place to sleep
- Safe Toys made for cats
- Love and affection - kittens/cats love
attention, to be petted and talked to & played with
If you raise your kitten correctly You should
be able to handle your kitten in such a way that you can touch or pet the
kitten anywhere on its body. You should gently handle every part of
the kittens body. Be able to touch his toes, look in his ears, eyes,
nose etc... (This handling also makes it less traumatic for the cat
when it needs to go to the vet).
Encourage your kitten to sit on your lap
quietly while you pet it. If the kitten wants to play and you don't
want to interact with a toy or string, then put the kitten down.
Kittens are like any other animal. If
you play or handle them roughly they will play rough back. It may be
fun to wrestle with a little kitten, but as the kitten matures its claws get
longer and teeth get stronger and its little wrestling antics will hurt!!!
Incorrect rough handling will encourage aggressiveness.
The correct way to handle a kitten is to
always be gentle with it. Give it plenty of toys to chase and roll and
carry. The pet stores, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Pet-Smart, Target or any
other stores like that carry great cat toys. A roll of crumpled up
paper is fun for a kitten. Never wrestle with your kitten!!
Always interact with your kitten in a gentle way. Lifting it gently,
petting it and rubbing it and snuggling with it. Do
not encourage rough play!!!
If you have made the mistake of rough housing
with your kitten and now it scratches and bites you when playing, all is not
lost. Start handling your kitten only in a gentle way. If it
attacks your hands or legs in rough play, say No
and gently remove it from your arm or ankle and set it down. You have to be
consistent in your handling of the kitten. Another option is to
get a toy that the kitten likes and interact with the kitten through the
toy. Play with the kitten with the toy. Wal-Mart has a rope
scratching post with a spinner toy at the top. This toy will keep many
a kitten occupied playing for half an hour at a time till the kitten is
tired out. That is a good time to gently pet and hold the kitten after
he is played out and tired. Hold him and stroke him till he falls
asleep. Always be gentle with the kitten and it will grow up to be a
gentle cat.
We recommend that you have your kitten spayed
or neutered around the age of 6 months. Both males and females may
start to mark their territory as early as that. (Yes, female cats can
spray as well). Some people think that their kitten is not using the
litter box, or has quit using the litter box when they find a wet spot
somewhere else, when indeed the kitten is using the litter box, but it may
also be spraying, or marking it's territory in another corner of the house.
Unless you intend to raise kittens, there is no reason not to spay or neuter
your cats especially if you don't want them to spray/mark their territory in
your home. |
