what not to do with a new kitten

What Not to Do with Your New Kitten

When you acquire a new kitten, things that you do, or don’t do, can make a big difference to the way the kitten turns out. Happy and confident adult cats don’t just happen but are the product of good decisions and correct treatment of the kitten from birth right up until the juvenile period (around 6 months of age). A kitten’s genetic makeup may be out of your control once you have selected the right individual for you, but you can sculpt or distort the raw clay of your kitten’s genetic legacy by how you look after him and act toward him. If you do the things right – and, most importantly, prevent things that are potentially damaging – the kitten will turn out to be (as the US Army advertising jingle goes) “all that he can be.”

The so-called sensitive period of development for kittens is between 2 and 7 weeks of age. The sensitive period has been defined as a time during development when the kitten is most sculptable by environmental influences. This is a time when primary social relationships and emotional attachments develop between kittens and people and between kittens and other animals. Note that most of the sensitive period has elapsed at the normal time for adoption. However, that does not mean that learning stops, just that it slows down, so it is still important for new kitten owners to get a grasp of the essential features of proper socialization and training. It does mean though, that what has happened at the breeders will influence your kitten’s temperament and behavior for the rest of its life so it is as well to consider this carefully. As cute as 7-week-old feral kittens may be, they will never be good around most people. Alternatively, a kitten raised in the kitchen of a friendly breeder’s busy home may be, in a manner, immunized against many of life’s surprises. Paws to consider!

How to raise a good kitten has been discussed by numerous authorities though the message has still not percolated through to all new kitten owners. In essence, when raising a newly acquired kitten, owners should concentrate on being patient and considerate while using positive reinforcement to reward acceptable behavior. Negative punishment (withdrawal of some benefit) can be employed in the event of any deliberate, unacceptable behavior. But even informed owners sometimes fail to appreciate the absolute no-no’s of raising kittens. True, some of the most important caveats are simply the converse of what should be done, but it doesn’t hurt to include these items in the list for greater clarity.