The
socialization of your kitten
Of course, you
want your kitten to grow up as a friend and companion, an adult cat capable of
living in harmony with human beings. To achieve this, you need to bear in mind that
the socialization process for cats is very short. The first sixteen weeks of
their lives are essential for their social and behavioral development.
The first
experiences of your kitten
Before your
arrival, your pet will have had the opportunity to communicate with his mother,
his companions and a number of human beings.
The kittens must
from their early age get used to being manipulated by humans, several if
possible; So they will later accept that different people can take care of
them. They also need to get familiar with the activities, smells and sounds of
everyday life.
Furthering the
work already done
Arriving home
with you, your kitten would probably be between eight and twelve weeks old. He would
probably have had many first contacts
with human beings and you should be able to take further the work already done and help him become a friendly,
happy and confident adult cat. Don’t forget that changing home and company can
be somewhat a traumatic experience for the little hairball.
Take him to a
safe and quiet place and show him where his food and litter are. Show him a lot
of affection, caress him, speak to him in a soft, calm voice to make him feel
home.
Playing is also
a great way to weave a link between you and your kitten.
Kids and kittens
Bringing that
social tie between kittens and kids as early as possible is very important. If your
kitten doesn’t get familiar with kids’ presence early enough, he may later
reject any contact with them, or even turn aggressive against the little ones.
If you have kids,
they will of course be very excited at the idea of hosting a kitten. It is up to you to make
them understand that a kitten is not a toy and must be treated with great care.
The sessions of the lectures will end when the kitten begins to grow tired.
Also tell your children that a kitten can possibly scratch them or bite them
while having fun.
People outside
the family
It may be wise
to present your kitten to as many people as possible. Thus, once he reaches
adulthood, he will no longer be afraid of strangers.
Your kitten and
other pets
It is
self-evident that the most part of socialization process and its ultimate goal
is to bring up your kitten into and adult able to live in harmony with humans.
But that doesn’t mean you should rule out other options of getting your kitten appreciate
other pets as well. If you already have one or more pets, he will have to get
used to them. To introduce your kitten to a dog or a cat of the house, you can
use a small barrier where he can see through so that he feels completely safe
during the first contact. Do not rush this encounter and never leave your kitten
alone with another cat or dog unless you are sure things are quite safe.
Separation
anxiety
You have every
reason to be satisfied; You have done a good job, you have raised your kitten
so that he gets along well with human beings. But the other side of the coin:
he is too much emotionally attached to you that he can’t stand being you
separate.
Separation
anxiety, which until now has only been diagnosed in dogs, is now recognized in
some cats.
If your kitten
seems anxious or stressed when you go out, it may be because he suffers from
this separation anxiety. It is then possible that he is noisy or that he
defiles the house in your absence.
Two tips can
solve the problem. First, limit as much as possible the time you will need to
leave your kitten alone. Second, avoid inadvertent demonstrations when you
actually have to go out (looking for your keys every day for ten minutes is a
good example of what to avoid). If your cat messes the house in your absence,
do not punish him. Cats do not understand the meaning of punishment, and as his
behavior is the result of stress, punishment will only make things worse.
Your
veterinarian will give you all the additional information you will need.