I need tips on raising a healthy, well trained and sociable kitten.?

Question

My daughter just adopted a lovely kitten born on July 10, 2007. We took the kitten when he was 2 weeks old. Kitten has been eating and developing very well. Tomorrow the kitten turns 4 weeks old and I'm looking for advice on how to train him to use the litter box, get him to eat by himself, learn the house rules ( we live in an apartment), and be loving and well mannered. We also want to make sure we are doing what is necessary for his well being. Tips on good books or web sites are also welcomed.
We also have two toddlers at home age 3.5 and 2 years old. What are ways to train the kids to be gentle and kind to the cat?
Thanks

Answer 1

The following web sites offer both health and behavioural advice, which will help you with many aspects of training your kitten.

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/
http://www.messybeast.com/catarchive.htm#health

Kittens are quite fragile and your children are still very young, so I wouldn't leave them alone together unsupervised until they are older. As somone else has already said, the first and probably most important thing to teach your children, is not to hold back a cat that wants to get away. The Messybeast web site has a really good article entitled Cat Communication with pictures and photos to explain cat body language. You could use those pictures to help teach your older child the warning signs that the kitten will make when he's had enough. The web sites below offer further advice on teaching children respect for animals.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1495&articleid=627
http://www.paws.org/cas/resources/fact_sheets_cats/catskids.php

Hope these help.

Answer 2

Cats learn to use the litter box quite easily. Put him in the box after he eats, or if he goes on the floor, put the poo in the box and put him in there with it. Literally, pick up his paw and scratch the litter with it. He'll get the point soon enough.

He's old enough to start solids. Mix some kitten food with warm water to make it a little mushy. Go longer between his bottle feedings so that he'll eat the solid food when he gets hungry. To make the food even more attractive, use some canned food at first.

If you've had him since he was 2 weeks and you have a house full of kids, he will probably already be well socialized. The more hustle and bustle that happens around the kitty, the more "unafraid" he will be of things. The kids should be okay to carry him around..he'll learn to go limp and just go with the flow. Of course, if the kids are too rough, you should take away their kitty petting privelages for a while. They're both old enough to be gentle with the kitty. Lots of loving and petting will make him lovey dovey.

As far as minding the rules, keep a squirt bottle handy full of water and give him a dose when he does something he shouldn't, like scratch the furniture or climb the curtains or jump on the counter. Alternatively, you can get an empty aluminum can and put some coins in it and tape it shut. When kitty does bad, shake the can vigorously and tell him no. The sudden, loud, percussive noise will startle him out of doing whatever he was doing. Water works best though, IMO because eventually, they learn to tune out the loud noise, but they never get used to a snout full of water!

As far as his health, take him to the vet, of course. Getting him neutered will improve his personality and stop him from spraying and remove the urge for him to roam.

Good luck with the new kitty!

Answer 3

Why was the kitten taken away from mom so early? They need to stay with mom and the other kittens to be properly socialized. "Orphan" kittens like yours often have the most problems as they never learned to be a cat. They tend to be either extremely needy or aggressive and hyper.
Anyway, at 4 weeks old the kitten now is just old enough to eat solid food. I would leave dry food and water out for it at all times and feed it can food a few times a day. Put it in a shallow dish and it will take a while for the kitten to get the hang of it...most have to stand in it and lick it off their paws before they figure everything out. Get your kitten vaccinated at 8 weeks and get it spayed/neutered as soon as the vet is willing. On the kid subject. Their your kids...you know them better than we do. But, NEVER leave the kitten and them alone together unsupervised!!

Answer 4

I have two kittens and a daughter that is just over three. The best way I have found to teach her how to handle the kitten is with constant supervision. I showed her how to hold them. She is only allowed to sit and hold them, no walking around. I do not let her play with them if I am not around, just in case they want to go and she doesn't want them to. We don't need any accidents with claws. So far this has worked and they just sit and let her pet them till they have enough and run off.

As far as the kittens themselves, I suggest putting him in the litter box after he eats and drinks to teach him to use it. Get a scratching post and show him how to use it, when he does good give him a treat right away. I have found that a loud noise works in teaching them not to do something, it startles them and they associate the noise with the action and stop. If that doesn't work maybe a spray bottle with water.

Have fun with your kitten.

Answer 5

muddle guidance generally comes certainly . you may positioned the kitten in a closed room together with her foodstuff, water, and muddle on the commencing up as she will become familiar with you and your place. in case you have a extensive abode, and the kitten is working loose, she could could use the muddle container and not undergo in techniques the place it incredibly is. in any different case, as quickly as kittens use the container, they're going to keep utilising it. If the kitten is youthful, wait a little while after the kitten has had a meal, and then positioned her interior the muddle container. Kittens will develop into their person personalities. in case you have particularly some travelers on your place on a typical foundation, your kitten could develop into acclimated to human beings. some cats will continually be petrified of strangers. Like human beings, some cats are greater timid and shy, and a few are greater outgoing. in case you have greater questions, please e mail me.

Answer 6

well with the cat, you should have put it in a kitty litter from day one. if a cat does its business in the litter once they (usually) go from there. your cat was REALLY young so i dont know if that would make a differnce. as far as being a good cat, just pay attention to it. Granted they all have personalities but if your nice it should be cool with you.
as far as the kids, just be gentle with the cat and make sure they aresupervised and they will be cool.

Answer 7

cats do not need to be trained. just rub his paw in the pottie so he knows thats where he has to go, take him to his food and let him smell it touch his nose with your finger (but wet it in his water / food) and teach him to learn NO! have a water bottle handy in case he does something wrong he will know he did something wrong when you squirt his say No very saternly and make sure he looks at you when you say no!