How to Train a Kitten - Kitten House
1) Windows. Its fairly obvious but unless you are lucky enough to live in a house or a ground floor flat please make sure you keep all windows closed. I once found my second kitten sitting wistfully with his upper body outside of my second story window looking at the road. I managed to coax him back inside but it was a very close thing. Cats are supposed to land on their feet, but please to not take this for granted.
Don't change the food for the first few weeks, the kitten will struggle to adapt to the change, it may suffer from diarrhea, sickness and lethargy. Instead, keep to the regimented food, feeding small amounts and often, and add any new food in small amounts to the old food, so the change is implemented slowly before proper bacterial environment in cats' stomach develops.
Kitties like anything that dangles. Pullies for your ceiling fans(we hold our babies up in the kitchen and let them bat them around for a little bit), strings from your ironing board cover, fringe from your scarves, hair when you bend down, and snowflakes you hang on your banister for your Christmas and winter decor. Take a tip from me--forget the snowflakes on the banister! I had 8-10 or so hanging on mine, looking so pretty. There are none left on the banister--the kitties re-decorated for me, leaving flakes, glitter, and the little metal wires you use to hang them, all over the house, and on two separate levels of the house.
2) Electric cables. Kittens are inquisitive and like to have a good chew. I know it is impossible to keep all wires out of sight from a new kitten but at the very least please insure that all older wires, like those to the television and the phone, are kept hidden or better yet taped up with DIY tape to try and make them unattractive and hard to nibble through. An electric shock will harm or even kill or cat so please take there precautions seriously.
Most kittens will be skittish and nervous when you get them home, they are used to being around their mothers and brothers and sisters, not around you. So treat them carefully, it is important that you pick a local breeder, not one miles and miles away, because a 12 week old kitten will not do well traveling half way across the country in your car, keep the travel time to a minimum.
3) Fireplaces. Kittens like to climb and explore so please ensure that all fireplaces are closed up for at least the first year of ownership. Once a cat becomes used to having something boarded up they will assume this will remain unchanged for the rest of their life and more than likely never venture near it again. Depending on your religious beliefs special interest might be enhanced around Christmas time. For these times of year I recommend boarding the fireplace back up to act as a small reminder for that cat in case his interest is heightened.
For instance, in the case of kitten rescues or an urgent adoption, it may not be possible to take the kitten to the vet immediately. However, you s
Don't change the food for the first few weeks, the kitten will struggle to adapt to the change, it may suffer from diarrhea, sickness and lethargy. Instead, keep to the regimented food, feeding small amounts and often, and add any new food in small amounts to the old food, so the change is implemented slowly before proper bacterial environment in cats' stomach develops.
Kitties like anything that dangles. Pullies for your ceiling fans(we hold our babies up in the kitchen and let them bat them around for a little bit), strings from your ironing board cover, fringe from your scarves, hair when you bend down, and snowflakes you hang on your banister for your Christmas and winter decor. Take a tip from me--forget the snowflakes on the banister! I had 8-10 or so hanging on mine, looking so pretty. There are none left on the banister--the kitties re-decorated for me, leaving flakes, glitter, and the little metal wires you use to hang them, all over the house, and on two separate levels of the house.
2) Electric cables. Kittens are inquisitive and like to have a good chew. I know it is impossible to keep all wires out of sight from a new kitten but at the very least please insure that all older wires, like those to the television and the phone, are kept hidden or better yet taped up with DIY tape to try and make them unattractive and hard to nibble through. An electric shock will harm or even kill or cat so please take there precautions seriously.
Most kittens will be skittish and nervous when you get them home, they are used to being around their mothers and brothers and sisters, not around you. So treat them carefully, it is important that you pick a local breeder, not one miles and miles away, because a 12 week old kitten will not do well traveling half way across the country in your car, keep the travel time to a minimum.
3) Fireplaces. Kittens like to climb and explore so please ensure that all fireplaces are closed up for at least the first year of ownership. Once a cat becomes used to having something boarded up they will assume this will remain unchanged for the rest of their life and more than likely never venture near it again. Depending on your religious beliefs special interest might be enhanced around Christmas time. For these times of year I recommend boarding the fireplace back up to act as a small reminder for that cat in case his interest is heightened.
For instance, in the case of kitten rescues or an urgent adoption, it may not be possible to take the kitten to the vet immediately. However, you s
Source...