Kittens: Socializing Your Kitten


What makes a "super cat" ? What can you do to have a cat who relates well to people, adapts to its environment and is a delightful companion?

The answer is early socialization. A kitten's behavioral development starts much earlier than you may have thought. It begins as newly born kittens interact with their mother, littermates and people. Handling these tiny kittens regularly is important. Some research suggests that handling kittens each day during the first month of their lives improves their learning ability. Studies also suggest that kittens react more readily to people when the mother cat is present. The belief is that she sends no alarming signals to her kittens and that her presence reassures them.

During the first two to three weeks of their life, kittens stay in their nest. After about the third week their eyes and ears are functioning. They leave their nest and play behavior gets underway. They paw and bite one another, followed by chasing, stalking and wrestling. Although kittens at play are great fun to watch, their delightful antics serve a useful purpose. Play helps introduce them to their environment and is very important in their behavioral development. Stalking and pouncing on imaginary prey aid in a kitten's neural and muscular development.

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A kitten separated from its litter mates and deprived of play activity usually demonstrates some behavior problems in later life. It generally tends to be easily upset and does not seem to learn as readily as the kitten who has enjoyed ample social play.

During these early play periods, socialization to people by frequent gentle cuddling and petting continues to be extremely important. Studies show that petting a young kitten can make it more responsive to its owner when it is an adult cat.

The desirable age to place a kitten in a new home is between eight to twelve weeks of age. Care should be taken as you introduce a kitten to its new home. How a kitten is handled during the first few weeks in its new home can influence its relationship with people as well as its behavior.

Transport your kitten to its new home in a suitable and safe carrier. After its arrival, place it in a small quiet area with food and a litter box. Family members should introduce themselves to the kitten as they pet and softly talk to it. After confining a kitten for a few days with frequent contact with family members, slowly allow it access to other rooms in your home.

Socializing your newly adopted kitten should continue by introducing it to as many people as possible. This seems to lessen its fear of strangers as an adult cat. Kittens should also be introduced to children. Show children how to pet the kitten. A kitten not socialized with children may reject or even bite them after it has matured.

Playing with a kitten is also part of the socialization process. During play periods, avoid using your hands, fingers, feet or clothing. This kind of play encourages attack games on people which may result in aggressive behavior. Avoid rough play with your kitten which encourages scratching and/or biting. The pinpricks from tiny teeth and claws can become bites and scratches as the kitten matures.

You can enhance a kitten's play and stimulate its mental activity by providing appropriate toys such as wads of paper, ping pong balls and wand toys. "No-nos" are toys that are too heavy for the kitten to move or so small that they may be swallowed.

Remember that exploring is part of a kitten's learning process. If your kitten starts exploring forbidden territory, a firm "no" usually deters the youngster. The other strategy is to divert the kitten's attention with an invitation to play with a favorite toy.

Kittens adopted after twelve weeks of age may be difficult to handle. Extreme patience is required to help them adjust to their new environment. The feeding routine can help with this adjustment. Feeding at a set time and in a set place brings the kitten and its owner into a positive experience for the kitten. The owner can enhance this experience by talking quietly to the kitten and petting it.

A final thought
The importance of socializing a kitten cannot be overemphasized. If a kitten is not handled gently and consistently during its first nine weeks of life, serious behavior problems may result later. Helping your kitten adjust to people and to its environment is the beginning of a companionship that can bring years of pleasure.