Problem Solving & Advice by Pam Johnson-Bennett Cat Behavior Expert & Best-selling Author
If you’ve brought a new kitten into your home recently, you’re probably well aware of all the kitten-proofing that needed to be done in order to keep kitty AND your home safe. You’re also spending lots of time getting to know this new family member, playing with her and enjoying the very funny antics that kittens are only too happy to display.
Kittenhood is a Time for Fun and Learning
As you spend time with your kitten, safe-guard the house, and make sure she has all necessary vaccinations during her health exams, you may not realize that there’s one other important job you need to do. You should gradually expose your new kitten to the various sights, sounds and smells she will most likely encounter as she grows up. The more your kitten is gradually exposed to unfamiliar stimuli, the more comfortable she’ll be with those sensory experiences as an adult.
Everyone wants a cat who will be friendly and comfortable when visitors come to the house and the way to help increase the odds of that happening will be to gently expose her as a kitten, to a variety of people.
Help Your Kitten Become Comfortable Through Gradual Exposure
Your kitten may not have a problem being put into a carrier at this age but as an adult, she may resist the idea. Keep the carrier out and routinely feed your kitten in there, toss treats in there and create a cozy hideaway by lining the carrier with a soft towel. Periodically place your kitten in the carrier, carry her around the house and also go for rides in the car. The earlier your kitten is exposed to car travel, the less anxiety the experience will cause when she must go on trips as an adult.
And speaking of trips, take frequent trips to the veterinary clinic just to help your kitten become comfortable with the sights, sounds and smells there. Periodic social visits, where a clinic staff member just holds or pets your kitten may help her develop more of a positive association with the environment. Additionally, if kitty gets used to hearing dogs bark or picking up the scents associated with the clinic, the less unsettling it will be as she matures.
Spend time helping your kitten become comfortable with the experiences she’ll encounter in life: car travel, getting groomed, having ears cleaned, teeth brushing, nail trims, unfamiliar environments, unfamiliar sounds, unfamiliar people in the home, and so on.
Long-Term Benefits for Your Cat
While kittenhood is a wonderful and fun time, it’s also a time for her to learn and process the experiences she’ll have. The time you spend gradually introducing new things to your kitten, the greater the chances of her being more accepting of those experiences later in life and that will reduce everyone’s stress level.
Need More Information?
You can find more information on cat behavior and training in the best-selling books. by Pam Johnson-Bennett. Pam’s books are available in bookstores and online. We’ve included Amazon links here on our website.
