How to Teach Your Kitten to Be Calm and Relaxed
Pick the right age., Adopt a socialized kitten., Take your time., Help with the transition., Balance your attention.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pick the right age.
Kittens are most easily socialized between the ages of two to seven weeks.
This means that the kitten is more likely to accept new animals, peoples, and situations during this age range.
Although most respectable mother cat owners won’t separate the kittens from the mother until the age of eight weeks, this falls outside of the proper time frame.
This means that it is typically the original owner's job to socialize the kittens while she is still with the litter and her mother.
If you know you are going to get a cat before this time period passes, visit the litter and mother to make sure your future kitten is socialized to humans and to you. -
Step 2: Adopt a socialized kitten.
When you adopt a kitten from a home after this time period or if you adopt from a shelter or animal society, you need to ensure the kitten is socialized to humans.
Make sure the kitten you choose will come up to you, showing curiosity and wanting your attention.
She shouldn’t hiss or raise her fur at you after the first few minutes of meeting you.
Be cautious of kittens that do this and make sure she warms up to you., When you are choosing a kitten to adopt, you need to take your time before you take her home.
This will give you ample time to see if her temperament matches yours.
Plan to spend at least an hour getting to know your potential kitten candidate to get a true understanding of her personality.
Pet her and love on her to see if she is okay being handled and to ensure she likes humans.
You’ll know the kitten is truly comfortable with you when she begins to purr while in your arms., When you first bring your kitten home, expect her to be shy and cautious for a few days.
The experience of changing locations is a total disruption in her life.
It makes sense she would be uncertain and shy at the beginning as she is adjusting to her new home.
You can help this transition by asking the previous owner for a blanket or towel the kitten, her littermates, and her mother used.
This will provide a familiar scent for her to connect to and help put her at ease in her new home.
If you adopt from a shelter, ask if you can take home the blanket she used while she was there or if there is any blanket from her litter there as well, to provide the same scent., When you get a new kitten, you want to play with her and give you attention all the time.
Instead of doing this, balance your attention.
Give your kitten attention, but don’t constantly handling her.
If she wants to get away from you, put her down and let her run away.
She will eventually seek you out for attention.
Pay extra attention to this problem if you have children, especially young ones.
They won't understand the concept of letting the kitten have its space.
Make sure you supervise any interaction your children have with the kitten so neither the child nor kitty get injured or become frustrated. -
Step 3: Take your time.
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Step 4: Help with the transition.
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Step 5: Balance your attention.
Detailed Guide
Kittens are most easily socialized between the ages of two to seven weeks.
This means that the kitten is more likely to accept new animals, peoples, and situations during this age range.
Although most respectable mother cat owners won’t separate the kittens from the mother until the age of eight weeks, this falls outside of the proper time frame.
This means that it is typically the original owner's job to socialize the kittens while she is still with the litter and her mother.
If you know you are going to get a cat before this time period passes, visit the litter and mother to make sure your future kitten is socialized to humans and to you.
When you adopt a kitten from a home after this time period or if you adopt from a shelter or animal society, you need to ensure the kitten is socialized to humans.
Make sure the kitten you choose will come up to you, showing curiosity and wanting your attention.
She shouldn’t hiss or raise her fur at you after the first few minutes of meeting you.
Be cautious of kittens that do this and make sure she warms up to you., When you are choosing a kitten to adopt, you need to take your time before you take her home.
This will give you ample time to see if her temperament matches yours.
Plan to spend at least an hour getting to know your potential kitten candidate to get a true understanding of her personality.
Pet her and love on her to see if she is okay being handled and to ensure she likes humans.
You’ll know the kitten is truly comfortable with you when she begins to purr while in your arms., When you first bring your kitten home, expect her to be shy and cautious for a few days.
The experience of changing locations is a total disruption in her life.
It makes sense she would be uncertain and shy at the beginning as she is adjusting to her new home.
You can help this transition by asking the previous owner for a blanket or towel the kitten, her littermates, and her mother used.
This will provide a familiar scent for her to connect to and help put her at ease in her new home.
If you adopt from a shelter, ask if you can take home the blanket she used while she was there or if there is any blanket from her litter there as well, to provide the same scent., When you get a new kitten, you want to play with her and give you attention all the time.
Instead of doing this, balance your attention.
Give your kitten attention, but don’t constantly handling her.
If she wants to get away from you, put her down and let her run away.
She will eventually seek you out for attention.
Pay extra attention to this problem if you have children, especially young ones.
They won't understand the concept of letting the kitten have its space.
Make sure you supervise any interaction your children have with the kitten so neither the child nor kitty get injured or become frustrated.
About the Author
Judith James
Specializes in breaking down complex home improvement topics into simple steps.
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