Raising a kitten is just as important and as much of a responsibility as raising a child. When your fluffy little one first steps into your home, along with the joy come new worries. How do you raise a kitten properly, so it doesn’t cause problems for anyone and brings only happiness? What does it take?
First, every proud owner of a “fluffy miracle” needs patience. The foundations of good behavior are laid early, in a kitten’s first months of life (the key socialization period is roughly 2–7 weeks of age, and kittens keep learning quickly for months after that). Be persistent but calm and patient until your kitten understands what you want.
Second, you’ll need attention and care. Spend as much free time with your kitten as you can. It needs some time to adjust to its new surroundings after being separated from its mother. Stay close, pet it and give it gentle scratches: your kitten should feel safe and loved. A piece of fabric from the place you got your kitten can make the adjustment easier, because the familiar smell will comfort it.
Third, be consistent. Set the house rules and boundaries from the start. Don’t let your kitten do anything you wouldn’t allow an adult cat to do. That’s the only way to get good behavior. Say “no” firmly, in a calm, even voice, and then show your kitten what it should do instead.
Last, and perhaps most important, never hit your kitten if you want it to grow up affectionate and tame. Make this an absolute rule for yourself and everyone in your family. Kittens that are hit grow up to be fearful or defensive cats. Cats that have never been hit are much more strongly attached to their people.
How to Raise a Kitten: Tips
Start training your new pet from its very first days in your home. Cats learn best when they’re under a year old; it’s harder to retrain older cats, though not impossible.
Step One: Litter Training
To make things easier, ask the breeder or shelter what kind of litter box and litter the kitten and its mother used. Buy a similar box and the same litter, so your kitten can figure out its new bathroom more easily. Unfortunately, this tip won’t help if you found your kitten outdoors.
For the first few days, keep an eye on your kitten. As soon as it starts fussing and looking for a place to go, carry it to the litter box. If you miss the moment and find a puddle on the floor, don’t scold your kitten. Instead, blot up the “evidence” with a paper towel and put the paper towel in the litter box. Kittens have a keen sense of smell, and the scent of urine will show them where to go. A litter attractant can do the same job.
Put your kitten in the litter box about 15–20 minutes after meals and naps, when kittens usually need to go. If your kitten gets it right, be sure to praise it in a kind, gentle voice; that helps reinforce the habit. If it doesn’t, never scold it or rub its nose in the mess.
Important: if you already have cats, buy an extra litter box for the kitten and keep it clean. Read more tips on how to litter train a kitten. For advanced owners: how to toilet train a cat.
Step Two: Teaching Your Kitten Where to Scratch
Kittens start scratching at just a few weeks old, so the best time to teach your kitten to scratch in the right place is as soon as it comes home. A scratching post is the place where scratching is not just allowed but encouraged.
How do you get the message across? First, buy or make several scratching posts; one isn’t enough for training. At least one should be near the front door, a favorite scratching spot for many cats. Find the right spots for the others: “right” means where your kitten is already trying to scratch, so adapt to its wishes.
If your kitten ignores your efforts and keeps sharpening its claws on furniture corners, the carpet or walls, calmly interrupt it with a firm “no” and carry it to the “right” place. Remember: physical punishment is never okay.
A few tricks can help at this stage. First, cover the spots your kitten has attacked with plastic, fabric or double-sided tape. Second, make those spots less appealing with a mild citrus-scented spray made for pets (most cats dislike citrus). Avoid essential oils, strong perfumes and spices, which can irritate or harm your cat.
Tip: use catnip or silver vine to attract your kitten to the scratching post. And don’t forget to praise your kitten when it gets it right. Read more about training a kitten to use a scratching post.
Step Three: Teaching Your Kitten Not to Scratch and Bite People
Another useful skill to teach your kitten is to keep its claws to itself. In other words: no scratching people. Start early: if you don’t, the habit can stick for life. To stop your kitten from scratching and biting:
- Play only with toys! Never let your kitten play with your hands or feet. Wand toys keep your fingers safely out of the way.
- If your kitten starts scratching or biting during play, stop the game immediately. Say “ouch” calmly, freeze or walk away. Don’t spray it with water or hit it; that only makes kittens fearful or more defensive.
- Use ignoring instead of punishment. If your kitten gets overexcited and scratches you, ignore it for a few minutes. It will learn that rough play ends the fun.
- Redirect the energy: give your kitten a kicker toy to bite and bunny-kick instead of your arm, and schedule plenty of active play sessions every day.
- Keep your kitten’s nails trimmed, or ask your vet about soft nail caps.
Teach your kitten that biting isn’t allowed either. The best ways to stop this behavior are consistency and redirection: every time your kitten bites, end the interaction and offer a toy instead. Kittens that grow up with littermates or another playful young cat often learn gentle play faster, which is one reason some shelters recommend adopting kittens in pairs.
If your kitten is already very rough, read our article about aggressive kittens.
Common Mistakes When Raising a Kitten
Unfortunately, some owners make mistakes when raising their kittens. Here are the main ones:
- A dirty litter box is the owner’s fault. Always keep the litter box clean and scoop it at least once a day. If your kitten goes next to a dirty box, don’t shame or scold it.
- “Just this once.” No: consistency is the key to successful training. Don’t let kittens swing from the curtains, sleep in your bed or jump on the dinner table if you don’t plan to allow it when they’re grown. Allow it once, and further training will be much harder.
- Forget about aggression. Do everything with your kitten (feeding, grooming and training) without aggression. Don’t raise your hand to your kitten or hit it. Your pet will remember it and may become fearful and distrustful of you.
Raising a kitten properly isn’t hard. The main thing is to treat it with the love and care you’d give a child. Then it will grow into an affectionate adult cat that’s happy to be held and loves to purr in your lap.
