How To Socialize Your Kitten
Socializing your kitten is important if you want them to grow into a good-natured adult cat. Setting up playdates with other kittens once your kitten is fully vaccinated can be a great way to keep your cats social skills sharp.
It is also important to introduce your kitten to other animals, like older cats and friendly dogs, as well as people who arent members of your household. Bear in mind that some cats and other pets in the home may be territorial.
The best way to introduce your kitten to an older cat is to do it gradually. Allow the animals to smell each other through a barrier like a gate, then hold the animals while they meet fully face to face. Take a break. After a day or two of trying this out, see if they tolerate each other for short, supervised periods of time. Gradually lengthen the time you leave them together.
Keep in mind that it can take up to six months for an older cat to fully accept a new cat in the home, and stay patient.
Warning Signs When Introducing Cats
- Chasing Hazards
Fighting between cats usually starts when they chase each other. They may chase each other across the room, through pieces of furniture, under the bed or couch, or anywhere that theres space to run about. What you can do is control the space to manage the mayhem. This can be done by blocking and sealing certain passageways to prevent fights from happening.
- Serious Fights
If your cats get into a serious fight and you cant get sight blockers through to stop it from happening, you can throw a blanket and use it to carry one of them away from the other.
- Signs of Stress
In the process of acclimatizing, have a discerning eye on signs of stress that either of your cats may exhibit. Among some of the signs of stress in cats include aggressive behavior, hiding, and loss of appetite. If either of your cats exhibits these behaviors on more than a few occasions, consult with your veterinarian to help determine further steps you can take to help calm down your cat or kitten.
Dont Forget To Supervise
During the first getting to know you sessions, its important to supervise the activities. Depending on the age and demeanor of the cat and child, you may need to regularly supervise playtime. By keeping an eye on the kitty-kid exchanges, youll be able to catch both good and bad behavior and respond immediately.
Do you have any tips for helping develop the child-cat bond? Tell us about it in the comments!
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About the Author: Angie Bailey is a weird girl with freckles and giant smile who wants everyone to be her friend. Loves pre-adolescent boy humor, puns, making up parody songs, and thinking about cats doing people things. Wrote a ridiculous humor book about cats wheeling and dealing online. Partner in a production company and writes and acts in comedy web series that may or may not offend people. Mother to two humans and three cats, all of which want her to make them food.
Read more by Angie Bailey:
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Introducing Your Kitten To Other Pets
Before introducing your new kitten to other pets in your household, visit your veterinarian to ensure all pets are healthy and their vaccinations are up to date.
Smell is the most important sense for cats, so it’s a good idea to transfer some of the smells of your home onto the coat of your new kitten before the introductions. Mix the scents by stroking first your resident cat, then the kitten, without washing your hands, and vice versa.
Introduce your new kitten to other pets gradually and one at a time. Keeping your new kitten in a carrier or behind an expandable baby gate is a good way to supervise the first encounter.
During the introduction, separate the pets at any sign of aggression. Acceptance may take time, so never leave your new kitten unsupervised with any of your other pets until you are certain they get along well. Always keep smaller pets, such as hamsters, fish and birds safely out of reach.
Kittens Playing With Other Pets
A kitten and a puppy that grow up together are more likely to develop a bond and play well together than two adult pets that are introduced. Likewise a kitten and an adult dog tend to get along just fine if the dog is accustomed to cats and has been trained to be gentle.
Adult dogs may unintentionally hurt kittens due to their size difference, so its often best to make sure interactions are supervised until the kitten is fully grown and more active. Supervision will also help ensure that the kitten develops good habits with playtime.
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Easy Ways To Bond With Your Cat
Building on your cat-human bond doesnt need to involve fancy, expensive toys. For the most part, it just takes some time for interactionsomething many folks have in abundance during a worldwide pandemic.
Cats know when you are paying attention to themcats can follow your gaze, and know when you are talking to them, Koski says.
Here are 6 ways to help improve a cats bond with humans:
Give Your Cat Rituals And Traditions To Enjoy
Cats love rituals,2 and the greater your bond is with your cat, the more likely he’ll become cuddly. So set up some traditions your cat looks forward to every day. This can include a special way you and your cat greet each other whenever you come home. Or maybe every morning when you get up, you can crack open an exterior door or window just a little so your cat can smell the outside world. Then you give your cat a treat. Or perhaps at the same time every day, your cat chases you around the house while you carry a wand toy with a tiny stuffed mouse at the end. Whatever the tradition is, it can help strengthen your bond.
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Litter Box Maintenance With Arm & Hammer
Try these cat-approved ARM & HAMMER cat litters to help keep your kitty happy, healthy and to show them your love.
- ARM & HAMMER Clump and Seal AbsorbX lightweight cat litter. The desert-dry minerals absorb urine and odors extra quickly and the lighter weight makes it easier to lift, carry, and pour. Available in scented or unscented formulas.
- ARM & HAMMER Clump and Seal Multi-Cat. If you have a clowder of cats, use this hard-clumping litter for easy clean-up and 7-day odor control.
- ARM & HAMMER Feline Pine Non-Clumping Pine Pellet Litter. This litter is a good choice for kittens, cats recovering from surgery, and folks who prefer a 100% natural kitty litter with no dust or tracking.
For additional tips and tricks to create a safe and enjoyable environment for you and your kitties, check out these articles:
Make Sure Your Cat Is Healthy
Preparing your cat is an essential part of introducing a new kitten. A big factor to consider is your cats health. Apart from their mental health, their physical wellbeing is equally important. If your cat is unhealthy, a new kitten will stress them out and this will just aggravate the situation. That is why bringing your cat to the vet for a checkup would be a great idea to ensure that they are in good health and that their vaccinations are updated.
Note that kittens are prone to respiratory issues, so you want to make sure that your cat has a strong immune system not to catch such illnesses. Also, make sure that your cat has an up-to-date anti-rabies vaccine not to cause any issues if biting or scratching ever takes place.
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Serve Their Regular Meals And Treats
Food is often a great motivator to cats, so it’s important to choose the right food for them. It should be highly nutritious, as well as appropriate for their life stage or health needs. Kittens, for example, should be fed kitten-age food until their first birthday. Older cats may need food to help with their urinary tract health, manage diabetes, reduce hairballs, or promote better dental health. “Feeding your cat is a surefire way to build a strong bond with your cat,” says Venator. “Cats will quickly associate their owner with something positive like yummy treats or a filling meal.”
And if anyone in the household has a cat allergy, there are dietary options that can reduce the allergens in a cat’s fur, as well. “When it comes to feeding your catif you adopt a cat and discover that someone in your home has cat allergen sensitivities, you can help manage them by feeding your new cat Purina Pro Plan LiveClear , the first and only cat food shown to reduce the major allergen in cat hair and dander,” he says. “Not only are you feeding your cat a nutritious diet, you’re also creating a comfortable, stress-free home for them and your loved ones.”
How To Bond With Your New Kitten
Its more than love at first sight. Start off your relationship purr-fectly by doing all the right things to bond with your kitten.
Bringing home a kitten as a new member of your family is an exciting and joyful experience. Even though kittens can definitely be a challenge because theyre so energetic, no matter what your kittens personality is like, its important to spend time with her so that she can learn your rules and so she can realize that youre going to be her new best friend.
We want to make sure that this relationship starts off on the right paw. Thats why weve put together a few tips that can help you bond with your new kitten so that shell learn to trust you and love you forever.
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Give Your Kitten Her Own Room
To help your kitten feel safer and at ease, choose a small room that she can stay in so she can get to know her surroundings in a calm and quiet environment. The room should have everything that your kitten needs to feel right at home, including a warm and cozy cat bed, food and water bowls, a litter box, a scratching post, and some kitten-safe toys . Its also a good idea to keep your other pets out of the kitten room until she becomes acclimated to the space.
Related: How To Prepare Your Home For A New Kitten
Take Things Slow
Play with Your Kitten
Enjoy Kittenhood
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Why Is It Important To Have Bonded Pair Of Cats
Knowing whether your cats have bonded is crucial. This determines whether they will have a good life ahead, whether together or apart.
Not all kittens who live in the same house create a strong bond. Sometimes, they could just be tolerating each others presence but still disliking one another.
Bonded cats, however, will yearn if they are separated. They may become depressed and eventually develop behavior issues.
Know When To Back Off
Being able to read your cats body language is key to avoiding bonding setbacks. Englar says to look for a number of body language clues that indicate a cat might not be comfortable and you need to take a step back. These signs include flattened ears, an aggressively twitching tail, and super dilated pupils. If you see any of these, its probably not a good time to reach out and pet them, she explains.
Englar adds that purring can also sometimes indicate that a cat is agitated. Its confusing, because purring usually means a cat is happy, but sometimes theyll use it as a self-soothing mechanism. If a cat is purring but still seems agitated, its best to give him some space.
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How Can I Help My Cat Accept The Carrier
You probably got off to a good start with the pet carrier by following the recommendations for bringing your new kitty home. Continued crate training will come in handy over the kittys lifetime. There will be trips to the veterinarian or vacation travel or times of home confinement that require short stays inside the pet carrier.
To foster positive feelings about the pet carrier, start by leaving the carrier in the cats feeding quarters with the door open. Place toys or his food bowl inside the carrier to entice him inside. A pleasant experience and the freedom to come and go as he pleases will give your cat a better view of the carrier.
“A pleasant experience and the freedom to come and go as he pleases will give your cat a better view of the carrier.”
After he becomes comfortable entering and leaving the carrier of his own accord, close the door briefly while he is inside. Each time, try to leave the kitten in a bit longer before allowing him to exit. Contrary to your instincts, never allow the kitten out when he cries or scratches at the crate or he will associate those behaviors with escape. Instead, wait until the kitten is calm and quiet, praise him and allow him to exit.
How Banfield Can Help
Were here for kitty love, health, and happiness. Hostile cats may not be unsocialized at all, but actually sick or hurt. If youre worried your cats behavior is due to an illness or medical issue, please bring them in to see your veterinary team. Were here to help figure out whats going on and can even provide tips on how to get that unhappy, uncooperative cat into their carrier.
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How To Play With Your Kitten
To interest your kitten in play, assemble several toys and your kitten in an environment where your cat can focus on you. Twitch the toy in front of them, just out of reach. You will know youve succeeded when your kitten pounces, bats at, or tries to chase the toy.
It could take time to find the balance between letting your cat catch the toy and keeping it out of their reach to maintain their interest. Take note of what works as you go, and dont be afraid to try new motions or techniques!
How Do I Deal With Inappropriate Behavior
Cats can be demanding creatures so its important to instill good manners early on. Inappropriate behavior such as swatting, excessive vocalization, and biting should not be tolerated. If your kitten begins to exhibit these behaviors, quickly and quietly leave the area and cease all interactions. Once the kitten is calm and quiet, resume interactions. The goal is for the kitten to learn that calm, quiet behavior warrants attention while aggressive actions do not. Make time daily for appropriate interactions with your cat that include play and petting.
Disciplining a young kitten may be necessary if its behavior towards people or property is inappropriate, but punishment should be avoided. A sharp, No! may be all that is needed to stop your kitty in his tracks. However, remote disruption that associates the consequences with the action may be considered. For most kittens, hand clapping or rattling a can of beans can divert attention and be intimidating enough to inhibit undesirable behavior when you are present.
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Ways To Bond With Your Kitten Or Cat
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #OneStopKittyShop #CollectiveBias
As I write this, Juniper my six-month-old kitten is sitting in the kids trampoline right next to my computer. When I woke up this morning, Scarlet was sleeping on my shoulder and the kitten was sleeping on my feet. I felt the weight and heat of it while still in my sleep and dreams, and then woke up to find us all huddled together on this cold morning. I have to say its moments like this that make me realize that my heart is big enough to love dogs AND cats. They bring different personality traits, tasks, concerns, joys, and pros and cons to the table, Im sure, but pet love is love. And love is love. STRONG.
Cat bonding is REAL! You cant change your pets personality, just like you wouldnt with a person, but you can change your relationship to introduce and maintain trust, respect, bonding, and love. How? Good care, good play, good products.
Pay Attention To Your Cat
Does your cat knock stuff onto the floor?
This is his way of telling you that he wants attention.
Or perhaps your cat makes himself comfortable on your keyboard while you work?
Your cat is telling you its time to take a break and pay attention to him.
Most people assume that cats are aloof. They arent social.
But this is not true.
Studies show that cats prefer human interaction to food or toys.
Cats are social creatures that do bond with their humans.
Bonding with a cat is easy. Just pay attention to your cat!
Fun ideas:
Set a 30-minute timer to take a break from work or watching TV. Your eyes need a rest from the screens anyway. Run around with your cat and wear him out.
Get out those wand toys and catnip toys for some fun playtime!
Use my guides:
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Introduce Your Cat To The New Kitten
When you bring your kitten home, allow your cat to sniff it while the kitten is in a carrier or your arms. Go directly to the room previously designated and set up for your new kitten and allow the kitten to explore. The litter box, food bowls, bed, and some toys should all be easily accessible. Do not let your older cat have unsupervised access to the kitten.
At night, when you are not home, and whenever you are unable to supervise the kitten and your older cat, keep the kitten in its designated room with the door closed. As your cat gets curious, it may stick its paw under the door, sniff under the door, and listen to the kitten. Do this for about a week, depending on how your cat is acting with the changes. Dont forget to provide a lot of attention to your older cat after playing with your kitten. Itll need your attention and support and the scent of the kitten on your clothing will help it get used to the newcomer.