Behaviors such as elimination, scratching, and play should be discussed during each well-care appointment. Often, behaviors are developmentally normal but undesirable. Young kittens need supervision for their safety and to prevent them from engaging in undesirable behaviors. With appropriate information, owners can understand and prevent unwanted behaviors while encouraging preferred ones.
Elimination & Scratching Behavior
Even if a newly adopted kitten has used a litter box in a prior setting, the kitten may not be committed to an exclusive elimination area. Clean boxes should be provided in several locations. Another option for litter box training is to confine the kitten to a smaller space (eg, a single bedroom) with its litter box, especially when it cannot be closely supervised. Once the kitten begins to use the box consistently, more areas of the house can be made accessible. Large homes and multipet households need more than one litter box station.
Normal kittens scratch surfaces as they explore the environment. An assortment of horizontal and vertical scratching posts should be offered to kittens in prominent social areas. Until a substrate preference has been established, posts made from a variety of materials (eg, cardboard, sisal, fabric) should be provided.
If a kitten is caught eliminating or scratching in an undesirable location, the kitten can be distracted to interrupt the behavior; a toy or treat can be used to lure the kitten from the spot. The distraction should not be aversive. For kittens that likely need to eliminate, a food lure can be used as a guide to the nearby litter box. Shouting at or otherwise frightening a kitten, even once, can permanently destroy a kitten’s relationship with the owner.
Play
Normal kittens are playful. Play can include predatory sequences directed at objects, hands, and feet. A variety of toys, including puzzle games and interactive wand toys, should be offered. Kittens should not be invited or encouraged to play with hands or feet. If a kitten playfully pounces on a person, the kitten should be directed back to a toy. It should be expressed clearly to owners that shouting and spraying the kitten with water can create fear and/or arousal and are not appropriate ways to teach proper play.
Communication & Training
Feline body language should also be reviewed during the visit.7 Whether a kitten is being socialized with a stranger or is playing with a family member, it is important to discontinue the interaction if the kitten shows signs of fear or emotional arousal.
Communication can be further strengthened through reward-based training. During training sessions, kittens learn safe, predictable ways to interact with humans, and owners learn to attend to their cat’s body language. Punishment should never be used when training a kitten.