How to properly raise a kitten so that it is affectionate and calm, is it possible to raise an adult cat or a female cat?

Adopting a new kitten can be an exciting and difficult experience. Cats are known for being independent, but given the correct upbringing, they can also be calm and loving animals. Positive interactions and early socialization are essential to developing a loving personality in a kitten. You can create a lifetime bond with your kitten if you have the right attitude and a little patience.

A common question is whether adult cats can be trained to behave in the same way. The good news is that even elderly cats can become calmer and more dependable with constant attention and understanding. That might, however, require more patience and time than raising a kitten.

Whether you’re working with an adult cat or a young kitten, understanding your cat’s individual personality, providing a safe haven, and gentle handling are the cornerstones of a loving relationship. You can make your cat a beloved, loving companion with the correct help.

Where to start raising a baby?

The animal needs to understand its place. For an apartment cat, this idea encompasses things like:

• the ability to relieve itself in a designated litter box (and only there);
• willingness to respond to its own name;
• lack of the habit of begging or stealing food.

The infant should be taught the aforementioned abilities as soon as it is brought to a new home. The animal can easily learn the most basic behavioral rules by the time it is three months old, which is also the best time for kittens to be weaned from their mother. Knowing how to communicate your needs to the pet is crucial.

Training to the litter box

A kitten picks up its mother’s habit of using the designated area for both urination and defecation, so you should ask the breeder how the baby’s toilet was set up. You can make the process of acclimating your pet to new surroundings much easier by using the identical tray and filler.

When the baby starts fussing around looking for a toilet, you might have to take him there multiple times, but after a few days, he will figure out where the tray is on his own. Maintaining a clean cat toilet is crucial, as no feline enjoys using an unclean one.

The animal still leaves puddles and piles everywhere, even though the tray is clean? It is worthwhile to search for a different restroom. You can move the tray to a corner that your cat particularly enjoys, and make sure to place a piece of paper inside to wipe up any previous puddles your pet may have left behind. The kitten will find its bearings easier if it can smell its own urine.

When the animal relieves itself in the proper location, you should encourage it; however, you shouldn’t chastise it for leaving piles elsewhere. Furthermore, you shouldn’t "teach" the pet by sticking its nose into its own waste. Using such methods will give the cat the idea that he was penalized for urinating. Is it surprising, then, to discover mounds in odd locations, like beneath couches and behind cabinets?

You’ll need to exercise patience and use specific sprays ("Antigadin," "Mr. Frech," and "No Shitting?") in place of punishment. Not at all!", "STOP issue. Does not mark, does not shit, etc. Such products have an unpleasant smell that the cat will find uncomfortable. Spray the surfaces that the pet is interested in until it stops wanting to urinate on them. Rubbing freshly cleaned surfaces with citrus zest, whose scent is also disagreeable to pets, will have a comparable effect.

See also: What to do with a kitten that has been brought home, when to give it its first bath, and how to take care of it?

Getting to know its nickname

Any necessary skills, like responding to the nickname chosen for it, can be taught to the kitten with calmness and patience. You must repeatedly say a kitten’s name in a soft voice when engaging in any activity with it, such as games, feeding, or other forms of care, to help it become ingrained in its memory and be perceived as an invitation to something enjoyable.

Selecting a nickname for your pet that it will understand will help you succeed more quickly. It is preferable to give preference to names that are short (no more than two syllables) and include lots of cat-attractive sounds, like Ksyusha, Vaska, Roxy, etc.

Training to the "dining room"

You should start the kitten off by teaching it to only eat at set times and in a specific location. This will lessen the likelihood of future food theft and begging. An owner who shows inflexibility and firmness of character in this matter, along with prepping a balanced diet for the pet in advance, will ensure that the animal does not grow up to be a manipulator or finicky eater.

How to raise an affectionate cat?

A kitten’s personality develops during the first few months of its life. Thus, as soon as the pet is brought inside, you should start taking the necessary actions if you want to raise it to be docile and loving.

The owner’s primary responsibility is to strike a balance: the infant needs to receive adequate attention, without neglecting its need to play and interact, while also respecting its personal space. Equipping the apartment with a "shelter" is essential; this is a place where the cat can go to rest whenever it wants and where no one will disturb it. In addition to learning polite, non-aggressive communication with the owner and his family, the animal should feel secure.

Teach not to release claws during play

The first step in raising a kitten is to build a cozy, dependable bond between the pet and its caregiver. Playing games is the simplest way to create this kind of connection.

See also: The best vitamin complexes for liquid and tablet form, suitable for kittens, pregnant cats, and adult cats

Given that cats are innate hunters, it is not unexpected that they will attempt to mimic predatory behavior, even when children are causing a commotion. It’s crucial to establish limits at this point and make it clear that biting and clawing are not acceptable. Animals have a very good sense of intonation. You can clearly communicate to the kitten that such behavior is unacceptable by stopping the game right away and speaking to him in an authoritative manner.

Do not tease the kitten with your hands or feet

The kitten will still need to practice his hunting skills because it is still a predator. He will need special toys for this in his small home. Pet stores carry safe, eco-friendly materials for making balls, feathers, and mice. You can create your own playthings.

Naturally, the infant will take great pleasure in training on candy wrappers, wool balls, and even the owner’s limbs. Pets should be removed from the latter right away; in particular, it is improper to intentionally tease and incite an animal to attack. Once the little fluffy lump gets a little bigger, a fun game will quickly become an unpleasant and traumatic activity.

Stopping the "hunt" for family members

In an effort to teach the animal that people are not prey, the owner must make sure the cat learns to treat all members of the family with respect. This is particularly valid if there are young children living there.

As soon as the pet tries to attack, it should be restrained. Anything that can break the mood of hunting and establish authority within the group, such as loud cheers, abrupt claps, stamping of feet, and threatening hissing, is effective. It is pointless to try to teach an adult animal not to rush at people if a kitten, only a few months old, does not learn this lesson.

It takes time, patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement to raise a calm, loving kitten. A trustworthy relationship can be formed from a young age through gentle handling, socialization, and the creation of a loving, safe environment. Even though it’s simpler to mold behavior in kittens, mature cats can still benefit from gentle guidance and comprehension. With the correct approach, even a female cat can learn to be more affectionate, though breaking old habits may take some time.

How to become an authority for a kitten?

Unlike dogs, cats are not considered pack animals, so developing a relationship with them based on the traditional hierarchical model is not feasible. There’s only one way you can establish yourself as a leader and authority figure to an animal: by demonstrating to it why obedience pays off. The pet needs to understand that certain behaviors are rewarded, and that other behaviors (attacks on family members, furniture damage, etc.) will result in reprimands, punishment, and loss of comforts and privileges.

How to train your pet not to ruin furniture?

About six months is when kittens first feel the need to sharpen their claws. The ideal time to introduce your pet to a scratching post is now. To place these devices throughout the apartment, you will need to purchase multiple of them at once (the locations where the baby has already attempted to sharpen its claws should be prioritized).

This should be sufficient to keep the animal from wanting to damage the furniture and wallpaper, if everything is done correctly. Should this not work, you’ll need to employ cunning:

• Interest the pet in the scratching post by spraying it with catnip essential oil or a special product (“Ms. Kiss”, “Smart Spray. Accustoms to the scratching post and places for games”). Praise the baby when it uses the device as intended.
• Isolate the cat from its favorite places where sharpening claws is unacceptable. Cover the torn areas of wallpaper with plastic panels, furniture – with thick blankets. You can also not let the animal into the room at all, where there is a sofa or armchair that it especially liked.
• Immediately stop unwanted behavior. Having caught the cat "at the crime scene", do not delay to start raising it. It is important that the pet forms a clear associative connection, and remembers what actions entailed punishment.

It takes time, love, and consistency to raise a calm, loving kitten. You can develop a close relationship with your kitten through gentle training methods and the creation of a safe, loving environment. A well-adjusted pet can be shaped by early socialization, gentle handling, and rewarding good behavior.

While it’s simpler to shape a kitten’s behavior from an early age, adult cats or female cats can also be helped to develop better habits. Even older cats can become more relaxed and affectionate with time, positive reinforcement, and awareness of their particular needs.

Although every cat is different, you can raise a loving, peaceful companion at any stage of life with patience, love, and care.

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How to raise a kitten correctly and make it affectionate and calm