SOCIALISING your kitten

W e all want a cat who is friendly, sociable, and wants to spend time with us. But the time for shaping your cat’s personality for the future is now, in the first two months of his life. Making sure he experiences as much of the ‘real world’ as possible is of utmost importance.

But rather than trying to teach him all of life’s lessons at once, socialising your new kitten needs to be approached

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

The greater the variety of positive experiences kittens have between two and eight weeks of age, the more likely they are going to be able to adapt to whatever life throws at them in the future.

Many rescue centres will have their kittens placed in foster homes for this reason. Whether you’ve rescued or purchased a kitten, find out what socialisation he has already had so you can continue this at home.

Nicky says:“Habituating kittens to a variety of household sounds and experiences is imperative for preparing them for domestic life, and can have a lasting impact on cat welfare. Kittens who hear novel sounds, such as a vacuum cleaner, thunder, and fireworks, are much less likely to be fearful of these noises in the future.”

It’s important that your kitten associates these experiences with positive things, so give him a small treat when he hears a new sound and doesn’t react fearfully.You can buy CDs or download audio tracks of firework noises, thunderstorms, and so on, which you should start by playing for less than a minute on a low volume, gradually increasing the volume and time played. carefully, as too much at once can be overwhelming, and even traumatising.

Cats Protection’s behaviour manager, Nicky Trevorrow, advises: “All experiences need to be positive for a kitten; a bad experience can be as detrimental as having no experience. Build up a kitten’s experiences gradually over time, and repeat them regularly throughout the first two months of his life.”

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE

Getting your kitten used to the sights and sounds of your home is important, but he also needs to be accustomed to people and noises outside of his comfort zone, too.

Nicky says:“To get kittens used to people, research has shown that kittens need to have positive handling experiences with at least four different people. Studies have shown that as little as 40 minutes of handling a day during the socialisation period has a profound effect on the friendliness of kittens and their willingness to approach people.”

Here are a few tips from PDSA vet nurse Kristiana Shirley for varying your kitten’s socialisation:

● Invite a variety of friends to your home — ideally of different ages, genders, heights, and hair colour — to help your kitten get used to all sorts of different people. With this in mind, things like hats and beards can be quite intimidating to young cats, so also try to invite people over who fit the bill here!

● Try to arrange for your kitten to meet some (well-behaved!) children at your house if you don’t have any yourself. Make sure they know how to correctly approach and handle your kitten, so he does not become frightened.

● Get your kitten used to being in the car by taking him out for short trips. Offer a special treat when you return to the house, so he associates travelling with a positive reward.

● Kittens need to get used to being left alone, so gradually leave him for increasing lengths of time when you are socialising him.

GROOMING

Whether you have a short- or longhaired kitten, it is important to gently groom him regularly, so he gets used to the feeling of being brushed and handled. If you have a pedigree kitten, your breeder should already have started this and should show you how to continue his grooming routine.

To start with, only groom your kitten for short periods and praise him and give him treats, so he learns to associate grooming with positive experiences. Many cats need to be groomed regularly, particularly when they are elderly, and it will be much less stressful for your cat if he has been introduced to grooming from a young age.

It also provides the useful opportunity to check for injuries or lumps, and will help him get used to having his eyes, teeth, and ears looked at. Remember, he will need to have his claws trimmed, so get him used to having his paws touched.

Nicky says:“Gently handling kittens’ feet and ears as part of a regular health check can make a huge difference when visiting the vet’s later in life.”

PLAYTIME

Play is essential for his physical and mental development, helping to grow his confidence — and is a good way to bond with your furry bundle of joy.

Toys don’t need to be expensive, nor all-singing and all-dancing, to entertain your kitten and encourage good playing manners. A cardboard box with a couple of holes cut into it will provide hours of seeking and hiding fun, and you can encourage him to use his hunting and pouncing instincts by using a fishing rod-style toy.

Small catnip toys, hidden in various places throughout the house, will also encourage his hunting skills. Kittens need to scratch just as much as adult cats; provide a sturdy scratching post to save your furniture. If he likes to climb, consider purchasing a cat activity centre which incorporates scratching and has plenty of towers or platforms for him to climb up.

Some cats also enjoy playing fetch, and you can encourage this by throwing a small toy away from him to pounce on, and reward him with a treat when he brings it back.