| BEHAVIOR
AND TRAINING OF KITTENS
Author Jacqueline
C. Neilson, D.V.M., DACVB
Subject Animal Behavior
Day 2/11/01
Time 15:30:00
Western Veterinary Conference
Introduction
Kittens, to any cat person they are irresistible: adorable,
sweet perfection in a fuzzy little ball. But when adopted,
their angelic appearance can soon be replaced by the realities of owning
an energetic young kitten. There are ways to prevent this adoration from
turning to frustration. It involves understanding the feline as a species,
providing for the kitten's needs and providing appropriate training and
structure for the kitten. Several common problem kitten behavior issues
will be explored.
Discussion
The Nighttime Circus
Perhaps the most universal complaint of new kitten owners is the bursts
of nighttime activity that awakens the soundest of sleepers. Cats are
not nocturnal animals, they exhibit a crepuscular pattern of activity,
that is heightened activity at dawn and dusk. If they aren't nocturnal
animals, why do they exhibit all of this nighttime activity? This nighttime
activity can be attributed in part to the energetic and curious personality
of most kittens. But there are other factors at work. When one examines
the daily routine of the kitten we may find that the kitten doesn't get
a great deal of exercise/activity during the day. While the humans are
out working, most kittens spend the day sleeping. In the evening, owners
may enjoy curling up on the sofa with their new companion. The owners
need to channel that kitten energy into activities when they are awake.
A kitten that is kept awake all evening with games is much less likely
to get into mischief in the middle of the night. Another motivation for
the nighttime pouncer is the attention that activity receives.
An owner
that screams, shrieks or bellows is giving the kitten attention. Toss
in a chase and the kitten probably thinks it is great fun. Owners have
to be careful to remove any reward that they may be giving when the kitten
engages in unwanted nighttime activity. If they can't ignore the behavior,
then a remote punishment (e.g. squirt of water) could be delivered. Of
course, closing the bedroom door or slipping in some ear plugs may help
to ensure a full nights slumber.
Destruction
Although they may weigh less than 5 pounds, kittens can
inflict a lot of property damage in a relatively short amount
of time. Their main weapon of destruction is the front claws, although
some kittens will also chew items. The act of scratching is normal and
provides multiple benefits to the cat, it: stretches their muscles, leaves
a scent mark, leaves a visual mark and grooms the nail bed. Cats are going
to scratch, the key for successful management is to have the scratching
targeted at acceptable items. Kittens should be provided with acceptable
scratching areas in prominent locations. These scratching areas should
be sturdy, in the preferred orientation (horizontal or vertical) and made
of preferred materials. Unacceptable targets should be made aversive or
unavailable. Material that provides no purchase for the claws (e.g. suede)
may be the best upholstery choice for a household with cats. The kitten
should receive weekly nail trims to keep the nails blunt. For difficult
to control cases consider Soft Paws or declawing.
Although
it is less common, some kittens will chew household items, especially
string-like objects or plants. Just as one would child-proof a house,
one should also kitten proof a home. Cords should be unplugged/paced out
of reach and plants should be placed out of reach. A protective covering
for cords that can't be removed from the environment can be found at home
improvement stores. A remote punishment may be effective - consider coating
target items with an unpleasant material
(commercial deterrent spray or bittering agent) or attaching a motion
alarm. It is important to provide these kittens with acceptable items
to chew - a small pot of wheat grass or a rawhide chew bone may help.
Playing with fishing pole type toys will tire the kitten and provide an
outlet for oral activity.
Play
aggression
Cats, especially kittens, need appropriate outlets for play.
If these needs aren't being met sometimes cats will use their owners as
play targets. If the cat becomes too excited or aroused they may injure
the person. Over exuberant play behavior toward another pet in the household
may also result in problems. Within the play sequence the owner may notice
components of predatory behavior. When playing with other kittens, if
one kitten bites too hard, the playmate may either stop playing or react
with defensive aggression, thus relaying a message that the play aggression
was too rough. Kittens that
grow up without isolated from other kittens (i.e. hand-raised) may miss
out on these early lessons and have less inhibition when mature.
Cats that
exhibit play related aggression need to have
appropriate daily interactive play using remote toys. Any play that results
in owners' body being the target of the play should be avoided. The owner
should initiate play periods and can try to anticipate and redirect the
"attack" to a toy (e.g. carry a ball to toss). The owner should
avoid giving any type of reward for the play aggression – running
and screaming may only encourage the behavior. The owner should not deliver
any direct interactive punishment (e.g. hit the cat) for the behavior
as it may induce fear or defensive aggression. The owners can interrupt
inappropriate play behavior with remote punishment (squirt bottle, alarm)
or exit the room if cat instigates inappropriate play. Adding another
cat of a similar
age and energy level is a treatment option.
Litterbox
training
One of the joys of owning a kitten as opposed to a puppy is that feline
house-training is usually much easier. Most
kittens will naturally be attracted to a litter box for
elimination, choosing the commercial litter material as the
preferred and desirable elimination substrate. Problems tend
to arise when the litterbox isn't accessible, clean or
attractive. Or sometimes the kitten discovers alternative
equally attractive elimination spots such as the dirt in a
potted plant. Most cats prefer finely particulate material for elimination
substrate. A litterbox cannot be too clean - daily scooping and routine
washing are mandatory. Social
relationships between other living beings in the home may
cause box access problems - these should be identified and
addressed. The litterbox should be placed near the core living area of
the kitten so it can easily access the box. Some kittens need to be restricted
to a smaller area with a
litterbox until usage patterns are successfully established.
Summary
Kittens are magical. But sometimes we want the more
challenging aspects of their behavior to disappear. By
recognizing, understanding and addressing their species
typical behavior we can enhance the kittenhood experience.
Key
Principles
Kittens are not asocial, independent animals: they need
interactive human play.
Kittens are
likely to cause some destruction during
exploration and play: kitten proof house to avoid disasters
and provide acceptable outlets for scratching, climbing, oral activity.
Litterboxes
should be easily accessible, clean and attractive. A cafeteria can be
used to determine individual preferences.
Play aggression
to humans may be resolved by providing
adequate outlets for play or perhaps a second kitten.
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