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Positive Reinforcements

A very important rule is "Never take good behaviors for granted." You should have a mental list of all the behaviors you want from your kitten. Actively watch for them and reward your kitten whenever you catch her doing something right. Food rewards, like a few kibbles of Science Diet® cat food should be given for using the litter box or scratching post, playing with toys and being relaxed when you handle her.

If you want your kitten to be relaxed and social around people when she grows up, you need to provide lots of positive social experiences when your kitten is young, especially during the first few months. Have people of various ages and appearances frequently visit your home. Toys, play and treats can be used to teach your kitten to look forward to visits by unfamiliar people.

And lastly, be sure to set your kitten up to succeed. Don't tease or play games that encourage play-biting. Put things out of reach that a curious kitten is likely to get into or damage. Food, plants and shiny objects left on countertops are just too tempting for most kittens.

About Dr. Wayne Hunthausen, DVM
The Kitten Training section was contributed by Wayne Hunthausen, DVM. Dr. Hunthausen is a veterinarian and pet behavior consultant who has worked with pet owners and veterinarians throughout North America since 1982 to solve companion animal behavior problems. He has also served as the president and executive board member of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.

Dr. Hunthausen has written for numerous pet publications, co-authored pet behavior books and helped develop an award-winning safety video for children and pets. In his spare time, he is an avid photographer and enjoys skiing, cycling, movies, traveling with his wife, Jan, and hiking with their dogs Ralphie, Beau and Peugeot.

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