Kitten Behavior Problems

Kitten behavior problems often seem cute when the cat is small, but behaviors that seem cute in a kitten can be disastrous once the kitten becomes an adult. Kittens are naturally mischievous, and this trait may cause them to misbehave. It is the owner's job to train them to behave appropriately. Teaching the kitten well provides a pleasurable owner experience for years to come.

  1. Elimination Problems

    • Kittens are very sanitary and require a clean place for elimination. If their litter box is kept dirty, they will defecate or urinate in locations outside the box. Owners should scoop the litter box once a day and replace the litter every two weeks to prevent accidents or deliberate elimination in inappropriate locations. Kittens may also use other places as a litter box if their box is hard for them to navigate because it is too tall.

    Aggression Problems

    • Kittens love to play, and owners should try to play with them each day. However, kittens may target their owner's hands or feet. This type of interaction should be discouraged so the kitten won't think it's okay to bite or scratch humans. This type of playing may feel harmless when the kitten is young, but it will feel worse when it is older. When kittens are in a playful mood, owners should provide stuffed or dangling toys to teach the kitten how to play properly.

    Scratching Problems

    • Kittens like to scratch to sharpen their claws and to mark their territory. Owners should keep their kitten's nails trimmed and provide them with an appropriate scratching outlet, otherwise they will scratch up the furniture. Protect furniture with plastic so the kitten won't become interested in it as a place to scratch. Provide scratching posts near the furniture, and reward the kitten with treats to encourage it to use the posts rather than furniture.

    Adaptation Problems

    • Although cats often appear standoffish, they need social contact to help them adapt to other cats, other animals and people. Kittens learn how to communicate and how to socialize within their litter. Owners who adopt cats younger than 10 weeks old stand a greater chance of their kitten lacking social skills and becoming emotionally unbalanced, which can cause behavior problems.