How to Teach a Kitten to Be Loving

A kitten learns most of its social behaviors between the ages of 2 and 7 weeks of age, a time in which you can teach it to love you and behave calmly in your presence, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. During this early period when you adopt a kitten you must teach it to trust you and members of your family by providing it with a stable, loving environment that it feels safe in.

Things You'll Need

  • Cat bed
  • Blankets
  • Food and water dishes
  • Cat treats
  • Cat toys
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put your kitten in its own room when you bring it home so you don't overwhelm it with a strange environment and let it feel safe in a new, small space. Give it blankets to snuggle on, a soft cat bed, a litter box and food and water dishes. Keep pets and small children away from the kitten for the first two weeks at home.

    • 2

      Spend time with the kitten for small periods of time throughout the day. If the kitten shows a fear of you, sit in the room reading a book or watching television. Allow the kitten to approach you on its own and sit near you. Speak to the kitten in a calm, soft voice so you don't startle it.

    • 3

      Stroke the kitten gently once you have gained its trust. Before petting the kitten, allow it to smell your hand, then gently stroke its head and body. A kitten who trusts you may expose its belly, a sign of affection, for gentle petting. Verbally praise the kitten in a soft voice while petting it and give it cat treats to reward affectionate behavior, such as purring or rubbing its face against you.

    • 4

      Play with the kitten using interactive toys such as those on a string or wand. Engage the kitten's attention, allowing it to run, jump and catch the toys. During the play sessions, give the kitten treats when it comes over on its own to you or purrs in your presence. Avoid using your hands during play as this can cause the kitten to play rough with your hands or bite.

    • 5

      Ignore unwanted behaviors, such as aggressive attacks of your feet, ankles or hands. If your kitten exhibits any of these more aggressive play behaviors, simply walk away from it and cease any contact or play for at least 15 minutes. Once the kitten approaches you calmly, treat it and praise its behavior. The kitten will learn that aggressive behavior leads to a stop in play or snuggling.

    • 6

      Supervise interactions between young children or other pets and the kitten. Make sure all humans and animals don't taunt or play roughly with the kitten. Allow the kitten free access to your home after its first few weeks at home, giving it objects such as tall cat trees it can climb to alleviate any stress.