Raising a Friendly Kitten

The task of raising a friendly kitten largely depends on the experiences the kitten had between ages 2 weeks and 9 weeks. Kittens that are handled often, and meet different animals and people, early in life tend to be friendly. Raising a friendly kitten starts with selecting the right kitten and then teaching it to be social and friendly.

  1. Kitten Selection

    • It's best to get a kitten from a litter born in a home or homelike environment. These kittens are exposed to numerous sounds, smells, people and possibly other household pets. Such a kitten will not be timid or frightened by strange noises and sounds. Orphaned kittens or those without siblings tend to display behavioral problems once they grow, according to Doctors Foster and Smith, a pet education website. Living with siblings and their mother, kittens learn acceptable behavior, such as not biting and scratching. This type of behavior is more commonly seen in hand-reared kittens. Breed selection is also important. Some breeds are inherently friendly, while others tend to get stressed and anxious easily. Speak to a breeder about your preference for a friendly kitten and check out the temperament of the parents before selecting a kitten.

    Be Protective

    • Once a kitten comes to a new home, it will be exposed to unfamiliar sounds and people. Do not expose the kitten initially to loud sounds, voices and young children. The risk is that the kitten will learn to associate the voices and children with bad experiences and do everything possible to avoid or drive them away. Teach children how to act around the kitten and how to play with it without hurting it.

    Handling

    • Handle the kitten gently for short periods of time, so that it learns that the people will not hurt it. Handling the kitten frequently will make it more receptive to being touched and petted as it grows older. Encourage the kitten to meet strangers, such as friends and cat-loving neighbors. Ask them to bring treats and toys for the kitten, so the kitten will make positive associations with people and strangers.

    Interactive Play

    • Spend time playing and bonding with your new kitten. Use toys to stir the kitten's curiosity. You can push a ball or dangle a stuffed mouse from a string to get your kitten to play with you. This will also teach the kitten to stay away from nipping your fingers and ankles. If it does nip, distract it with a toy instead of scolding or smacking it.

    New Experiences

    • Get people with cat-friendly dogs to visit you and your kitten. Drive your kitten around in the car so that it gets used to traveling and experiencing different vehicular sounds. Give the kitten a treat on returning home. Whenever the kitten has a new experience, act matter-of-fact about it. This will help the kitten get over its fears and be less inclined to scratch or bite.