made or commercially available, nutritionally balanced, fresh food diet (preferably raw) designed for cats at all stages of life.
When cats in the wild feel threatened, they head for trees, dens or caves for safety. Domestic kitties don’t have that option, so their obsession with hiding in boxes may be an adaptation. Providing “hidey holes” may also help a kitten acclimate faster to their new home and family.
6
Help the kitten learn to love their personal litter box.
Most kittens can use a litter box at about four weeks. Just make sure its walls are low enough that they can hop in and out on their own. If a kitten or cat is avoiding the box, there’s likely a reason: location, type of litter or failure to clean it often enough.
7
Provide appropriate climbing and scratching surfaces.
Climbing and scratching are natural feline behaviors. Try burlap, cardboard and carpeted scratching surfaces, placed vertically and horizontally to meet all preferences. Keep the scratchers in areas where the kitten hangs out.
8
Train kitty to use the scratching post.
Initially, it might help to apply catnip or attach a feather toy to make the scratching
11 area especially appealing. Discourage any feline from scratching on inappropriate surfaces by attaching double-sided tape or inflated balloons to rugs or furniture that are off limits.
9
Offer toys that bring out the feline hunter.
Think like a cat and buy or create toys that draw out their hunting instincts. A piece of string wrapped around the end of a stick dragged on the ground will bring out the stalker in almost any cat. So will ping-pong balls or small wads of paper flicked across the floor.
10
Indulge most kittens’ love of boxes.
Provide easy, safe access to the outdoors.
Indoor cats need time outside. Consider building or buying a safe, secure, outdoor enclosure (catio) for them to hang out in when the weather is nice.
12
Consider adopting two kittens at the same time.
One of the best ways to avoid many common behavioral problems is to adopt a pair of kittens. Because they crave stimulation and interaction, adopting two provides instant playmates to occupy each other’s time. Karen Becker is a proactive, integrative doctor of veterinary medicine who consults internationally and writes for Mercola Healthy Pets (HealthyPets.Mercola.com).
April 2019
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