Raising a Well-Behaved Kitten: 8 Expert Tips for Training Your Kitten

Cats are highly intelligent beings, and they can be trained. If you have brought a kitten home for the first time, we’re sharing eight training tips, including:

1. How to Train a Kitten to Sit On Command

2. How to Train a Kitten to Use the Bed and the Crate

3. Developing Your Kitten’s Socialization Skills

4. How to Teach Your Kitten Safe Playing Techniques

5. How to Handle Your Kitten

6. How to Litter Train Your Kitten

7. How to Teach Your Kitten Proper Feeding Etiquette

8. Training a Kitten to Recognize Their Name

How to Train a Kitten to Sit On Command

Training your kitten can start by teaching a simple behavior like sitting on command. Right after you ask your kitten to sit, you can use a clicker or voice commands like ‘yes’ and ‘good job’ when his or her bottom hits the ground.

As soon as your kitten sits, bring out a reward, like treats or cat food. If your kitten tries to stand up on their hind feet to get the reward, move the treat away to show that he or she needs to sit, as you commanded, to receive the reward.

How to Train a Kitten to Use the Bed and the Crate

Even the most comfortable cat beds will only be useful if you can train your kitten to use it. The same thing applies to crates, as you’ll have a lot of trouble traveling with a cat that does not want to be in a crate.

Whether it is the bed or the crate, you can start by using food as encouragement. Place your kitten’s meal on the cat bed or inside the crate. Let the kitten freely use this space, so your pet learns to enjoy it.

Developing Your Kitten’s Socialization Skills

Kittens have their prime socialization period between 2-7 weeks of age. If you don’t let your kitten socialize with other kittens, animals, or people, you’re just raising a cat who will get nervous with the slightest change in the environment.

So, invite people over to the house, let them meet your kitten, use a leash, and take your kitten to the farmer’s market or pet store if pets are allowed. Fill these experiences with toys and treats, so your pet learns to love socializing.

How to Teach Your Kitten Safe Playing Techniques

Kittens have a lot of energy, and playing with them is a great way for you to bond with your pet and also let them positively expend energy. However, you shouldn’t ever allow rough play with your kitten. Your kitten needs to know that it’s never okay to use its claws and teeth on your skin. Use toys to play in your kitchen to teach them appropriate play behavior. Get a ball, catnip, or even feathers on a stick, and show your kitten to only play rough with those items.

How to Handle Your Kitten

Your kitten will not always be held in the positions that he or she likes. For instance, you will have to take your kitten to the vet’s office, or maybe your kitten will have children trying to pick him or her up. Hold your kitten in different ways so that he or she gets used to being picked up and handled. Get your kitten used to be touched on their sides, back and legs.

Touch your kitten’s other body parts, like ears and feet, and even gums and teeth. Being used to getting handled differently as a kitten will make it easier to clean your kitten’s ears or brush their teeth as they grow up.

How to Litter Train Your Kitten

Litter training your kitten is as simple as placing it inside the litter box to show them where it is. Kittens instinctively like to potty in the litter box. However, if you are finding it difficult to litter train your kitten, just sit and hold your cat in the litter box for a few minutes at a time while reassuring them and offering treats.

Let your kitten paw the litter and get accustomed to the new environment. You’re simply trying to trigger your kittens instincts to scrape up and cover their feces after doing their business.

How to Teach Your Kitten Proper Feeding Etiquette

You may already be aware that many of the common foods that humans eat are unsuitable for kittens, such as raisins, grapes, chocolate, garlic, and onions. But that isn’t the only reason you shouldn’t feed a kitten from the dinner table.

Feeding your kitten from the dinner table will make your kitty clamber around each time you sit down to eat. It isn’t a healthy eating habit or a positive behavior because your kitten should only be fed food specifically made for cats and only during mealtimes at appropriate intervals.

Training a Kitten to Recognize Their Name

It’s a great thing to have a kitten that comes to you when called, but training your kitten to learn its name will take some time and effort. Make sure you use your kitten’s name every time you call him or her because you wouldn’t want your cat to come running when you say something like, ‘Kitty is so cute.’ After saying your kitty’s name, use the clicker and a treat to reward him or her.

So, that’s it! Now you have all the basic tips and tricks you need to train your little kitten. Start implementing these tricks without further ado.

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