Dealing with kitten behavior can be confusing and frustrating at times. One minute your kitten wants all of your attention. The next minute it wants to be left alone. Need help in solving cat behavior problems? Having difficulty figuring out unusual feline behavior? Keep reading.
Stages of Kitten Behavior
Kittens are social creatures. As newborns, they are taught the ways of feline society by their mother and siblings.
Without this crucial time, kittens may later develop behavioral problems such as rough play and shyness.
Birth
Kittens are focused on sleeping and nursing from their mother. An individual kitten prefers the same nipple that they scent mark to locate time and time again.
One to Two Weeks
Kittens can crawl more and begin to acknowledge their mother and siblings.
Three to Four Weeks
Crawling begins to turn to walking and pouncing. Kittens begin to initiate play with mom and siblings. They also begin grooming and can regulate body temperature. Kittens start to understand the concept of the litter box by watching mom cat.
Five to Seven Weeks
Play takes a center role in development. Kitten learns to recognize friends from foe. A kitten learns to interact with humans by watching mom cat.
Eight to Ten Weeks
Play continues to take a major role. Kittens learn to play gently and retract claws when playing. Kittens can be seen chasing, jumping and rolling during play sessions.
Three Months to Six Months
Female kittens can birth their first litters if not spayed. Social ranking influences behavior. Kittens continue to play although less so than in the weeks before.
Nine Months to Eighteen Months
The “teenage” stage. Kittens may test the limits and boundaries set by its owner. Male kittens can father offspring.
Kitten Communication
Because kittens cannot speak they must rely heavily on nonverbal communication. Your kitten uses it whiskers, tail, nose, claws, and eyes to communicate with other felines. Your kitten uses scent and scratch marks to communicate to other felines, “This is my territory”.
When it comes to humans, our senses are just not as advanced as felines. Your kitten has to communicate its needs to you the best ways it can. Meowing and purring are just a couple ways that your kitten tries to tell you what it needs. By understanding “kitty talk”, you are making a huge step towards minimizing your kitten’s behavioral problems.
Watch this cute video to learn more about how to understand "kitty talk" and kitten behavior.
Misbehaving Kittens
Dealing with a misbehaving kitten can test your patience. Like human adolecents, kittens go through a teenage stage. This is a time when kittens test limits and push boundaries. Chewing, licking, and biting are all behaviors that your kitten might display.
Rough Play
Is your kitten playing too rough? Kittens are predatory animals. Sometimes rough play comes out as mock biting and chasing. Your kitten may even use your arm as a chew toy.
Fighting
Unlike rough play, fighting can be a serious problem. Felines fight each other for a variety of reasons: (1) to establish territory, (2) mating rituals, and (3) clashing personalities.
Scratching
Seeing your favorite piece of furniture torn and marked can be an aggravating experience. But, don’t get too angry at your kitten. Kittens scratch for a number of reasons: (1) to condition their names, (2) to mark territory, and (3) exercise.
Soiling
House soiling and urine spraying is not only a nuisance it can be a real mess to clean.
Begging
Nothing is more irritating than a begging kitten. Once you give in to their demands, they keep coming back for more. Nip begging in the bud early.
Jumping
Jumping on counters goes hand in hand with begging. Once your kitten jumps your kitchen counter and gets a taste of human food, its set up to start begging.
Reasons for Kitten Behavior Problems
There are many reasons why kittens display maladaptive behaviors.
Boredom
Loneliness
Stress
Anxiety
Fear
Extreme hunger
Sudden life changes
Owner Inconsistencies
Paying attention to the subtle cues your kitten gives you can unlock the secrets to stopping cat behavior problems.
Odd Behaviors
Have you ever wondered about your kitten’s strange behavior? We all have seen kittens perform bizarre activities. Does your kitten like to eat dirt? Or does it prefer to offer you gifts of dead rodents? Here are some common uncommon kitten behaviors.
Compulsive behaviors
Tail Chasing
Fur Pulling
Phobias
Pica
Wool Sucking
Dry nursing
When to See a Professional
There are times when you just cannot tolerate or figure out what your kitten is doing. Maybe their repeatedly pooping all over the house or playing too rough with your other pets. You may feel like giving your kitten up for adoption. Wait!
Before you get too overwhelmed and make a hasty decision, take your kitten to the vet to rule out any medical problems that could be causing behavioral changes. If your vet does not find any health issues, consider taking your kitten to see a feline behavioral counselor.
Feline behavioral counselors are experts that can help you solve your kitten behavior problems. If your kitten is displaying any of the following behaviors, it may be time to visit a feline behaviorist.
