My favorite seasons used to focus on food and activities. I love fall for the foliage and all the festivities. During the winter I love to enjoy the delicious Florida citrus and long walks without fear of snakes. After landing my first job in animal welfare, I discovered why summer is more exciting than trips to the beach and hot dog vacations: IT’S THE KITTENS!
I must take a moment to interject how sad it is that so many animals have to live without loving homes and that many of these cats will live lives plagued with disease, parasites, and unnecessary danger. I am hopeful that one day we can control the population and stop the spread of disease.
Until then, kittens born to single-handed cats come to us in droves during the summer. It is absolutely the most beautiful time of the year. There should be kitty season songs and a mystical pet like Santa. Golden kitty Kringle! It’s that amazing.
It was easy to do extra shifts at the shelter and clinic during these lovely months. In fact, it was during my first kitten season that I brought home our first cat, Hobo Joe. Unfortunately, he was taken from us by a sneaky case of feline leukemia. I’ll share his story and how you can help cats like him at another time.
Since last month was Adopt-a-Cat month, I hope those of you with room in your homes and hearts were able to bring home a new cat. For those of you who found love in the eyes of a grown cat, stay tuned! I have some fun ideas on how you can entertain and mentally stimulate your cat. For now, since time is of the essence, this post is for those folks who brought home a fuzzy little ball of mischief.
Socializing your kitten is an important part of raising a friendly, well-adjusted cat. Kittens have a critical window for socialization between three and nine weeks of age and will remain sensitive to learning new social cues for the first three months. During this time, proper handling by as many different people as possible is what you should aim for.
Make sure you know how to properly handle a kitten so she doesn’t learn to avoid it. You want me to support the full weight of his body. Use minimal restraint in doing so. Despite the adorable videos and gifs of kittens on their backs playing with their humans, it’s best to avoid tummy time positions. Once you master it, you’ll be a kitty fighting expert!
Start socializing with other (human) adults one at a time. Use toys and treats to help your kitty see these interactions as positive and desirable. As your kitty gets more confident, start introducing him to two or more people with different noise levels. At this point, you can throw a kitty warming party. Who wouldn’t come to something like this?? I’ll be looking for my invitation to yours in my inbox.
Have your children or the children of your friends and family interact with your kitty. Children are a unique way of being human and socializing your kitty with them is a good idea, especially if you plan to have children or host friends and family with children. Be sure to keep all interactions calm and safe for both the kitten and the children. Unsure kittens can slip off and cause serious damage.
Whether or not you have or plan to have other animals, it is important to socialize your kitty with other creatures. If you already have pets, slowly introduce the kitten to a controlled environment. If you don’t have any but are considering adding to the family, ask a friend who has friendly, vaccinated animals for a play date. Don’t let your other pet(s) get too excited because that can overwhelm your kitty and set back her socialization efforts.
It is important to keep all socialization efforts positive. As soon as your kitty begins to show signs of restlessness, such as arching her back or ruffling her tail, you should either stop what you’re doing or remove her from the situation. It is also very important that you never punish your kitty. Negative experiences and punishment can cause anxiety, which can weaken the bond between you and your kitty. It can also weaken your trust in people in the future.