Deciding to get a kitten is a big step in expanding your family. Kitten care also requires more responsibilities, but kittens can grow to become excellent companions and are well worth the time and care in their upbringing.

To prepare your home for the new addition, there are several things you should consider. First, look around your house, keeping in mind that kittens love to explore, to hide, to chew and to climb. Next, remove or tie up curtains and curtain strings that may tempt the kitty to climb. Also remove breakables from shelves and secure low cabinets. Finally, keep the toilet lid down or, better still, restrict the kitten from the bathroom area.

Feeding and daily care of a kitten involve just four items: a place for the kitten to sleep, fresh food and water, a litter box with litter and a scratching pad or post. Kittens love toys, too, so be sure to have plenty on hand when your kitten joins the family. Several commercial brands of food specifically designed for kittens are available. Ask your veterinarian for recommendations if you are unsure when feeding a kitten.

Before letting your kitten loose in the house, you must consider that some everyday house plants and chemicals can be deadly to cats. If you are unsure about any items in your house, do a bit of research online or phone your veterinarian.

Veterinary visits are a major responsibility when you care for a kitten. You must have your kitten examined as soon possible, not only for required injections, but for a general check-up to make sure your new pal is settling in alright. You may also be require to register your pet with the local government (many cities require this, however it is not always a requirement for rural communities).

Some people find that litter training a kitten is quite easy. Most cats seem to be drawn to the litter box and need little or no assistance at all. However, some cats can be particularly difficult. You may find it easier to keep the litter box in an open, obvious area that the kitten can easily find. Also, do not completely replace the litter. Leaving a bit of “dirty litter” in the box can attract the kitten there as his nose will associate the litter box as the proper place to potty.

Owning a kitten is a fun and rewarding experience. Love and take good care of your kitten and you will have a loyal companion for years to come.

The majority of cats are easy to litter box train. Most will begin to use the tray shortly after being acquainted with it. Your new cat may already know how to use a litter box, since many kittens learn to use it from watching their mothers. Cats tend to be very picky by nature, and can snub things for several reasons (even if we don’t know the reason!). That’s why its important to choose the right pan, and train your cat properly

Kittens prefer to go outside to relieve themselves, and you should keep this in mind before you start litter training. Cats don’t instinctively like using a cat litter pan; be sure to choose one that is acceptable to her. Keep the following things in mind as you go about litter training your new cat:

1. Ask the previous owner, or breeder, what kind of cat litter your kitten has been using. Make sure you use the same brand and type of litter.

2. Choose a litter box that is easy for your kitten to use, and then fill the tray with litter to the depth recommended by the cat litter manufacturer – the tray should be deep enough to prevent the litter from been scattered over the floor whilst being used.

3. Place your litter box in an easily accessible and traffic-free corner of the room – keeping it well away from your kitten’s food and water dishes. In some cases, it helps to provide your kitten with more than one litter box, to allow for greater access to a tray in your home.

4. If you have other cats, you will want to make sure that each of your cats has its own litter pan. If possible, place them in different areas. Many cats will reject a common litter tray used by other cats in the household, as they generally like to relieve themselves in peace.

5. The best way to start introducing your kitten to its tray is to place it in there regularly, particularly after meals. Always give your kitten praise when she gets in the litter box, even more when she finally uses it.

6. Keep your cat’s litter tray clean by removing any soiled litter regularly. Give the pan a throrough cleaning at least one every week. Many household disinfectants are deadly to pets, therefore you should use a pet disinfectant to clean the litter box. Because some cleaners may have a strong chemical smell, you should avoid anything with a heavy scent that your cat may dislike. It will deter him from using the litter pan. It is also worth remembering that if you are pregnant you should not change cat litter pans due to the risk of toxoplasmosis.

7. Never leave your kitten alone without access to a litter tray. Cats can develop cystitis if they are unable to relieve themselves for long periods of time.

Its important to be patient while going through the litter training process; cats don’t react to commands the way dogs do and therefore require more patience. If you see your kitten scratching or squatting, pick her up right away and place her in the litter tray. Most cats will begin to learn very quickly, however, sometimes it takes a bit more patience. If you find that your kitten still doesn’t get the message, then you could try using a spray that is specially formulated to attract cats to their litter boxes. Cat Deterrent sprays may be purchased for the cat that decides to use your couch (or other furnishings) as a litter pan. If all goes well, your kitten will soon begin to use her litter pan herself without any further intervention from you.

As an owner of a cat, one of your main priorities will be to train your cat to prevent it from scratching your furniture. This will not only prevent stress for you, it will enable you to form a better bond with your cat.

There is a reason your cat scratches the furniture and you will need to understand that reason. It’s not a question of your cat not having a taste for your furniture, or that your cat wants to irritate you. Cats have a need to scratch. You can’t stop a cat from scratching because it is a natural behavior for it. It is not diificult to train your cat to stop scratching your furniture, all you have to do is to provide a substitute for scratching.

Cats need to scratch in order to stay healthy, as it helps their muscles.  Also, their paws have scent glands and scratching helps them to leave a scent in order to mark their territory. Your cat will also scratch as a means of keeping their claws sharp and clean. Obviously there are reasons as to why a cat needs to scratch. Instead of preventing this type of behavior, it should be encouraged, although on your terms.

Punishing your cat because it scratches your furniture is not going to make it stop. Cats will not respond to punishment and will increase your cats problems. Punishing him/her will only result in your cat avoiding you in the future. Even if you chase your cat away when you catch it scratching furniture, all it will do is to wait until you have gone, and then continue to ruin your furniture behind your back. The only way you can stop your cat from scratching furniture, is by the correct training.

Along with getting a cat, you should also buy a scratching post at the same time. Even better is if you can get hold of a few scratching posts, as this will allow your cat to have more options to scratch. Cats can be trained at any age, but the earlier you can start, the quicker and easier it will be.

The scratching posts should be in places that your cat likes to go. One of the best places to place a post is near where your cat sleeps. The first thing that a cat likes to do when it wakes up, is to stretch and have a good scratch. I think we all share this particular trait. Using a scratching post soon becomes a habit, and your cat will happily continue to use the post in the future.

The room where everybody sits together is another great place to position a scratching post. Although cats give the impression that they are not bothered about people, they secretly love spending time with their owners. If your cat chooses to have a nap on your lap, a nearby scratching post will come in handy.

The only way to train your cat to use a scratching post is to make your cat familiar with it. Get your cat to scratch the post by moving a toy or piece of string up and down it. You could tie some of your pet’s favourite toys onto the post, this will encourage your pet to make contact with the post with its paws. Just by using these simple methods you will easily be able to teach your cat to use the post instead of your furniture.

Ensure that the post is pretty stable and of a good length. Cat training is not difficult if you use the right methods, and it is easy to train your cat to stop it from ruining your furniture.