Behaviours of a Kitten to Look Out For

Adopting a new kitten can be an exciting experience. They are cute, adorable and can bring you so much joy. If you’re considering bringing a new feline furbaby into your home, it is vital to be aware of the common behaviours of a kitten. It will help you better understand your kitty and ensure you give them the love, care, and understanding they need.

Behaviours of a Kitten: What To Expect When Adopting A New Kitten

Hiding

Bringing a new kitten into your home can be an overwhelming experience for these furbabies, causing initial feelings of fear and insecurity. Consequently, they may seek refuge by hiding under furniture or in corners. Due to their small size, locating them might pose a challenge. Therefore, exercising caution while moving around your home is important, ensuring you don’t accidentally step on them when they eventually come out. Additionally, be mindful of potential hiding spots and ensure there are no hazardous areas where they could hide.

Playful

Kittens are naturally playful and love to play with anything that catches their eye, including your fingers and toes. Providing them with toys to redirect their playful nature would be best. Trim their claws as well to avoid any accidental scratches during playtime.

Litter Box Problems

Potty training pets is necessary. Initially, your kitten might face litter box problems, such as misusing it or avoiding it altogether. – This is natural as they are still learning. Patience is key when potty training your kitty. Guide them by placing them in the litter box after meals and reinforce good behaviour by rewarding them when they successfully potty in the litter box.

Nighttime Crying

Kittens that have just been separated from their mother and littermates may experience anxiety. One of the behaviours of a kitten you should expect is crying during the night, at least for the first few days after bringing them home. They cry as a way to seek comfort and reassurance. Place your furbaby in a bed with soft blankets and toys to comfort them. Establish a consistent nighttime routine to help them form a sleeping habit gradually.

Scratching

A natural and instinctive behaviour of cats is scratching. It is a means for them to express various emotions, such as excitement or stress. Additionally, since their paws have scent glands, they scratch to mark objects with their unique scent. Scratching also helps them remove the dead outer layer of their nails.

Kittens usually start scratching at eight weeks old, so it’s ideal to start training them to use appropriate scratching posts (or else they might go for your furniture!). Here are a few examples of homemade scratching pots:

Sturdy tree branch
Corrugated cardboard mounted on a piece of wood
Wooden post or PVC pipe securely wrapped in sisal rope
A piece of old carpet affixed to a wooden board