Creature Comforts Pet Services, LLC

Compassionate care for your friend

kitten kindergarten

Kitten Acclimation

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The best time to get a kitten used to new and different experiences and places is between 2 and 10 weeks of age.  Never fear if you have an older kitten!  It is still possible, but 2-10 weeks is just the easiest time because they have not created associations with new experiences and are more curious and accepting of novel stimuli.  This early exposure to a variety of situations, people, places and other pets, paired with positive reinforcement, will help to create a cat who is less stressed and more resilient in novel situations.  It can also help to prevent behavior problems later on which are commonly related to stress.

Here are some potential new ideas for your kitten:

Walking on a harness outdoors

This can greatly expand your kitten’s perceived home range, as well as give her mastery over their territory.  It can help to prevent common behavior problems by using up extra energy and increasing mental stimulation. 

Handle your kitten in a variety of ways

Pair lifting and handling your kitten with treats or favorite toys can create a positive experience with being handled.  Handle all parts of their body such as toes, tail, belly, and even lifting up lips to look at teeth.  While you don’t want to stress your kitten, gently handling in a variety of ways can help reduce stress around future grooming and veterinary handling as well as prevent fear if your cat is picked up in an awkward way by another person.

Brushing and grooming

Introducing your kitten to brushing, brushing teeth, and nail clipping early can help make these go much more smoothly later in life.  Brushing can also be a good bonding experience for you and your cat.  You can also help with giving medication in future by giving liquid treats in a syringe and using a pill popper to give a soft treat.

Carrier or crate

You know how much cats love paper bags to play in? Well your carrier can be the same fun cave-like experience. Set your carrier with a blanket and toys as a fun place to hang out and rest or play. Toss treats into the carrier and create a positive connection to entering the carrier young. This can alleviate a whole lot of the common stress around travel and veterinary visits.

Take trips to visit the veterinary office and/ or groomer

Just a short drop in to the vet’s office to get used to the sights and smells paired with threats can go a long ways toward reducing everyone’s stress around visiting the vet.  Many cats do not get adequate veterinary care because getting a cat to the vet and the stress involved in being at the vet can be so high.

Introductions to a variety of people and (cat friendly!) pets

The more variety the better!  Adults, children, beards, and hats, dogs and cats!  Cats benefit from socialization in the same ways as dogs making them more adaptable to change later on.  Introducing your kitten to other cats or kittens can help in adding another cat to the family later on.

Kitten Kindergarten is a thing!

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Did you know that many common behavior problems in cats can be prevented with early training and socialization? 

There are things you can do with your kitten to help them learn important skills to help make life more enjoyable and less stressful for everyone involved (humans too!)  Creature Comforts is proud to announce a new class held at Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital called Kitten Kindergarten!  Imagine a room full of playful kittens learning to be social with other cats and humans, as well as learning the skills they need to manage in our human world without stress or fear.

The most effective time to train and socialize a cat is in her early months.  This is when she is more adaptable to new situations and experiences.  Early socialization normalizes a wider variety of situations, people, and animals.  Kittens who are socialized become less fearful and more confident as adults and have a higher tolerance for new situations. This higher confidence directly relates to reduced behavior problems in adults.  

Many cat owners dread taking their pet to the vet because of all the difficulty and stress with carriers, cars, and fear at the vet office. Our “classroom” is an exam room in the veterinary office to get kittens comfortable and familiar with the veterinary setting.  Topics covered in class include regular handling for grooming or veterinary care, positive carrier training, and car rides.  

Many cats are only exposed to the humans that they live with and often run and hide while new people are over.  This can cause a lot of stress to the cat every time you have company.  With early exposure to other people cats can become just as outgoing as dogs who love to greet new people at the door.

One important skill kittens will gain from kindergarten is how to interact and play with other kittens.  Many adult cats have a difficult time interacting with other felines.  Early socialization can improve a kitten’s ability to get along with other cats.  Adding another cat to the household later will be much easier if a kitten has early exposure to other cats.

For kittens and their people starting at 8-10 weeks.  Class is 45 minutes once a week for 6 weeks plus an on demand video introduction.  For only $180. Kittens must have a clean bill of health.

For more information contact Theresa at (360)643-1323