New Kitten - 100 questions

I just bought a new cat and need serious help! I've never really been around cats. I have always had dogs but I don't have enough space for one right now. I bought a Bengal and she is a handfull. She was born 3/6/01. I took her home after 10 weeks. My questions are:

1. Why does she cry constantly? She is fed, watered, litter box clean and she will be played with until she is pooped and yet she still cries when I look at her or walk away. She even cries while she is purring.

2. I can tell that cats try to bury food when they run across something they don't like. I bought some new treats to try out and she acts like she is going to bury them in the carpet. Why do they have this instinct?

3. What is the best way to clean a kittens eyes? She always has a large buildup of gook. Will she ever learn to take care of it herself?

4. What are other ways of teaching an animal right from wrong? I tried a squirt bottle but she only seems to mind it when she is hit in the face. She has learned to turn around with her back toward me and ignore it.

5. How well do cats learn "dog" type tricks? I taught her how to sit after about 3 ten minute sessions. She will now sit 100% of the time if I give the command when I have her undivided attention. Is this an average amount of time to learn a trick?

thanks for taking the time to read this!

nc

Well I will try my best here...

1.Kittens cry for a couple reasons. Sometimes they will cry because something is bothering them. In her case it may be she wants attention. Kittens that young really require lots of stimulation. Bengals are notorious for being very active. Has she been to the vet for a check up yet? They will also cry when something is wrong.

2. Cats don't try to bury stuff they don't like. They bury or try and mark thier food to keep other animals from getting it. She is just protecting what is hers.

3. How much gook are we talking about? Cats are very clean animals and she is probably already cleaning herself. Cats can't clean the goop from their eyes. They only way the have to clean thier faces is thier paws. They cant get them wet enough to remove build up. Healthy cats tend to get an occasional eye booger, but if it on a regular basis or green to yellow, she needs to see a vet.

4. There are lots of ways to teach a cat not to do something. There is usually a tactic for each behavior. What is it that you do not want her to do?

5. Not all cats will learn to do "dog" like tricks. Bengals are pretty smart and will learn some of them. I have never seen a set amount of time that they learn. Some cats never catch on, yet some will pick something up in just a few hours.

Healthy cats tend to get an occasional eye booger, but if it on a regular basis or green to yellow, she needs to see a vet.

hmm, my cat Kenya always has eye gook and i am always cleaning it out,
put that one on, "you know you're a true cat lover if...."

i thought it was normal/healthy, but, i have been worrying about it lately
because none of the other cats have this happening with their eyes,
and it is everyday that i have to clean her eyes, after she wakes up,
usually... it isnt green or yellow, but, it is on a regular basis, so, you think
i should take her to the vet for this, Sandie?

I would not worry very much if it is not green or yellow. I tend to find most cats with excessive eye goop have at one time been exposed to a herpes virus. The other common problem is in cats with clogged tear ducts. I should have been more clear on that one. I had been fighting a headache since the wee hours of the morning. Also the best way to get them is with your finger if they are hard or a warm dampp towel. I forgot to address that one