7 week old kitten? please help 🙏🙏

[sleepyvel]

A couple days ago I adopted a 7 week old kitten. He’s settled in really nice to the family and plays, eats, drinks, and poops in his box. I am a student so I am not able to be around him all the time but when i’m not my family plays with him and keeps him company. I am working on training him to not bite or scratch but I have growing nervousness that i’m not doing enough. I feel horrible for adopting him too young and i’m worried about him becoming aggressive or destructive. Does anyone have any tips for how to properly socialize him to make sure he grows up to be well tempered and happy. Thank you so much !

A picture of him is attached to this post

 

[maggie101]

I assume your family no no to play with their hands and not yell. Do you mean husband and kids? How old? How much time does he get to socialize with people? What do you have for him to play with? 7 weeks is very young.

 

[IndyJones]

Is adopting a second cat an option? At that young they are just learning how to be a cat. Without another cat to show them cats can miss out on learning manners and bite inhibition.

 

[maggie101]

Is adopting a second cat an option? At that young they are just learning how to be a cat. Without another cat to show them cats can miss out on learning manners and bite inhibition.

That is an excellent idea! My cat peaches was found in a hole 5 weeks old,now 9. Biting has always been a problem but has gotten better in her old age. She had my 13 yr old cat take care of her. Another kitten would be great. Also for having a playmate

Also my cat Maggie grew up with 3 stray siblings. I rescued her 3 months old,now 8.my most well behaved cat

 

[sleepyvel]

I assume your family no no to play with their hands and not yell. Do you mean husband and kids? How old? How much time does he get to socialize with people? What do you have for him to play with? 7 weeks is very young.

We don’t play with our hands. He has cat wands, balls, tunnels, and a scratching post. He also likes to play with crumpled balls of paper and cardboard boxes. There is me, my brother, my mom and my dad. My brother is 8 (he is always monitored when around and playing with the cat) and I am 15. He is around people all day but gets the most interactive play from 5-9.

 

[sleepyvel]

Is adopting a second cat an option? At that young they are just learning how to be a cat. Without another cat to show them cats can miss out on learning manners and bite inhibition.

My parents aren’t open to getting a 2nd kitten which is why I am so worried. He isn’t a very bite-y kitten but I know that can change.

 

[Kieka]

Just remember at this age you are Mom or Dad so it's up to you to enforce the rules. I got Link around that age and Fury was even younger. It is possible for a human to teach good manners by consistency and routine. Top tips:

1. Make sure everyone in the household overreact (bad drama student, sudden loud ouch, just needs to be enough to startle the kitten to stop action) to the slightest tooth or claw. You want the kitten to think you are made of tissue paper. It will prevent later problems, my crew all looks super sad if they accidentally get us with even the slightest tooth or claw.

2. Establish routine. Kittens love it and it is 100% possible to train for a bed time. Make a rule of no play in bed with a bed time routine. I did 30-60 minute play session, kitty dinner, me get ready for bed, then go to bed with nothing but pets for quiet kitties and ignoring anything beyond petting. All three cats have very firm bedtime routines and actually yell at me if I am not in bed on time.

3. Make sure any rule you want to keep is consistently enforced. No cats on counters? Everytime from day 1 take him off a counter. It will take time but frequency will slowly decrease as they learn.

4. Repeat his name any time you feed or give a treat. If you want to clicker or whistle train follow the name by the same. Reward for coming to the name/sound with lots of good stuff (pets, play, praise) so that when he gets older there is a firm connection. Cats do need constant positive reinforcement but if you start young you will have an easy to call cat.

General ideas:

* Use a carrier as a food spot, allow him to sleep and play in it. Positive training early will help make it easier later.
* Maximize your time when you are home. I was gone for 12-13 hours a day when Link was a kitten. I spent nearly every free moment with him when I was home building the bond and ensuring he had attention. In my opinion, most negative behaviors are the result of cats wanting attention. Learning your kittens cues and time spent young creates a strong bond and trust that can curb negative behaviors.
* Try multiple scratching posts/surfaces. Cats have different preferences and the sooner you figure it out the better. Flat, standing, angled, carpet, cardboard, all sorts of options. Once you figure it out make sure you have them anywhere you don't want the kitten to scratch. Start them young with an appropriate surface that they prefer and save your furniture.
* Putting cat trees or shelves near dining room tables or overseeing kitchens can help keep cats of counters. Most of the time they want to see what's going on so having a cat tree can keep them off counters but still happy.