What are good things to acclimate a kitten to while still young?

[Juniper_Junebug]

I've been trying to expose my now 7- or 8-month old Juno to different things (food and experiences) while she is young, having read that older cats can get set in their ways and change can cause greater stress then. For example, I started giving her some dry food between her two wet meals, even though I'm home right now to feed all wet, because I don't want her to be fussy about kibble when I go back to the office. I also just had her try raw food. And I worked on nail clipping and teeth brushing from early on (only the former has been successful so far).

Since she's not a tiny kitten anymore, it may be too late for some things, and I realize some cats will decide for themselves, no matter the exposure. But it just got me wondering if there's anything else that might be good to expose her to before she gets too set in her ways. For example, I have only ever had one visitor over, and I don't think she's ever met a dog.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Great thinking!
Car rides and the carrier are a biggy, and as you mentioned having her paws touched.

 

[ArtNJ]

Hiking with the cat on your shoulder. Hanging out in the park with the cat on your head.

I would have added playing a little piano and water skiing, but the two above are things I've actually seen in person.

Ok, ok, in all seriousness, assuming you don't want to try and train anything too crazy difficult (although I've seen more than one person hiking with a cat on their shoulder lol), leash walking is a common one that woul be much easier if started early. Assuming that is something you want to do. Less commonly, but just to be thorough, a small number of folks teach their cats to use the toilet. Personally, I find that about as likely as water skiing and just generally a recipe for trouble (I mean, cats have accidents when you are only asking them to do what comes naturally), but its apparently possible.

You may as well also try to teach the cat to fetch. Good luck with that, but its a traditional thing to try, and I've had cats that will kind of sort of do it, for a minute or two.

TLDR - Nails is probably the biggest one, but if you have any thought about leash walking, give it a go.

 

[Juniper_Junebug]

Hi! Great thinking!
Car rides and the carrier are a biggy, and as you mentioned having her paws touched.

We've driven to the vet four times already (adopted her early October). So far, she's been ok, although the last time she cried a lot on the way to the vet. Should I take her out more to get used to it (and to understand that it doesn't anyways mean the vet) or will that just stress her out more and unnecessarily?

Hiking with the cat on your shoulder. Hanging out in the park with the cat on your head.

I would have added playing a little piano and water skiing, but the two above are things I've actually seen in person.

Ok, ok, in all seriousness, assuming you don't want to try and train anything too crazy difficult (although I've seen more than one person hiking with a cat on their shoulder lol), leash walking is a common one that woul be much easier if started early. Assuming that is something you want to do. Less commonly, but just to be thorough, a small number of folks teach their cats to use the toilet. Personally, I find that about as likely as water skiing and just generally a recipe for trouble (I mean, cats have accidents when you are only asking them to do what comes naturally), but its apparently possible.

You may as well also try to teach the cat to fetch. Good luck with that, but its a traditional thing to try, and I've had cats that will kind of sort of do it, for a minute or two.

TLDR - Nails is probably the biggest one, but if you have any thought about leash walking, give it a go.

I have gotten her used to the harness; that was a big achievement for me, because she struggled a lot at first. I only take her out on my roof deck, mainly because I don't want her to ever think it's ok to walk out my front door (she's a darter). But I have wondered if I should take her out in a carrier and then walk her in a park. Would that be good for her, or just a "stupid pet trick"?

I don't think I want to toilet train her. She compulsively monitors my use of the toilet , and I do let her explore (without falling in), so if she happens to be one of those rare cats that does it on her own, so be it, but I feel a little weird about training her. (Can you tell I actually gave this a lot of thought?)

I'd love to teach her to play fetch, because I think she would like it and it would expand our play options. That's next on my list for clicker training, after we've mastered the tooth brush. It could be a while....

 

[ArtNJ]

I have gotten her used to the harness; that was a big achievement for me, because she struggled a lot at first. I only take her out on my roof deck, mainly because I don't want her to ever think it's ok to walk out my front door (she's a darter). But I have wondered if I should take her out in a carrier and then walk her in a park. Would that be good for her, or just a "stupid pet trick"?

I have no idea how people do it. I had an indoor/outdoor that would walk or jog beside us for like .4 of a mile. In a harness, however, without the ability to retreat when he wanted too, he got super scared by ... well, everything, cars, a raven taking off 50 feet away, the same dog barking that always barks. Not to mention that the traditional harness can be backed out of. If you want safety, you have to cobble together a hybrid thing. Even with a safe setup, what do you do when they are terrified by a dog? You can't pick them up or you'll get badly scratched. So I wouldn't fuss with it myself. But I really have seen people hiking with a cat on their shoulder, which was ... cool I guess?

 

[Furballsmom]

Should I take her out more to get used to it (and to understand that it doesn't anyways mean the vet)

Yes, try this , such as in the carrier, walk to the car, place her on the seat, and turn right around back in the house without driving anywhere. Other times, a short trip such as around the block. Then longer trips.

 

[Neko-chan's mama]

I personally don't like toilet training cats. You can't monitor their pee if they're using the toilet. I know Neko-chan leaves 2-3 medium size pee clumps per day and one poo so I will know if her potty habits change so she can go to the vet before it becomes a serious problem.

 

[ZombieTiger]

Being carried around in a, or just being locked in a carrier/bag/cage without anything "bad" happening.

Being used to you touching their face to look at teeth/mouth seems like a good idea. Same with paws.

 

[di and bob]

I successfully trained many cats to go for walks with a harness. (well 4, is that a lot?) but would NEVER take them far from home or to a strange place. My Chrissy was the Houdini, she could slip out of almost all harnesses, the only one that successfully contained her was the figure 8. I agree with the above, a big dog comes running up, you scoop them up because they are struggling wildly,and then I got bit and scratched deeply. This dog was on a leash, WHY would people bring them close to a cat!!! She got out of her harness SO many times, and it is embarrassing to be following her into strange yards around the neighborhood. One time she ran up a tree and didn't come down for a LONG time!

 

[minish]

Juniper_Junebug great forward thinking! And you covered the most important things. For example, I saw the benefit of harness training during minish's adolescence even I never take her out, when we had to evacuate our homes after an earthquake this year.
I had tried other things with less success. For example she hates being locked in the carrier no matter the positive experience. But it's best to do your part just in case.
I want to add 2 things, not necessary depending on juno's personality. If she turns out a shy cat or very strict with her routine, these may help in the future:
1-being around different types of people: loud guests, people who will play more roughly with her, toddlers, people who stay over if you live alone
2-changing places of furniture, including slight modifications in the placement of her bowls and litter box. If she will live as an indoor cat in the same house and you need to change place in the future, it will help.

 

[ZombieTiger]

Being carried around in a, or just being locked in a carrier/bag/cage without anything "bad" happening.

Being used to you touching their face to look at teeth/mouth seems like a good idea. Same with paws.

I can't edit the post, but there's many "how to" 's if you google it.

 

[Juniper_Junebug]

I successfully trained many cats to go for walks with a harness. (well 4, is that a lot?) but would NEVER take them far from home or to a strange place. My Chrissy was the Houdini, she could slip out of almost all harnesses, the only one that successfully contained her was the figure 8. I agree with the above, a big dog comes running up, you scoop them up because they are struggling wildly,and then I got bit and scratched deeply. This dog was on a leash, WHY would people bring them close to a cat!!! She got out of her harness SO many times, and it is embarrassing to be following her into strange yards around the neighborhood. One time she ran up a tree and didn't come down for a LONG time!

This is a good caution. I probably will just stick to the deck. I live in an urban area not really suitable for neighborhood walks.

 

[Juniper_Junebug]

Juniper_Junebug great forward thinking! And you covered the most important things. For example, I saw the benefit of harness training during minish's adolescence even I never take her out, when we had to evacuate our homes after an earthquake this year.
I had tried other things with less success. For example she hates being locked in the carrier no matter the positive experience. But it's best to do your part just in case.
I want to add 2 things, not necessary depending on juno's personality. If she turns out a shy cat or very strict with her routine, these may help in the future:
1-being around different types of people: loud guests, people who will play more roughly with her, toddlers, people who stay over if you live alone
2-changing places of furniture, including slight modifications in the placement of her bowls and litter box. If she will live as an indoor cat in the same house and you need to change place in the future, it will help.

These are great suggestions. I hadn't thought about the furniture situation. I have worried about her exposure to people, but my options are limited due to COVID. She's only ever met my mom, but she was pretty friendly and allowed herself to be pet.

Does anyone think I should get her to experience spending time somewhere else, for example overnight at my mother's house? I keep reading posts about how taking your cat with you over vacation can be stressful, so I wonder whether that's something I can acclimate Juno to while she's still young, or if it will just be too stressful for her from the get-go. Once I start traveling again for work, my plan is to have my mom come over, but I usually spend holidays at my mom's house and I also like having the options of leaving her at my mom's house over kennelling her.

 

[minish]

Minish stays at my mom's summer house whole summers and her winter home for a couple of weekends per year. Since she stays regularly and long term, summer house is no problem. Winter house was a problem until she was 2. Before that she was disoriented for about a day since these visits happened few times a year and were short. They remember places and people very well. If juno will be staying there in the future it will be great to do visits, preferably more than a day at a time.
This didn't transfer to my friends' places though. She is on edge everywhere else but her three homes (mine, mom's no. 1 and no. 2)

 

[sivyaleah]

Grooming. So important. We didn't do this enough when our youngest was super smol and regret it now especially since she's long haired. Our other two (one long, one short) loved it when they came to us as adults so it never occurred to me that a kitten might need to be acclimated. She really dislikes the process and now that she's 1-1/2 and big, it's really tough keeping mats at bay. I manage, but she does not enjoy it at all.

 

[danteshuman]

Jackie just turned 2 & I’m still trying to get him to let people that walk but him (outside on harness) are nice and he can let them pet him! Once the pandemic is over I’m holding him in my arms, so the big baby can meet people from safety.)

I wish I had taught Jackie to let me brush his teeth! He hates it!!!!

Jackie was taught tricks, harness walks, no scratching or biting humans, lots of car rides to Nana’s house, frequent brushing & nail clipping starting at 2.5 months with the harness the car rides from 3.5 months. All things I would recommend teaching. Always give treats after all nail trimming, paw touching or brushing. It helps I swear!


Hold all wet food 4 hours before a car ride. If your cat is still carsick then hold all food 4-5 hours before the drive. Jackie complain meows for a few minutes. Then provided I rub his ears to pop them up/down the giant hill he calms down & will even fall asleep sometimes.

 

[Babycat1]

I’m new here & found this thread interesting as I too have a young kitten 9 wks old who is a feral dropped off by her feral mom who I feed regularly. She literally gave me her kitten, lol... I’ve only ever had dogs so I do know some things need to be taught right away. I started with carrier training by feeding her in it & letting her freely go in n out. After a while I’d close the door while she ate, then open it when she was done. Next, I started keeping her in a little longer & gave her a towel to sleep on. Now 2 weeks later she literally runs into her crate to wait for food. Ive also put 2 small toys inside that she plays with. she eats, sleeps n plays in her carrier.
I did buy her a harness ( figure 8) n she didn’t care for it, but did walk a few feet but mostly threw herself down. Lol... I had intentions of teaching her to walk on a leash but now I’m not so sure after reading a reply above that said cat can’t retreat in the event of danger n if u try to pick her up you’ll get scratched. I hadn’t thought of that. It is important that cat be able to escape, much of their safety is in their own hands( paws) and should we as humans really take that right from them? do I want her to leash walk for herself or for me? I now have to rethink this leash walking idea. I do however like the idea of a cat riding on your shoulders for a walk & I’ll have husband try it. He walks daily. The cat can always jump off n retreat under a car or up a tree.

I Really do not want a litter box in my house. My bathrooms are tiny and there’s no where else to comfortably put one. Since she is feral born she potties out in the yard. She is an outdoor cat mostly and amazingly she stays on my property & has never gone in the street. Of course that may change but I heard most indoor- outdoor cats don’t stray very far from home Especially if they are fixed, no wandering for a mate. She has a clean cozy safe lair on the porch & she does come in for a few hrs a day. I’m allergic to cats so can only tolerate so much. So my question is I don’t need to have a litter box do I?
the only concern is maybe when there’s a bad storm/ hurricane ( I live in So FL) I wld have her inside & I’d be worry about her needing to potty. However I do believe animals have an uncanny ability to hold it in bad weather, I know my dog did.

I should start grooming but Im not an advocate for brushing animals teeth. I’ll be sure to touch her paws often. She already loves having her checks touched/petted.

is there anything else I should consider acclimating her to as an indoor-outdoor cat?

 

[minish]

Until age 2, Minish wandered off up to 2 days even though she was fixed. She also had boyfriends. She still initiates fights in the yard since she thinks her territory is larger than we humans think. Plus, it's almost impossible to find a cat in the vicinity if they are scared or ill and don't want to be found.
It's important to consider these factors before deciding outdoor living is OK. I let minish out in the summer home and try to make sure she sleeps inside with some tricks (not feeding much when she's out, having a laser pointer handy since she can't resist it's lure).
Harness and Leash is no guarantee you won't be scratched. Safest way to pick up a cat in claws and teeth mode is by throwing a blanket or jacket and making her a sort of burrito they can't Harm you and can even calm down under a dark cover.
I recommend getting her acclimated to the idea of litter in a box even if she normally won't use one. You can put one outside, protected from rain. If there is a storm etc, you can place the box in the entrance and she will know what to do with it.

 

[Babycat1]

Do you think she wld use a litter box on the porch with an entire yard just steps away?

 

[danteshuman]

Hmmmmm even my mom’s cats that prefer going outside, use the litter box when it is raining (or the ground is muddy.)