You hate seeing your kitty frightened with dilated pupils and hair standing on end whenever people come over. You’re probably not too keen on her emotional urination or aggressive behavior, either. Teaching her to be a social animal will prevent many common cat fears—like anxiety around strangers or other animals, or fear of going outside in the pet carrier. Since cats aren’t pack animals like dogs, this will take some effort.
The ideal time to begin socializing your kitten is between 3–9 months. However, there are a few things you should consider even earlier than that.
Between 2–7 weeks, kittens go into a “sensitive period” when they learn what to be afraid of. This is actually a good thing because it teaches her to protect herself against actual danger. For example, loud noises should instill fear—this way, she’ll think twice before running into oncoming traffic. During this time you should offer a warm, nurturing environment, free from hostility. Provide human contact without negative consequences, like punishment or isolation. Also, introduce her to other cats and animals, making sure she doesn’t have a bad experience with them.
This is just the beginning to creating a confident, friendly, not timid or irritable cat.
The first part of socialization involves teaching her to be touched.
- Play with your kitten for at least two hours a day. Hold and pet her, showing her how to be gentle.
- If she plays nicely, praise her and give her a treat. If she scratches or bites, say “no”, hand her a toy, and stop playing.
- In time, take it to the next level—pet her paws, tail, and ears. This way, she’ll learn to tolerate touching in those places, where groomers and vets will need to handle her (and children may, as well).
- When you touch her ears, rub the insides and stroke different parts. This will help you later when you want to clean your cat’s ears!
Next, train her to deal with strangers. When people come over:
- Let her come out when she’s ready.
- If it takes a while, offer a treat to entice her.
- Once she comes out, encourage your guests to play with her gently. If your kitten plays nicely or seems to be enjoying herself give her a treat, like a small amount of catnip.
Lastly, expose her to new situations and things.
- Bring her on errands.
- Take her for walks on a leash (really!)
- Provide her an ample supply of toys.
- Travel with her in a comfortable crate or carrier. Put bedding in there so it’s more appealing. Her ability to enter a crate on demand will prove critical in a crisis situation, like a fire.
- Allow her to hear every-day noises. Just because she’s a baby that doesn’t mean you can’t listen to music at a regular volume or blow dry your hair.
If you train your kitty to accept touching, relax around others, and handle new situations, you’ll help her develop without forming irrational phobias. Don’t be afraid to handle her and take her outside. If you don’t have fear she likely won’t either!
