Complete Kitten Care Quotes

“Harp music is a natural sedative for which you need no prescription.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“A wonderfully effective deterrent is Vick’s VapoRub. Veterinarians tell me that cats hate the smell and will almost always ignore the stitches if you spread a tiny amount on each side (not on top) of the suture line.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“fight the leash, and can turn the positive experience into a negative one. A good way to train Kitty to follow your tug-guidance is to lure him with a feather toy in the direction you want him to go. Eventually, when both you and Kitty feel secure on the leash, you can explore the porch or back yard together. Leash training opens up the world to your feline friend, and allows him a safe and controlled outdoor experience. WARNING!  Do not pull and tug on the leash if he tries to fight—simply pick him up and calm him down. Unless the halter fits perfectly (which can be hard to do with tiny kittens), pulling backwards against the leash can allow kittens to slip out of the halter and escape. That’s a lesson you don’t want him to learn!”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“with younger kittens. Encourage him to chase the feather, and to get up and move around. This quickly teaches him that the halter doesn’t interfere with his movements. After five minutes, take it off. As with the crate training, short five-minute sessions repeated several times a day over the first three days work wonders. You can then gradually increase the amount of time that he wears the halter. Be sure to give him a scrumptious treat each time you take off the halter, so he recognizes there is a lovely end in sight when he puts up with the bother. Once your kitten wears the halter without protest, clip on the leash, pick up the end, and simply follow him around. Don’t try to influence his movements at first. Unlike leash-trained dogs that are supposed to “heel” and follow the owner, leash-trained cats direct the action. After several days of short sessions where you follow him around, try offering gentle guidance of his movements. One or two pull-release tugs are enough. Don’t drag him—that just invites him to”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“As before, make the halter and leash a part of the furniture. Leave them on the floor for your kitten to find. During a petting or grooming session, try using the halter to pet Kitty so that his own scent becomes impregnated in the fabric. Making the halter and leash smell like him goes a long way toward making it less frightening. Use the leash as a toy to tempt your kitten to play chase with it. Drag it along the floor like a ribbon toy, and praise Kitty when he catches it. That helps associate the leash with fun times. After two or three days, when the leash has become part of Kitty’s normal environment, settle down on the floor with him for a petting session. In the middle of this, put on the halter, first rubbing him with it and making the equipment part of the petting. Once it’s on, engage him in his favorite game--a feather toy works well, or use the end of the leash. The idea is to distract him from that odd feeling of the halter on his body. This works especially well”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Halter and Leash Training Like crate training, you need patience to get your kitten to accept the halter and leash. Use similar steps to help him learn there’s nothing to fear and it offers a benefit for him.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Remember, if you’ve let her play with your hands like toys, she won’t know any better and may bite you without meaning to.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Crate Training The key to training Kitty to accept the carrier is creating familiarity. You do that by introducing him to this new situation in a series of non-threatening, gradual steps. Begin by making the carrier (crate) a part of the furniture. In other words, set it on the floor in the corner of Kitty’s room, and let him explore at his leisure. Don’t make a big deal out of it. Simply allow the kitten to approach, cheek-rub the outside so it smells like him, and explore the inside on his own. Location Is Key. While well-adjusted kittens tend to be curious, some tend toward shyness. Anything new prompts suspicion. So make the crate or carrier “part of the furniture” and set it out in a safe, familiar place like your bedroom or the family room for”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“your cat to explore. It should be convenient for you to access, too, and away from lots of traffic so the cat has a private place to retreat. Leave the top portion of the carrier open or take it off completely, and let him sniff it inside and out. Consider some “second story” locations, so that your kitten has the added allure of an elevated lookout. Take a cue from your cat’s current favorite hangouts, and offer a location he already loves. Many cats love warm sunny spots, so a window view could be a great location. Don’t make a big deal of it. Make It A Happy Place. Place a snuggly kitty blanket inside, or even a fuzzy shirt that YOU have worn. That associates the carrier with your familiar and trusted scent. Adding a spritz of a feline facial pheromone product like Feliway also may help. Add A Toy or Game. Toss a toy inside to create positive experiences with the crate. Ping Pong balls are great fun inside the hard crates. Offer a catnip toy to make points with reluctant cats. Lure your kitten inside with a chase-the-red-dot laser game, or flick a feather toy in and out and let him catch it, once he’s inside. Reserve his favorite toy to use only near or inside”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“the carrier to elevate the benefit of hanging out in the carrier. Offer A Treat. Many cats respond well to treat rewards. To make the carrier an even better experience, try tossing a few inside for your kitten to discover. If he figures out that every now and then, going inside brings a bonus of yummies, your kitten will be more likely to explore and figure out the crate is a terrific place. Make sure that the treats you use for crate training are irresistible, and reserve them for this situation only. Once your cat has begun to visit the crate on his own, try offering an occasional high-value meal (like pungent canned food) but only when he’s inside. Teach Him Tolerance. After your kitten spends time willingly inside, try shutting the door briefly. Most kitties tolerate the door shut at least as long as they have something to munch. Praise the dickens out of him! He should know that staying calmly inside the crate earns him good things, maybe even a game of chase-the-red-dot. Repeat several times over the next few days, each time letting the kitten out after a few minutes. Extend Crate Time. By the end of the first week, you can begin increasing the time the kitten spends in the crate. Some cats feel calmer when inside the carrier if you cover it with a towel because this shuts out at least the visual cues that may raise stress. Scent the towel with the Feliway. Carry Kitty Around. Once your kitten feels comfortable in the carrier with the door shut, drop in a couple of treats and then pick up the carrier while he’s in it and carry him around. Give him another treat or play a favorite game as soon as you let him out.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Our kittens can't imagine something that's never happened to them before. Instead, they remember past experiences and believe the same thing will happen again. Because a kitten's first car trips aren't always that pleasant, some cats dread traveling thereafter. The first ride in the car takes him away from the only family he's ever known. And if the next several rides end up at the veterinarian for scary medical treatments, it’s no wonder cats get their tails in a twist over car rides. Although you have no choice but to try and comfort your new pet, when you whine back at the shivering kitten, you've reinforced his idea that a car ride IS horrible.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Instead, help your new kitten to associate cars with fun, happy experiences instead of just trips to the vet. The process, called desensitization using classical conditioning, takes patience and time, but works whether your kitty acts scared, sick, or just hyper. Use A Crate. For safety's sake, kittens and cats must ride inside a carrier while in the car. A loose pet becomes a furry projectile in case of an accident. The driver needs to concentrate on the road and traffic, not the bouncy baby on a lap or under the pedals. Even well-behaved cats loose in the car could be injured, because an airbag will crush the crate and pet if on the front seat during an accident. So be sure to crate train the cat before you hit the road. Let Him Explore. Even though he'll be inside a crate, it's helpful for kitty to experience positive things about the car before you start the engine. Cats are sensitive to environment and territory which is why they prefer staying home in familiar surroundings. So once the cat carrier is securely in the closed car, sit beside your cat and open the carrier door. Allow him”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“to explore if he wants, but don’t force it. Make the car familiar by allowing Kitty to cheek rub and spread his scent to claim the car as purr-sonal territory, and he'll feel more relaxed and happy during travels. Give Him Smell Comfort. Place the kitten’s bed, blanket, or a towel you've petted him with inside the car on the back seat. That way, his scent is already inside. Spraying Feliway on the towel or car upholstery also may help the baby feel more relaxed. Sit For A While. While inside the car, take care that small kittens don't squirm into cubbyholes under the dashboard. Five minutes is long enough. Repeat this five-minute car visit a couple times a day for several days, extending the time whenever the kitty stays calm. Be ready to get the kitty back into safe, non-scary surroundings should he act overwhelmed.  You might see fluffed fur, downward turned ears, a flailing tail and hear vocalizations from hisses and growls to yowls of protest. Some cats won’t want to leave the carrier, and that’s fine. In those cases, keep the carrier covered with a towel, and don’t worry about him exploring the car.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Offer A Treat. For confident kittens that like exploring in the car, make meal time car time. After he's calm in the car, feed some of his meals in the car for a week, or offer very high-value treats that kitty gets at no other time. If your cat is more motivated by play or catnip, indulge him with favorites during the car times. He should learn that only these good things in life happen when you're near or inside the car. Add the Crate. You should be combining the crate training with car visits. Once kitty accepts the car as his territory, place him in his carrier, set it on the back seat (away from air bag danger), and start the car. Then turn off the motor and take him out without going anywhere. Do this three or four times during the day until the cat takes it as a matter of course. Each time, you'll give him lots of play or other rewards once he's released from the crate. Start The Car. Finally, after you start the car, open the garage door (if that’s where your car is), and back the car to the end of the driveway and stop. Do this two or three times in a day, always letting the pet out after you return. If the pet cries or shows stress, you may be moving too fast for him. The garage door is noisy, after all, and the movement of the car feels odd. The process takes forever, but it works. Increase The Time. Continue increasing the car-time by increments:  a trip around the block and then home, then a trip down the street and back, and so on. Cat calming music CDs may also help during the trip. Make every car trip upbeat and positive so the experience makes the cat look forward to the next trip. Visit The Vet. As mentioned earlier, it’s ideal for your kitten to have visits to the vet that are FUN and result in playing, petting and treats, with no scary or unpleasant experiences. That prepares kitty for the times when a veterinary exam is necessary.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“A correction works to interrupt the behavior by startling the kitten so she stops what she’s doing. It doesn’t take much to break her concentration. Once that’s done, you have a few seconds to engage her attention and direct it in a more positive, acceptable behavior. After she’s re-targeted the behavior, you reward her. For instance, interrupt the kitten from scratching the sofa, redirect her claws onto the legal cat tree, and reward her for scratching the right target.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“For biting, there are two corrections that work extremely well. In most cases, the ssssst! that imitates Mom-cat stops young kittens cold. Make the sound very percussive.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“To retrain your kitten to inhibit her bite, use the scream or hiss to stop the behavior, and when it’s due to normal play, simply stop the game. She’ll learn that any time she bites the fun stops. The only way for playtime to continue is if she learns to inhibit her bite and claws.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Create multi-levels in your home. Leave half a shelf empty, so Kitty has a place to perch and claim her place.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Provide multi-level cat furniture like trees and perches or hiding places.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Of course, you can also get free advice from a cat behavior consultant (me!) at my personal Bling, Bitches & Blood blog at AmyShojai.com.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“When training kittens, consistency must rule, or else! Don’t allow your kitten on the countertop one day and chastised him for it the next. First of all, it’s not fair to him to change the rules in the middle of the game. Also, inconsistency sabotages any training progress you’ve made.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Socialization impacts your kitten on the most basic level. It refers to the sensitive period in your kitten’s development when he learns from positive and negative events. The prime socialization period for kittens falls between two to seven weeks of age; however, socialization continues through 12 to 16 weeks and also has an impact.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Playing with your kitten can be a powerful bonding and training tool. Make a point to play with your kitten for at least twenty minutes, twice a day.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“After you apply the ointment, salve or other medicine to the skin problem, distract the kitten with a game. Play with a feather or fishing-pole toy for ten to fifteen minutes, to allow the medicine to be absorbed.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“And remember, whenever not contraindicated by her health, always follow a treatment with a tasty treat. That associates the unpleasantness with good things, so the kitten will be less likely to argue about subsequent treatments.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“between her lips. Then squirt the medicine into her cheek. Withdraw the syringe, and hold her mouth closed until you see her swallow.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“As with pilling, place the palm of one hand over your kitten’s head to hold her still, and tip her head to the ceiling. Insert the end of the applicator into the corner of Kitty’s mouth,”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“An excellent kitten restraint that works well for adult cats, too, is the pillowcase. Simply put the cat inside, with her head (or other body part that needs attention) sticking out the opening.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Kitties almost always lick their noses after they’ve swallowed. Have Kitty’s most favorite treat in the world ready to offer her as soon as you’ve closed her”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care

“Place the palm of your hand on top of the kitten’s head, fingers pointed toward her nose. Tip her head so her nose points to the ceiling—the mouth usually falls open a bit when you do this. Then gently press on her lips on each side of the mouth with your thumb and index or middle fingers. Pressing the kitten’s lips against her teeth almost always prompts her to open wide. Be ready with the pill in the other hand, and when she opens her mouth, push it into her mouth and over the hill of her tongue. You’ll see a “V” indentation on the back of her tongue—aim for that.”
― Amy Shojai, Complete Kitten Care