By Dr. I. Elizabeth Borgmann
There is a huge amount of information available for the new puppy owner on socialization and training s but owners of new kittens have fewer resources on their new family members. In this next series of articles I will be discussing some of the common issues owners face with their kittens and young cats and some strategies you can use to have a mentally healthy cat.

This week we will discuss kitten play and how to deal with that rambunctious kitten that keeps attacking your feet from under the couch.

Predatory play starts between 4 and 8 weeks of age. First kittens start social play and then they begin object play. The object play is important for the development of eye-paw coordination and to learn basic hunting skills. The predatory play and object play intensifies during the 8 to 12 week stage when most kittens are brought home. During this time the social play decreases.

Owners frequently express frustration as they experience scratches on their hands during kitten play. They feel at a loss on how to manage this behaviour. Sometimes kittens will hide and run out to pounce on owners. This is a behaviour that can become an annoying, and sometimes dangerous, habit. Other times the kittens will be up late at night disrupting the owner’s sleep. They may also start shredding and damaging objects in the home. All these lead to frustration on the owner’s part and attempts to control the behaviour with punishment. This control method quickly backfires and the kitten learns to fear its owner.

So how do you raise happy healthy cats? Firstly, realize that these are normal and necessary behaviours. You need to work with these behaviours, not against them. Understand them and know how to work within the situation. You need to fulfill your kitten’s requirement for physical and mental stimulation.

Well, that’s just fine but how do you do this? Here are some hints and suggestions:

• Set up a cat safe room (no electrical cords, no strings, furniture that won’t fall over, items that can’t be knocked off). Fill this room with toys for unsupervised play. Offer cat scratch posts and perches; boxes; large paper bags; ping pong balls, toys on springs.

• Set up regular scheduled play times. Kittens do well with routine. Use toys that protect your hands. For example, try dangling toys on the end of ropes. (Remember, only use dangling toys with supervision. The strings from these toys can be lethal.) Kittens need exercise and they need to be worn out.

• Rotate the toys frequently. Kittens get bored quickly. You don’t want them to become destructive.

• Use break away collars with bells so you can hear your kitten coming and can anticipate and avoid being attacked. Kittens like to run out from hiding areas and attack you. Knowing when this is going to happen and preventing it is better than trying to correct the behaviour. Do this before it becomes a habit.

• If your kitten is regularly attacking you try either restricting access to the area from which they are pouncing on you or carry a toy with which to distract them (so they attack the toy and not you).

If you do the above, you will have a kitten that has the opportunity to express its normal behaviour. It will be happier, less fearful and more likely to give you a good night’s sleep. And your skin will thank you!

Next week we will discuss the cat scratch behaviours and how to save your furniture.

Dr. I Elizabeth Borgmann

Dr. Borgmann has been practicing in the Fraser Valley for over 8 years and can be reached at the Whatcom Road Veterinary Clinic