One of the reasons people choose kittens over adult cats is their energetic playfulness, and there is nothing quite so much fun as playing with a kitten or watching him at play. Playing with a kitten tends to bring back the joy of our own playful childhood years, but as adults, we can make that play even more meaningful, as a training tool for kittens. Kitten play in the wild teaches skills the adult cat will use to catch and kill prey; and to protect his territory from other cats and predators. These skills are needed by both male and female cats, as the females will also have kittens to feed and defend.
Although your kitten is fortunate to live in a safe home, his or her territorial instincts are innate, and he needs that training too. There are a number of tools you can utilize both for fun play with your kitten, and as training tools. This article describes a number of them. But one of the most important lessons you should teach your kitten is that hands are not toys. My husband ignored my advice when Jaspurr was a kitten, and regretted it when Jaspurr grew to adulthood and those tiny claws and teeth became large, razor-sharp instruments of pain.
Photo Credit: © Franny Syufy
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