All cat lovers know that raising a kitten is not only an exciting process, but also a very complicated one. How to tame and make a pet that was born to be a free predator? But all cats, primarily predatory animals. Particularly familiar with this fact is those whose hobby has been raising kittens. Of course, we are used to the fact that soft, fluffy and always purring lumps, getting tangled under our feet, beg for food, play and do their own thing, but few people are able to see the other side of this process: hunting and adaptability.
An exception to the general rules are, perhaps, Maine Coon kittens, which are distinguished by a soft and flexible character from birth, are extremely kind and peaceful, despite their large (unlike ordinary cats) size. These cute animals were bred in the state of Maine with the aim of being a kind of home decoration, which they do very well, but even they have their own character: they are extremely vulnerable and require a lot of love and affection. So what is this process - raising a kitten? Torment or joy? We will talk about how to do it right below.
Some important parenting rules
- Decide. Before raising a kitten, decide for yourself who you need: a decorative heating pad, which will sleep with you in the same bed and warm you on winter evenings; cat hunter who will catch mice and guard the house instead of a dog, or a wayward cat-self-master-master? First of all, the methods that you will have to use in the process will depend on your choice.
- Carrot and stick. The upbringing of a kitten is so strikingly different from the process of taming any other animal that here a rule should be holy which calls to minimize the whip, but to ensure maximum gingerbread. Cats are extremely sensitive to grievances. One careless kick or slap can completely cross out the entire educational process. Praise them more often and approve of their care. For example, if your kitten brought a dead mouse in your teeth, do not rush to faint! Thus, he showed concern for you, as if worrying that you would not starve.
- Talk to the kitten. Yes Yes! Just speak as you speak with a friend, with a person. Cats very well perceive intonations of a voice, feeling, their owner is angry or glad. Therefore, scolding pussies, it is enough to say only a few words and deprive for a while affection. It would be a mistake to consider these wayward masters of their lives as completely stupid creatures, because, at times, they understand us much better than people.
- Liberty. No need to deprive the kitten of freedom. Never lock them, do not wrap them in blankets for a long time and, if possible, do not leave them alone. For cats that from time immemorial lived in open spaces or in forests, a
restriction of freedom means depriving them of the ability to splash out all the huge potential that is contained in them.
And remember that raising a kitten is the same as raising a child: the process is complex and does not allow neglect. And, bringing this animal to your home, making your home its territory, you take on a huge responsibility. From now on, according to Exupery, only you are responsible for those whom you have tamed!