We are pleased that the constant, gentle, reinforcement of our wishes is finally paying off.
There are no shortcuts in kitten training.
That’s because, no matter how loving or bright or willing to please a kitten might be, they still have the notably tiny Kitten Attention Span.
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
The Kitten Attention Span is both short, and easily diverted to a new track. Anyone who has raised a baby or a puppy is already familiar with the challenges. Why can’t they retain information the first, or five hundredth, time?
Well, they aren’t built that way. They have to learn how to learn.
We accomplish two important tasks when raising a kitten; both of which are impacted by the kitten’s natural, randomly focused, state.
Without understanding the Kitten Attention Span, we will find that one goal undermines the other. We lose patience and yell at the kitten, hoping to make an impression so they will behave from now on. Or we give up and let them be cute and uncontrolled.
Both of these tactics undermines our future relationship. If we yell or throw things at the kitten, they will quickly learn… that we are unpredictable and mean. If we don’t try to train them at all, they will become larger, less cute, and even more annoying.
We can work with, not against, the Kitten Attention Span with these tips for training:
Keep them close. When we spend a lot of time with our kitten, we will strengthen the bond of trust which keeps them wanting to please us. Since they are usually ready to abandon whatever they are doing for a new thing, we can easily get into, and out of, playing with them as our schedule allows.
Act quickly. When we keep tabs on our kitten, we can pick the right moment to divert them away from danger and towards something they are supposed to play with. The sooner we complete our “redirection,” the faster this reflex will take hold. Our kitten’s mind is constantly seeking input and acting on impulse.
Repeat, repeat, repeat. Embedding these wanted behaviors means that the kitten will not resist the right impulse when it appears. They are always willing to do something without thinking first. Thinking comes later.
By giving them the right things to think about, we will reap the benefit of their thinking… when it does appear.
Hang in there, and we will have a fun time with our kitten, while looking forward to our future cat.
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There’s more to raising and training a cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my CAT TRAINING TIPS.
I have four kittens in the house and it is the first time I have kittens from such a young age in the house so much. And I can see some of the things happening that you are talking about. It is so great to see them growing up a little bit. But they are beginning to learn their boundries.
Thank you for the Olwyn updates! She definitely looks like a little princess. This is very helpful since our 8-month-old Oscar is right behind her in growing up, so I read about what’s to come in the next few months. He’s learned a lot! He finally leaves the shower curtain alone, and is usually sweet to elderly kitties without being reminded.
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