It’s almost certain that when you bring your new kitten home you will experience love and affection like nothing else from your furry friend. Like puppies, kittens will exhibit similar behaviours to their canine friends.
Read on to find out more about what our little kittens get up to in their younger years!
Biting
Kittens like to explore the world using their mouths just like puppies do… or even babies! It will start around the three months old just when the teeth are coming through. Help alleviate any pain or discomfort by providing them with suitable teething toys to help keep this behaviour under control.
Licking
This is a behaviour that you’re unlikely to be able to stop! Kittens are shown this sweet little habit by their mothers from birth by way of cleaning them and to show them love. It’s only natural that they may attempt to do the same to you!
Kneading
They might do this to you whilst sitting on your lap and is a way of them laying their scent on you! Kneading their paws releases a scent which means they are marking their territory – i.e. you! It is a harmless habit that is learnt from being nursed by their mother and it’s simply a way of letting other cats know that you belong to them.
Scratching
Kittens scratch to keep their claws short and neat, but also to release the scent in their paws to mark their territory much like kneading but this time leaving a physical mark. To save your furniture, this less favourable habit needs to be diverted to the less destructive scratching post especially whilst they are still young.
Rubbing
When a kitten comes and rubs up against your leg, it’s simply a way for them to show affection towards you. It’s also another way of them leaving a scent on you that makes them feel happy and hopefully you too!
Stalking
This is a very common and natural behaviour of any cat… whether it be a lion, a tiger, or the tabby next door! A new kitten will practise this with any object… be it toys or insects. They might quickly build on this by jumping or pouncing too. It’s usually just a bit of fun and no real harm can come of this, but if gets to be a problem, try distracting the kitten with something else like a toy.