Kittens are without a doubt one of the loveliest pets we can have as they provide us with so much entertainment as they romp and play, get into mischief and some downright silly situations. It is the evil that worries many owners, and they feel that they must control it in some way.

Animal experts, including veterinarians, are often bombarded with questions from pet owners about how to “discipline” their new kitty. Some of the more disturbing comments include references to spanking the poor little things!

Perhaps because humans are generally raised with a discipline that often translates into a system of reward and punishment, they believe it applies to animals as well as children.

Reward and punishment are rapidly losing their acceptability in a good training environment, however people are beginning to notice that it is less effective with animals. For that to be useful at all, the subject must have the ability to learn to make judgments about her own behavior. This requires the ability to use logic and spend time thinking about things. Animals don’t do this. They live in the moment, in the “now”. Yes, they can remember that certain actions produce certain results and they can learn from that. But if we’re supposed to be smarter than animals, it’s up to us to be the ones using logic and thinking things through.

Physical force, including spanking, should NEVER be used on a kitten. It is simply not necessary and can cause injury, sometimes death. In fact, it is never necessary to hit any pet. Try using a bounty vs. there is no reward system in place.

The following common mischievous kitten behaviors can be easily handled with care and affection by careful and patient owners:

1. Do not use the litter box. Under normal circumstances this should never be a problem. Kittens are taught by their mothers to use litter. If a kitten is unfamiliar with litter or kitty litter, it’s usually because the little one was separated from its mother too soon. Kittens need to be with their mothers for at least 3 months, 12 weeks, but this is not usually the case. People want the pleasure of teaching their own kitty as soon as possible. Some even enjoy bottle feeding very much, but this is logical only if the kitten has been orphaned and a suitable replacement cannot be found.

If you have an orphaned kitten, you will need to be a surrogate mother and train it to use a litter box. Is not difficult. Simply place the kitten in the box shortly after she has eaten or drunk, and gently pet her rear end, speaking softly to encourage her. If you have other cats, let the kitten observe the older ones using the box. Cats learn by observation and imitation.

Probably the most important thing any cat or kitten owner can do to ensure their pet continues to use the litter box is to always keep it clean.

2. Scratching furniture. Kittens absolutely must scratch. They can’t help but not do it. It’s up to you to provide them with the right environment to stretch their toes and exercise their front legs and paws. If they are declawed at this time, it can affect the normal development of the leg and paw muscles. However, declawing an adult cat has even more profound results and some cats never outgrow them. Provide a scratching post or pad and encourage them to use it by being calm and happy each time. Don’t bother with catnip just yet; kittens are not sensitive until they are much older, if at all. Some cats don’t seem to notice catnip. If you catch your kitten scratching something it shouldn’t, just pick it up and take it to the stall. Don’t yell, don’t hit and don’t get angry. This just teaches him that you can be unpredictable and fearsome. They rarely associate his action with your reaction.

3. Get into things. All young people love and need to explore. This is how they learn what is in their world and how to navigate it. If they are not allowed to learn things in this way, their social skills or even their survival skills will be stunted. However, as their guardians, it is up to us to make sure they are safe while having fun while learning. With kittens, we need to provide plenty of toys, hiding places, opportunities to climb, and best of all, time together where they learn to trust and interact with you. Just remember to be kind and considerate. Never play rough with a kitten, or you’ll be responsible for creating a little biting monster. It’s cute and not too painful to endure his claws and teeth at 6 weeks old, but you don’t want to wonder what happened to your fluffy ball of fluff when he was 2 years old and bleeding.

Then, once they’re old enough to jump on countertops, it’s time to nip that in the bud, or you may never stop them. The most effective tactics seem to be related to loud noises. Never knock a kitten off a counter. I could seriously insult you. You can continually pick it up and put it back on the floor, but most cats don’t seem to get it. Instead, make a loud noise. Hit the counter with something flat… a trowel, maybe… or use a can of compressed air that blasts a loud horn. Sometimes just a blast of air.

If a kitty’s environment is interesting and safe enough, she’ll be less likely to get involved in things that don’t concern her. Homeowners can help by “toddler proofing” their home and by protecting any possessions they wish to keep intact.