Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the friendliest of them all? Not cats, that’s for sure!
If you’re anything like me, and you adore cats with all your being, you probably know how hard it can be to get on their good side. To win their approval and love – that can be quite a challenge!
However, just because something is generally considered to be difficult – it most certainly doesn’t mean it is impossible!
Because if there’s anything I know for sure, it’s that even the seemingly unattainable goals – like in this instance bonding with cats – can be easily achieved.
You want to know how? Keep reading to find out!
When Is The Best Time To Bond With Your Cat?
If you’re lucky enough to have access to a litter of kittens in your own home, you can start by gently picking them up and bonding with them once they’re around 3 days old.
However, many cat parents wait anywhere between 2 and 9 weeks to start properly interacting with their new fluffs.
This can be a responsible decision to make since newborn kittens can be very fragile, and you can never know for sure if you’re gentle enough with them.
Why Do You Need To Prioritize Bonding With Your Kitten?
Bonding with your new furbaby is extremely important because it can have a positive effect on her development and general well-being.
When you invest your time and energy into forming a strong bond with your kitty from an early age, you’re doing wonders for her confidence, and directly helping her grow into a happy and healthy feline.
Think about it this way: by showering your beloved kitty with love and attention and fostering a secure attachment, she will have fewer struggles with feeling comfortable around other people and pets as she matures.
How To Bond With Your Fluffy Newbie?
Becoming friends with a newborn fluff is definitely not for the faint of heart. But if you want to try your luck, here are 4 easy and useful tips you should definitely follow.
1. Spend As Much Time As You Can With Your New Kitten
There’s no question about it: bonding with your kitty equals spending quality time with her.
This can involve regular playtime, much-needed cuddle sessions, talking while feeding her (so she can associate your voice with a pleasant experience), and so on.
This is extremely important if the nature of your job requires you to be outside your home for long hours.
In this case, I suggest you get two kittens instead of one. They can entertain each other while you’re gone, remain happy and in a friendly spirit, i.e., more willing to bond with you.
With two kittens by your side, you will not only receive a double blessing but also be spared from dealing with a not-so-pleasant phenomenon known as single kitten syndrome.
2. Use Interactive And Cat-Friendly Toys
Believe it or not, kittens tend to be very curious and active. Who would’ve thought that something so small could be so energetic, right?
When bonding with your kitten via playtime, I recommend you use interactive teaser toys like feather wands, laser pointers, mouse plushies, etc.
By doing so, your fluff will use up excess energy and learn what things around your home are for play and what are off-limits.
3. Be Consistent
In the feline world, consistency is the key to a successful bonding. Try to feed your kitten and play with her at the same time each day. Also, make sure you regularly maintain her litter box.
Your kitten will feel much more secure when she’s familiar with your schedule and knows what’s coming.
4. Don’t Forget The Grooming!
Grooming is also an important step when attempting to bond with a kitten.
Regular brushing ensures that your fluff’s coat remains soft, sleek, and shiny, while nail trimming reduces the possibility of them curving back toward the paw, thus causing injury or infection.
Both of these tasks can be difficult to perform. However, if you train your feline from an early age to accept them, these routines will get much easier as your fluff gets older.
Is It Pawssible To Bond With An Adult Feline?
Right off the bat: Yes! It’s definitely possible to form a strong bond with an adult feline. However, bear in mind that this process is significantly more complex than trying to become friends with a kitten.
Generally speaking, kittens are like a blank canvas. Since their personalities have not yet been fully developed, it’s fairly easy to “color them with the colors we want”.
Adult cats on the other hand already have certain experiences that inevitably shaped their personalities, because of which they can be a tougher nut to crack.
This is no reason to feel discouraged! If an older kitty has recently walked into your life (and your heart!) and now you want to create an unbreakable bond with her, there’s still a way to do it.
But How?
In addition to doing basically the same things you would with a kitten (check the tips above again!), here are some other tips that are certainly worth considering:
• Give your cat all the privacy and independence she needs
• Make sure your home is a safe place for her
• Allow her to come to you first
• Encourage her to “make the first move” (meaning: bribe her with yummy treats)
• Remember to always be patient with her
I hope you’ve found this article useful and entertaining. Feel free to comment below and share your thoughts. Also, if you happen to know a brand-new cat parent, feel free to share this article with them.
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