SOCIALIZATION OF THE NEW CAT
What is socialization?
Socialization is the process by which the kitten learns about its own identity,
the identity of its own species and the identity of the other species with which
it will share its life. Appropriate socialization enables the kitten to go on
to develop relationships with other living beings in its environment.
What is habituation?
As all animals develop there are numerous stimuli (sounds, smells, sights
and events) that they need to become accustomed to in their environment. If
kittens do not encounter these stimuli and place them in their frame of reference
for the world around them then the stimuli can induce fear and anxiety when
they are encountered later in life. Habituation is the process whereby cats
get used to a wide variety of stimuli, and stop reacting to them provided that
there are no untoward consequences.
Why are these terms important?
Cats that receive insufficient exposure to and contact with people, other
animals and new environments during the first two months of life may develop
irreversible fears, leading to timidity or aggression. It is vital to expose
your kitten to as many stimuli (people, places and things), when it can most
effectively socialize with and habituate to these stimuli. The first two months
of life are the most important period in the social development of the cat.
Are cats a social species?
Although they are fairly independent and can do well on their own, cats are
a social species. Feline social behavior has not been as extensively studied
as that of the dog but it is well known that the domestic cat is much more social
than has been reported traditionally. There are many situations where cats live
together in groups and interact in a friendly manner. The composition of these
groups differs from dog groupings. Usually they consist of mothers, daughters,
aunts and grandmothers; female cats that are related. In large colonies, there
may be many smaller related groups sharing the same space. Male cats will leave
the group and live very much on the periphery , but return for breeding. Males
that have been neutered join the group in much the same way as females. Colonies
of feral cats will be found in areas where food is abundant such as barns or
dumps or around fishing ports. The cats in the group will allogroom (lick each
other) and allomark (rub on each other). They will also share the raising of
kittens, often fostering others from different litters.
Do cats have "personalities"?
Research has shown that it may be possible to classify cat "personalities".
One study identified cats that were shy, timid or fearful and those that were
confident. The timid cats took significantly longer to approach people and would
stay with the person for significantly less time than the confident cats. Another
study identified cats that were "shy" and those that were "trusting". That research
noted that trusting cats were trusting regardless of where they encountered
people, while shy cats were more fearful the further from home they were when
people were presented. Based on these and other studies two common personality
types have been identified: (a) sociable, confident and outgoing; (b) timid,
shy and unfriendly. Some other research has also suggested a third personality
type: (c) active and aggressive.
How does the mother cat (or queen) teach her kittens?
Cats are very good at observational learning. This occurs when an animal watches
a behavior being performed by another. The queen starts to teach her kittens
at a young age. From the queen, kittens learn about elimination behavior and
predatory behavior preferences. Kittens will begin to spend time in the litter
tray at about 30 days of age and will learn appropriate litter usage through
a combination of certain olfactory (smell) cues and observation of the queen.
If allowed access to prey, the queen will begin to bring them to her offspring
at about 32 - 36 days of age and teach them to hunt. The kittens will also begin
to be weaned and eat solid food at the same age. Play between kittens is also
an important part of social development in early life, particularly for those
kittens that will be housed with other cats later in life.
What can I do to improve my chances of having a social non-fearful cat?
a) Selection: The genetics of an individual cat plays a critical
role in how sociable, playful, fearful or excitable a kitten will become. The
first issue in helping to ensure that a kitten will be friendly and social when
it grows up is to choose an appropriate kitten for your family. Since cats have
a variety of personality types, the question is whether these personality types
can be determined at the time of selection. Of course the development of the
personality is a multifactorial affair and one that is very dynamic. A number
of issues must therefore be considered.
What influences the development of personality type? Not surprisingly studies
have confirmed that not only is personality inherited from the mother, but that
it is in part, inherited from the father. In particular there is a strong paternal
component to the boldness aspect of a cat's personality and the presence of
boldness will increase the kittens exploratory nature and can make it a more
interactive and thus more sociable cat. It is important therefore to know about
the cat's mother and its father when making your selection. In many cases of
course this will not be possible.
In addition to genetics, the amount and style of early handling, the number
of handlers and the methods of interactions around feeding are very important
factors in the subsequent success of socialization of kittens. The important
stage of development for these issues is between two and seven weeks of age
and it is termed the sensitive period of socialization
Knowledge of the breed, assessment of the kitten's parents and evaluation
of the kitten's environment and upbringing are important considerations when
selecting a kitten. Some important questions to ask are: Has there been adequate
exposure to people, both adults and children? Has the kitten been handled frequently,
preferably on a daily basis for at least 15 minutes? How does the kitten behave
when picked up by prospective owners? Does it hiss, bite or scratch, or does
the kitten purr and solicit affection? Does the kitten approach people or does
it stand away? What has been the historical behavior of the queen and tom? Did
they hunt and/or have access to prey? Do they have a good history of litter
usage, and what type of litter material is used? What are the feeding habits
and preferences of the parents? General observation of the temperament of both
the kittens in the litter and the parents is helpful. Are they outgoing, shy
or timid? Assessment of young kittens is likely to be of limited value if the
kittens are still progressing through the primary socialization period, and
the assessment of the parents may provide more useful information. Assessing
older kittens and adult cats that have already passed through their primary
socialization period will provide much more accurate information.
b) Early handling: Kittens that are stimulated and handled
from birth are more confident, more social, more exploratory, they mature faster
and are better able to handle stress as they develop. Therefore, kittens obtained
from a breeder or home where they have had frequent contact and interaction
with the owners, provided that the contact has been appropriate, are likely
to be more sociable and less fearful as they develop.
c) Attachment: The level of attachment that forms between people
and cats is variable. The two most important factors appear to be the cat's
genetic personality type and the amount of socialization it receives during
the sensitive period of socialization, which is thought to be between two and
seven weeks of age. Certainly, the greater exposure a kitten has to humans of
all ages and to other pets, the better adjustment that kitten will have in its
new home. The socialization period starts and ends earlier in cats than in the
dog and therefore the early environment is very important in determining future
sociability. Early handling of kittens decreases their approach time to strangers
and increases the amount of time that they stay with them. The more handling
the better, but even limited handling for less than 15 minutes a day will positively
affect later behavior
How best should I introduce my new kitten to my home?
Your interaction with your new kitten begins during the ride home in the car
and all cats should be transported in some kind of carrier in the car. When
you get home you should place the kitten in a small, quiet area with water and
a litter tray. If possible, duplicate the type of litter material used in the
previous home.
When you start to introduce your kitten to the house you should begin the
process very calmly and you should ensure that the first room you allow your
new kitten to explore has been inspected for nooks and crannies where it might
hide or get stuck. Often in a new environment, a kitten may look for a secluded
place to hide. The kitten needs to be given time to investigate its new surroundings
and the process can be helped by limiting the space available and initially
supervising the kitten closely but not interfering with its investigations.
After your new kitten has had some quiet time in a restricted location, you
can slowly allow access to other areas of the home.
Kittens are natural explorers and in the first few weeks gradual access to
the home will allow exploration as well as the ability to monitor the kitten's
behavior
Play and handling
New kittens need plenty of outlets for play. Stalking and pouncing behaviours
are important play behaviours in kittens and aid in neural and muscular development.
If given sufficient outlets for these behaviours with toys and perhaps a playmate,
kittens will be less likely to use humans as their targets. Good toys are ones
that move rapidly and are light enough to be picked up, but large enough so
that they are not swallowed. Never use your hands or body parts for play. This
can lead to dangerous play and human injury.
Depending on the personality and early experiences as a kitten, your cat may
either enjoy, accept, or dislike, certain types of handling from stroking to
bathing. In order for the cat to learn to accept and enjoy a variety of types
of physical contact from humans, it is important that the human hand is only
associated with positive experiences and that all physical punishment is avoided.
You should begin with those types of handling that the cat enjoys or is willing
to accept, and provide small treats at each of the first few sessions. Once
the cat learns to associate food with these sessions, slightly longer or more
intense sessions can be practiced. Handling your cat in this way can be used
to help the cat become accustomed to, and perhaps enjoy, patting, grooming,
teeth brushing, claw cutting and even bathing. Never force handling upon your
cat as any negative experience will only make the problem worse and the cat
more resistant to further handling.
It is important to remember that physical discipline is inappropriate. It
can scare your cat and make him or her afraid of being picked up or held.
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