Training a Kitten
Contrary to popular belief, you can train a cat. Although kitten training may not come the same way dog obedience training does. From the start, you should strive to teach your new cat about the proper places to eat, sleep and relieve itself. The important thing to remember is that cats do not respond well to negative correction. This can often encourage retaliation-like behavior or other bad habits.
Instead, focus on positive methods of educating your cat. The more rewarding something is, the more your cat will learn. This can backfire, however, so make sure you are only giving your cat what he or she wants when they practice a desired behavior. If your cat learns that jumping up on the kitchen counter while meowing obsessively gets your attention and causes you to fill their food bowl, then it is safe to assume that behavior will continue.
Punishing your cat after an incident is strongly discouraged. Your pet will not understand why they are being punished. This can cause them to become fearful or shy away from you in the future, even when you only want to pet or play with them. The best way to deal with bad behavior is to make the desired behavior even more appealing. For example, if your kitten has been using your shoes as his own personal litter box, have you considered where his actual litter box is? There may be a problem that is keeping him from getting to the litter box when he needs to. Did you show him to his litter box when you brought him home? He cannot use it if he does not know where it is!
On the other hand, it might also be a good idea to hide your shoes in a closet. If you can remove your cat’s makeshift litter box, that will encourage him to go to the actual litter box instead. In time, your cat will learn that the litter box is a far better place to relieve himself than anywhere else in the house.
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