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Expert: - 6/1/2010


Question
I recently adopted a rescued seven week old kitten.  The woman who rescued him recommended I crate him at night and when not at home to keep him from hurting himself or getting "stuck".  She also thought this would help with litter training.  Is this truly necessary and how long do I need to do this?  There are no other pets in our home to worry about, but there are two small children that have been taught to not chase or be rough with the kitten.  

Thanks in advance for your answer!

Answer
Shannon,

What we usually recommend, especially with a kitten that young, is to start the kitten out in one room with food, water and litter pan, until it adjusts to its new surroundings. Many kittens are not used to wide open spaces and can easily get lost or confused.  Usually, within a week, the kitten is ready to be anywhere and everywhere in the house. If you relocate the litter pan, you just have to show it where the litter pan is.

It sounds to me that the advice you were given is for a 7 week old puppy, not a kitten!!!!! The kitten is not likely to hurt itself, and, after no more than a week, most kittens are ready to have the run of the household.  

What you may want to do is to make sure any important, breakable knick knacks are safely out of the way of the kitten as it will probably delight in knocking them down!!!!!!!

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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