What skills are taught in a kitten kindergarten class?
Generally, kitten kindergarten classes are two weeks in length and even though they'll vary ever so slightly in the size of the class and the amount of games, they do focus on socializing your kitten.
• Basic obedience commands. You want your cat to at least know things like "come" and "sit/stay" because it's critical for her safety, especially when doors can be accidentally left open.
• Using the litter box. A lot of people just think you need to point your cat to it and she'll automatically know what needs to be done. While it's true to some extent, there can be problems, and you'll learn how to avoid them.
• Preventing destructive scratching. A MUST if you don't want to constantly reupholster your furniture!
• How to play with your kitten, and when she needs to be left alone.
• Peaceful traveling to the vet; wouldn't you love yours to be the "star" of the vet's office because she loves to be handled???
• Vaccinations, parasite control and other health and wellness issues.
• Learning to speak your kitten's language; just as dogs have different barks, your kitten has about 16 different meows and cries; you need to know what they mean so you can determine what she's telling you.
• Nutrition. The obesity problem in pets is just as much on the rise as it is for humans. In fact, the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention now estimates that 55 percent of all cats in the United States are classified as overweight or obese by veterinarians—and that can lead to chronic illnesses, astronomical veterinary bills and a reduction in your pet's life by as much as 2.5 years.