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Understanding your kitten's behaviour

Understanding your kitten's behaviour
Maine Coon kittens jumping in a living room

Your kitten's body language

Your kitten will give you a number of behavioural cues using their body language to indicate their mood. By understanding each change in behaviour, you can learn to provide your kitten with what they need, whether it's space, playtime or food.

Guiding behaviours

A kitten's behaviour is highly influenced by others. In their early weeks and months, your kitten will have adopted a number of behaviours from their litter-mates and mother. When they arrive at your home, it's up to you to reinforce the positive behaviours they exhibit and minimise any negative actions. 

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How to encourage good behaviour

When it comes to enforcing positive behaviours, the key is consistency. If your kitten receives mixed signals from others in the home, this will cause confusion and may lead to them adopting the unwanted behaviour more frequently. 

Bengal kitten sitting on a grey blanket being stroked by owner
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Reinforcing behaviours

Another important note is to focus on positive behaviour. Your kitten learns mainly by making a link between certain actions (from themselves or others) and the result. If your kitten flees from loud noises or newcomers in the home, for example, avoid reinforcing their worries by picking them up or coddling them. Instead, calmly and casually engage them with a toy to encourage them out of hiding. This way, your kitten will start to realise that there's no cause for upset and become more comfortable with these situations in the future.

Kitten sitting indoors on a wooden floor playing with a red ball
Maine Coon kitten waking along the back of a sofa

What causes unwanted behaviour in kittens?

Cats are creatures of habit, and particularly appreciate an established routine. Behaviours such as scratching furniture, biting or refusal to use the litter box can often be signs that your kitten is unsettled or disrupted. As well as continued positive reinforcement, if you notice an increase in destructive behaviour, think about whether there could be a hidden cause. 

Your kitten's grooming habits

Cats are well known for their cleanliness and kittens are no different. Self-grooming isn't just about removing loose hairs and dirt, however. This action also serves an emotional function for your pet. 

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How and why kittens groom themselves

As well as supporting their personal hygiene, self-grooming is recognised as a way to de-stress for kittens and cats. You may notice that your kitten grooms themselves more frequently when looking out of the window, for example. Often this is a way for them to diffuse excess energy if they're unable to go outside.

Kitten lying down on a grey blanket licking its paw
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When does grooming become too much?

If self-grooming is taken to the extreme, your kitten could create bald spots or skin irritations. In severe situations your kitten may even begin to chew themselves. These actions may be an indication of anxiety caused by a stressful event or unfamiliar environment, or could point to an underlying health concern such as hyperthyroidism. If you notice over-grooming in your kitten it's important to consult a vet. 

Ragdoll kitten lying on a white blanket licking its paw
Bengal kitten walking indoors

The evolution of a cat's behaviour

The domestic cat is one of the most recently evolved feline species. In contrast with some other domestic species, such as dogs or bovines, cats have maintained a high degree of independence in relation to humans. The relationship between cats and their owners is therefore mostly based on mutual benefits.

Despite domestication and selection to produce unique characteristics in different breeds, most of our feline companions have retained some attributes, both physical and behavioural, of their wild ancestors. They remain almost identical in many respects to the African Wildcat, and also to the other wild cats, large or small.

Kitten behaviour explained

Your kitten's behaviour may seem unusual, but there's often a reason for it. Discover some of the explanations for your kitten's behaviour below.

British Shorthair kitten grooming itself in black and white

Kitten grooming

Find out how you can support your kitten's grooming and hygiene needs, from brushing their coat and giving them a bath, to caring for their nails and teeth. 

Norwegian Forest Cat kittens sitting together in black and white

Your kitten's health

Paying close attention to your kitten's behaviour and identifying any abnormalities can be a great indication of changes in their health. Find out more about how to keep your kitten healthy, and when they might need to visit the vet.