PET OF THE WEEK: Emily is a 12-year-old, striped brown tabby who has been patiently waiting to be adopted for more than a year. This gentle, mellow lady adores attention and will give you lots of head bumps and love; she’ll just need a little time to warm up first. Want to see her playful side? Just bring out the catnip and string! Ask for Emily, ID# A815263. Adoptable pets are available at Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA’s Tom and Annette Lantos Center for Compassion, 1450 Rollins Road, Burlingame. For information, call 650-340-7022 or visit www.phs-spca.org. (Courtesy photo)
Dear Miss Behavin’: I just adopted a kitten and he seems to think the carpet is his litter box. Please help!
Reply: It can definitely be tricky to adjust a new kitten to a new home. If you adopted the kitten from a shelter, many of the cats and kittens are housed in small pens or condos. These smaller pens and condos are much easier and intuitive for the cats to maintain their cleanliness, since most cats and kittens prefer to not soil the areas where their food, water, and bedding are located.
The key, then, in their new home, is to help the kitten understand what the new litterbox consists of and where it is located.
The new living space may be disorienting for the kitten, as he learns where exactly he can find his bare necessities.
Initially, it can be useful to try secluding the kitten in a bathroom or small bedroom for the first few days as he adjusts. Keeping him secluded to this area for the first few days ensures that he is consistently finding his food and water as well as using the litterbox appropriately.
The smaller the space is the better. However, if you feel the bathroom is too cramped and the bedroom is too large, try using an x-pen to house the kitten. You can then lay down towels or puppy pads to help cover the bottom area of the x-pen in case the kitten has any accidents. Do provide the kitten with all of his basic needs in the x-pen along, with his bed and toys.
During this time, give him lots of play time and tender loving care. As he is consistently eating, drinking and using the litter box, expand his access to the rest of the home, one room or small area at a time, and cordon off these areas with the x-pen, so as not to overwhelm him.