Bonding with your kitten is easy. Spend quality time together, find treats they enjoy eating, and provide a safe and healthy environment. Cats can be a great enrichment to our lives, so if you have any questions about your kitten's behavior, reach out to your veterinarian or a local pet hospital for help.

Ideally, yes. Cats naturally have claws and a preference for scratching on horizontal or vertical surfaces. Providing an appropriate scratching post or pad can help them express their normal behaviors without damaging your furniture or carpets.

No, never punish your kitten. Punishment is not necessarily associated with the action they just did, and can create scared, timid, and anxious cats instead of correcting their behavior.

Kittens are naturally energetic, so they need lots of outlets for their energy. Providing environmental enrichment, toys, laser pointers, fishing rod toys, and vibrating toys can help wear them out and give them stimulation. Hiding their food in different areas, using treat balls, and puzzle toys can also help redirect their energy appropriately.

Aggressive cats are often just more playful and prey-driven, using you or your furniture to redirect their behavior. Many aggressive behaviors just need to be redirected, so talking to your veterinarian about the specific issues can help with early intervention and redirection of problem behaviors.

If your kitten is crying at night, they might be hungry, so ensure they have access to food. If they're eating and still crying, they might be seeking attention and miss you, which could indicate a new behavioral issue.

Kittens instinctually use the litter box, so if they're not using it, there could be a few reasons. They might be in too big of a space and have trouble finding it, the sides of the litter box could be too high for them to get in, or they could have a medical issue such as parasites or urinary tract infections causing them to go outside the litter box. It may require a discussion with your veterinarian to determine the exact cause.

Normal kittens do play with other kittens, and when they don't have another kitten to play with, they may use you to bite, chew on, and scratch. While this is normal behavior, it often needs to be redirected to a proper toy or scratching post since you are not the appropriate target for their play.

Fading kitten syndrome occurs when a kitten does not receive enough nutrition, leading to low blood sugar and lethargy. The kitten may not nurse or feed as often as it should, and it may also suffer from internal parasites that cause malnourishment. If left untreated, fading kitten syndrome can be fatal. If you suspect that a kitten is suffering from this condition, seek veterinary assistance immediately.

Look for signs of general health, such as clear eyes, normal activity levels, and a healthy weight. If the kitten has encrusted eyes, is lethargic, or appears malnourished, it may not be healthy. Consult with a veterinarian to assess the kitten's health and medical condition.