It seems like only yesterday that my now elderly gentleman cat, Kunta Kit-tay, found his way into our lives and hearts as a little kitten, purring and rubbing his face on us from the minute we met him. I can still see him with his tiny hind legs stretched as far as they would go to reach is face up to my chin so he could "mark" me.

I didn't think much about kitten behavior in those days. Kunta was cute and caused no problems. He rarely has, however I have raised a few rascals that tore up the house with amazing gusto and joy! Those two were kitten behavior problems on steroids and taught me a lot about kitten behavior modification, kitten training, and what is necessary to turn a little renegade into a beloved family member. It won't be perfect because just like teenagers, you will have to wait for that young cat to grow and mature and learn before his hormones calm down and he understands a few household manners.

First you must learn patience. And you must set your kitten up for success. Your version of success, not his. He believes he's perfect as he is. When a young cat is turned loose in the house to do as he pleases, it's not really a surprise that he climbs curtains, scratches furniture, roams the counter tops, is it? That's what young felines do! If you can't provide an outdoor place for exercise, then there will have to be things to do inside that can interest and exercise a your kitten. A rowdy young cat just out of the kitten stage can cause a lot of damage, so you should be prepared with a place to isolate him if necessary.

I am an advocate of adopting pairs, whether it is cats or dogs. A cat as an adult can happily spend time alone, but as kittens they want to play and play hard and need each other to wrestle with and chase. A young puppy will fill that role as well, so you might consider starting with a canine and feline pair. Matched by size of course. That will take a lot of focus off of things a single cat or puppy can destroy. Having two doesn't guarantee that they won't cause quite a stir in your household, especially at night, but it will make them happier animals. Cat behavior is a fascinating thing to study and will help you greatly through the challenging kitten and adolescent stage. If you take the time to understand your feline and don't assume he processes information like a dog, you will be richly rewarded by years of pleasure and friendship with your cat.