In the summer of 2013, I adopted a KAH kitten. I had decided before ever bringing her home that I wanted to crate train my next cat, thanks to some advice from our technician, Elizabeth. My kitten, Dory, would be coming home to a busy house with two dogs and lots of activity, and I wanted a good way to keep her safe and out of trouble. I bought her a large dog crate, a plastic storage container to use as a high-walled litter box, and a bed. The crate is big enough to fit her bed, litter box, and food bowls with a little extra space for her to move around.
The first night Dory came home she was carefully introduced to the dogs, then I put her in her kennel in the living room so that she could safely observe her new family without feeling threatened or overwhelmed. It worked like a charm, and she was quickly napping away peacefully in her new bed! Dory loves having her own space in the midst of a busy household, so training her to use the kennel was a breeze. She gets fed in her kennel three times a day, so she quickly learned to come running with the command, “Dory, kennel!” She sleeps every night safely tucked away in her bed, and doesn’t bother her humans in the morning. Now, over a year later, Dory doesn’t mind hanging out in her crate while her family is cooking, unloading groceries, feeding the dogs, or whatever activities might get her in trouble. Turns out it was a great way to have a happy, healthy cat integrated into the family.
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Dr.Caitlin Acree
Oct 27 2015
