How to Kennel a Kitten During the Day

Make sure the crate is the right size to keep your cat in all day.

Small kittens often hide in the tiniest of places -- under a bed, behind a couch, in a kitchen cabinet behind the pots and pans. They can play all day and all night and get into all kinds of dangerous mischief. Crate training -- or kenneling -- your kitten while you are gone during the day teaches your little cat to get into a carrier when you need to transport it and keeps the kitten from harming itself. It can also give you peace of mind while your pet is unsupervised.

Things You'll Need

• Pet kennel or crate
• Old newspapers
• Small litter box
• Cat litter
• Pet bed, pillow or blanket
• Toys
• Filled water bowl and food dish

Instructions

1. Set your kitten up with a pet kennel or crate large enough to hold everything you are going to put in it and still allow the kitten to move around comfortably.

2. Line the crate with old newspapers to save on cleanup.

3. Fill a small litter box with kitty litter and place it in the back of the crate. Cats prefer privacy when eliminating and your kitten is more likely to use the litter box away from prying eyes.

4. Put the pillow or blanket close to the front of the crate so that the kitten can see outside while it is resting.

5. Add several toys to the crate to keep your kitten's mind occupied while you are gone.

6. Set a water bowl and food dish next to the cat bed and add adequate free-choice food and water. Your kitten will need the water to stay hydrated during the day and should not go without food for longer than two to three hours. Small kittens can become hypoglycemic and die if they don't eat regularly.

7. Position the crate in a quiet room away from drafts to protect your kitten from upper respiratory infections.

Tips & Warnings

• Acclimate your kitten to its kennel by placing its bed, food and water in the crate and leaving the door open while the kitten is in the room. When the kitten goes in the crate to explore, sit down next to it and play with your pet. This teaches the kitten that the crate is its safe place. If the kitten panics when you attempt to shut the door, open it again and try the next day. Continue this training until the kitten goes in the crate on its own and you can safely shut the door.

• Keep your kitten in your closed bathroom with a litter box, bed, food and water should you choose not to use a crate. The Rocky Mountain Alley Cat Alliance recommends blocking any area your little cat can crawl under or into, as tiny kittens love to hide in small spaces. You may also want to cover the floor in newspaper to eliminate mess.

• Don't place your kitten in a crate that has loose sides or fittings where it can crawl or squeeze out. Ensure that the bars or slats on the crate are not so wide as to allow the cat to get its head stuck between them.

• Clean the kitten's litter box daily. Cats won't eliminate in the box if the litter is dirty or smells. This may get them iin the nasty habit of going elsewhere in the crate.

References

• "House Cat: How to Keep Your Indoor Cat Sane and Sound"; Christine Church; 2005
• "Animal Sheltering"; How to Set Up a Comfy Cat Cage; November-December 2001
• Rocky Mountain Ally Cat Alliance: To Socialize - Or Not?

Resources

• Pet Education; Bringing Home a New Cat or Kitten; Katherine Hillestad, DVM
• The Humane Society of the United States; Bringing Your New Cat Home; November 2009