Educating Miss Kitty

When it comes to making that rough diamond of a shelter cat into a polished model of feline deportment, you'll be working in two areas: management and training. Ideally, management begins even before you bring your new cat home, and it involves all those steps with which you set the cat up for success and eliminate opportunities for him to mess up. He should have at his fingertips food, water, a clean litter box, something to sleep on or in, a post to scratch, some toys, a high place from which to view his surroundings, and a nook or two where he can hide and feel secure (such as a large grocery bag or cardboard box.) Prized possessions, like your favorite velvet drapes or leather sofa, should not be available to him at all, at this stage.