Are you asking yourself often how you could prevent your kitten turning into a furniture-destroying machine, aren’t you? When they do that, it doesn’t mean that your pet hates you! They are simply sharpening their claws and marking their territory, and unfortunately they don’t really care what they use to do it. The answer is to provide your kitten with a scratch post and get them used to it as soon as possible.

“Choose something your kitten is going to like – a sturdy post with both horizontal and vertical scratching pads, that’s tall enough for her to stretch as she scratches,” Bessant says. Kittens may not start scratching until five or six months, but when they do they’re more likely to use a post they’re familiar with. “You can also gently press her paws on to it to leave her scent behind,” Bessant suggests.

Another question is: why your cat keeps nipping your hand? It is cute, but also painful. “Use toys instead of your hands or feet, so you’re not the focus of play,” Bessant advises. “A wand with a string and a toy on the end will do – it also means children can play safely with your kitten. If they get excitable and start nipping, try to distract them, or set them down and walk away so they learn it’s not a way of getting attention.”

How do you get your cat to the vet? When the cat carrier comes out your cat is going crazy, and it probably makes you nervous. “If it only comes out of the loft for a trip to the cattery or the vet, of course your kitten will be nervous around their carrier,” Bessant says. “Don’t hide it away – keep it somewhere they can get used to it, and where they can transfer their scent on to it. You can even feed them and play with them in it so they are totally used to getting inside.”