How important are the first few months with my kitten?

The first few months of your kitten’s life are very important since your cat will pickup most, if not all, of its habits, good and bad. What may be cute at 5 months may not be so cute in 5 years. It is much easier to lay groundwork for expected behavior when the cat is young than to attempt to break the habits of an older animal.

When the kitten is young, it is the best time for them to get used to wearing a collar (though most flea collars are too strong for kittens to wear), being around people (though socialization should be gradual so as not to frighten your kitten), keeping them off the counters and not scratching up the furniture. You should try and use the cat’s name frequently when it is young so that it can learn it and further bond with yourself and your household, especially if it will be living indoors.