i just got a wonderful kitten who doesn't seem to have very good grooming instincts. not sure if it is because his mum never taught him very well, or he just .. doesn't like doing it!

but after he uses his box, or runs around like a banchee and gets into everything, he is a bit dirty. he licks himself a bit, but doesn't get very clean.

i didn't have this "issue" with my other cat, he's always groomed himself very well, and occasionally (when he feels like being nice to the kitten) will try to give him a lick or two.

any advice on how to help a kitten learn to groom himself? i have tried taking a damp cloth and trying to help, but.. he's not too fond of that.

Is there another cat you can expose him to? Maybe he needs to learn by example.

uh..



i didn't have this "issue" with my other cat, he's always groomed himself very well, and occasionally (when he feels like being nice to the kitten) will try to give him a lick or two.


so, yae, he has my other kitty.. :) and i'm sure eventually he'll learn from him, but at the moment they aren't too friendly..

i was just looking for advice to help get things moving.. to see if there was anything a human parent could do, to help him learn the habit.

Oh, when you said didn't, I thought that might mean that your other cat wasn't around anymore.

Aside from brushing him regularly, I don't have any other advice. My two cats just learned on their own. Hopefully yours will, too. :)

When Zelda was still very little (until she was about a month old) we would wipe her down with a damp cloth to simulate a momma cat cleaning her. She eventually started doing it herself. Milo (my older cat) started to groom her a bit too once he got used to her. How old is your kitten? If she's still very young I wouldn't worry about it.