Contrary to popular belief, cats can be trained to respond to their owner's commands.  The three basis "R's" to training are:

Response...
Reinforcement...
Repetition.

Your kitten responds to the sights, sounds, smells and creatures he encounters.  His response is then immediately reinforced, either with some thing he enjoys (a food treat, affection, or praise) or something unpleasant (a scolding, a light thump on the nose, or a jet of water from a squirt gun).  In this way a kitten learns to associate his behavior with a reward or a rebuke, and begins to respond accordingly.

Cats are creatures of habit, with a well-developed sense of time.  Anything that upsets your pet's schedule or environment can produce a variety of behavioral symptoms, including loss of appetite, anxiety, listlessness, depression, and inappropriate elimination, among others.

The better you know your pet, the easier it will be for you to understand and redirect his behavior.  Many common feline behavior problems can be corrected, but serious or persistent disorders may require advice from your veterinarian.

A WORD OF CAUTION - What you teach your kitten, your cat will do!  Kittens are cute when they leap at your wiggling fingers.  Full grown cats who do the same thing, claws extended ARE NOT!  If you encourage aggressive behavior in your kitten, he may actually come to attack you or guests in your home in "play".

Remember, the friendship of a feline is earned with love and patience.