# Naughty Biting Kitten



## hjl760 (Nov 25, 2009)

We have a kitten (male) who is just coming up to 5 months old. 

As he's grown up over the couple of months we have had him at home he has become more arrgessive, constantly trying to claw & bite us as of late whenever we spend time with him. Whenever he behaves badly we say "no" firmly and point our finger at him, but this seems to make him more determined to scratch & bite and will often launch himself at our hands & legs.

He appears to be slightly better behaved at the weekends when we are able to spend more time with him, but as we both work its difficult during the week. My Mum does however come round to the house and spends an hour or so with him each day, so he's not completely on his own all day.

Is this behaviour something he'll grow out of? Is there anything we can try without making him become wary of us? 

We don't want him to grow up to be a vicious cat and he does have moments when he can be really nice & sweet, for example, first thing in a morning he'll be extremely cuddly and purr his head off for 5-10 minutes but then suddenly just bite and then keep trying to bite more.


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## KittyMonster (Nov 8, 2009)

When cats play with eachother they often bite and scratch, but it's not in an aggressive "I hate you, begone!" kind of way. 

Every time you continue playing with him or give him any attention when he bites you, it's encouragement for him to continue because attention is exactly what he wants. Instead of yelling/pointing at him, every time he attacks you in some way, say "OUCH" and recoil as if in pain (ie, exaggerate what you feel) and get up and walk away. Completely ignore him for ~3 minutes; no petting, no yelling, no nothing. 

It's the cat version of a "time out" so to speak. If you're really firm with him and never waver, the behaviour should stop once he learns that hurting you = no more fun time. 

Hope that helps


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## ogdred (Apr 7, 2009)

I agree with KittyMonster's advice--that's an excellent tactic, because it's something that makes sense to the kitty. If he was playing with his littermates and became too rough, they would probably react in a similar manner (voice some disapproval with a hiss or squeak, and stop playing with him).

It sounds like the poor little guy is frustrated, especially since you say he is better on the weekends. Playing with him (no-hands playing, obviously) should help some of this. You might also consider getting him a kitten playmate if it's something that would make sense for you. Another kitten would keep your guy from becoming so bored, it would give him someone who he _can_ play rough with, and his companion might even help you teach him what appropriate play is (like I mentioned, cats will usually reprimand one another for getting _too_ rough). Just a thought  .


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## vintageprop (Dec 7, 2009)

wow i relate to your post exactly, down to my kitten's age. i've been worrying about why he's getting more aggressive too and everyone says get another kitten but i can't in my current situation.
i've been hissing at him and trying to ignore him when he bites but when it happens on my desk while i'm trying to work its hard to walk away and ignore him for a while. especially if i wasn't playing with him in the first place.
but it just takes more time and patience i guess. i'm not exactly consistent either, sometimes i just let him bite me so i guess it's my own fault. i just hope he's not frustrated or unhappy either. i also play with him tons. he may be a bit spoiled.
anyway good luck with yours


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

This is why 2 kittens is the ONLY way to go IMO. He wants to play rough. He NEEDS to play rough. He's alone much of the day, and when you come home you don't want to play rough. He needs another young, crazy thing to play with. 

I'm extremely fortunate that my 5-year old cat Calvin wanted to play with Jonah (who more or less threw himself at me -- adopting a kitten right now was not in my plans!), b/c we'd all be in trouble otherwise. 

Seriously consider another young, neutered male. ASAP.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

A good link on why 2 are better than one. 

http://cats.about.com/od/wheretoadoptac ... ittens.htm


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## Jack&Harley (Nov 2, 2008)

A single cat can be completely happy. Please don't feel like 2 cats is a requirement, many members here are one cat families. Our cat Jack would be thrilled to be a single cat.

Two cats means twice the vet bills, twice the food and twice the litter.

I think saying they will play together is sort of an owner cop-out. It is an up side but regardless of a playmate an owner should still play with their cats on a daily basis even if just for 10 or 15 minutes.

Leslie


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## Paul36 (Nov 14, 2009)

I have the same problem with my kitten... Well I really like to do hand fights with him so I've kind of being encouraging him so far... But it's getting kind of scary! He bites really hard! He never bites through the skin of my hand but my wrists where the skin is weaker is full of teeth marks and skratches...

Is it dangerous to continue this or can I trust him never to really bite to hard so I will end up in the hospital for stitches or something? I do really want him to be able to wrestle...


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## Bethany (Jul 19, 2006)

Paul36 said:


> I have the same problem with my kitten... Well I really like to do hand fights with him so I've kind of being encouraging him so far... But it's getting kind of scary! He bites really hard! He never bites through the skin of my hand but my wrists where the skin is weaker is full of teeth marks and skratches...
> 
> Is it dangerous to continue this or can I trust him never to really bite to hard so I will end up in the hospital for stitches or something? I do really want him to be able to wrestle...


Well, if you do this he's likely to keep biting hands -- yours and your guests -- and if he's still a kitten he's only getting bigger and stronger from here.

Have you considered something like a kitten mitten?

http://www.petco.com/product/8897/Kitten-Mitten.aspx

I wonder if using a hand puppet would work?


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

Bethany said:


> Well, if you do this he's likely to keep biting hands -- yours and your guests -- and if he's still a kitten he's only getting bigger and stronger from here.
> 
> Have you considered something like a kitten mitten?
> 
> ...


Absolutely -- NEVER play w/ a cat w/ your hands. Period. And that includes those "kitten mitten" toys, puppets, etc. It is too confusing for the cat to have to remember that hands are only o.k. if they are wearing a CERTAIN thing on them (but not your own gloves). Just stop cold turkey--don't do it!

I am 99.9% sure that my Lincoln was played with using hands as a kitten. Then he got big and people got hurt and they punished him. End result was a cat who, when I adopted him after he'd been in the shelter for a YEAR b/c he was a biter, could really not be touched at all. He reacted very defensively whenever he saw a hand near him. It took me 3 years to get him to where he is now -- he trust ME completely but I have to watch him with strangers.

Just don't do it. Really. Please.


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## raecarrow (Oct 27, 2009)

hoofmaiden said:


> Absolutely -- NEVER play w/ a cat w/ your hands. Period. And that includes those "kitten mitten" toys, puppets, etc. It is too confusing for the cat to have to remember that hands are only o.k. if they are wearing a CERTAIN thing on them (but not your own gloves). Just stop cold turkey--don't do it!


I tried playing with Teddy with my arm wrapped in a towel for a while as well as moving my hand under bedsheets. You would think it may cause a disconnect between "that is a hand playing with me" and "that is a towel/bedsheet playing with me" but it doesn't. Cats are a LOT smarter than you think. I had to stop playing this way after 3-4 times of playing because Teddy started doing the "grab and bite" manuver. It is best that the cats learn that human appendages are not toys. PERIOD!


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## vintageprop (Dec 7, 2009)

Jack&Harley said:


> A single cat can be completely happy. Please don't feel like 2 cats is a requirement, many members here are one cat families. Our cat Jack would be thrilled to be a single cat.
> 
> Two cats means twice the vet bills, twice the food and twice the litter.
> 
> ...


Thank you for saying this! For once I feel better about not being able to get another cat for my kitten to play with. I've been feeling really bad after everyone saying I should get another one for him to play with seeing as how I play with him pretty much all day when I'm home. I probably play with him too much actually...


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## vintageprop (Dec 7, 2009)

raecarrow said:


> hoofmaiden said:
> 
> 
> > Absolutely -- NEVER play w/ a cat w/ your hands. Period. And that includes those "kitten mitten" toys, puppets, etc. It is too confusing for the cat to have to remember that hands are only o.k. if they are wearing a CERTAIN thing on them (but not your own gloves). Just stop cold turkey--don't do it!
> ...


aw I'm guilty of this hands under the blanket playing... I really thought they would know the difference between a real hand but seeing as how he's been going after my hand more than ever lately you're probably right in the fact that he's just too smart.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Cinderella was very happy being an only cat, she had me all to herself.  

One-cat households are wonderful, don't let anyone guilt you into getting another cat.


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## vintageprop (Dec 7, 2009)

marie73 said:


> Cinderella was very happy being an only cat, she had me all to herself.
> 
> One-cat households are wonderful, don't let anyone guilt you into getting another cat.


Thank you, good to hear.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

Jack&Harley said:


> I think saying they will play together is sort of an owner cop-out. It is an up side but regardless of a playmate an owner should still play with their cats on a daily basis even if just for 10 or 15 minutes.


Well, of course owners should play w/ their cats. But no kitten can get by on 10-15 min. of playtime, and very few owners have the time to play with kittens for HOURS, which is what it takes. If I didn't have Calvin, with whom Jonah plays almost non-stop for hours at a time, I would be in the same boat as many posters here whose kittens are attacking them, driving them nuts, etc. Heck, Jonah doesn't even slow down from 5:30 p.m. when I get home until 10 p.m. when I go to bed (and he goes in his crate)! He and Calvin are tearing around, and when Calvin gets bored, Jonah plays with Rachel (dog). I make sure to do 2-3 10 min. Cat Dancer sessions w/ him a day as well. I can't even imagine how bad things would be if he weren't playing w/ Calvin off and on all day when I'm at work! :yikes 

So it's hardly a cop out.  If someone truly doesn't want to have 2 kittens, that's up to them. But they have to accept the consequences if they adopt a single young cat or kitten, and those consequences often involve the kitten treating the owner like a kitten, which most owners aren't gonna like. IMO a better choice for a single cat would be an adult cat known to not care about other cats or be very playful. Kittens, however, really DO need this kind of interactive play, and they need a lot more than 10-15 min worth!


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## Xanti (Nov 4, 2008)

vintageprop said:


> Jack&Harley said:
> 
> 
> > A single cat can be completely happy. Please don't feel like 2 cats is a requirement, many members here are one cat families. Our cat Jack would be thrilled to be a single cat.
> ...


Yep, single cats are just fine. A lot of cats dont get on with other cats anyway, and many will just 'tolerate' having another one around but be in a permanent state of stress due to the (often unnoticed by the owners), silent psychological warfare that goes on between them. So it certainly isn't mandatory to get a second cat and there will be no 'consequences' if you teach the cat that hands are a no no


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## ChelleBelle (Sep 14, 2009)

Yes, I agree. One cat households are fine. Missy, my first cat, loved being the only cat. I moved her in with my roommate and her two cats, and though they tolerated each other... she never did care for them. She loved dogs though. Brandy, my current cat, would prefer it too. She does not like Bella at all. After Bella's recovered from her spaying, we will try to re-introduce them again. Hopefully, this time it will work. Having two cats can be a job if they don't get a long. Trust me on this. 

'Chelle


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## vintageprop (Dec 7, 2009)

ChelleBelle said:


> Yes, I agree. One cat households are fine. Missy, my first cat, loved being the only cat. I moved her in with my roommate and her two cats, and though they tolerated each other... she never did care for them. She loved dogs though. Brandy, my current cat, would prefer it too. She does not like Bella at all. After Bella's recovered from her spaying, we will try to re-introduce them again. Hopefully, this time it will work. Having two cats can be a job if they don't get a long. Trust me on this.
> 
> 'Chelle


True, I didn't think about them not getting along. 
I definitely feel better about the fact that I can't get another feline for my kitten. He loves playing with us too


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## imissmycats (Dec 10, 2009)

I agree with a lot of what has been said.

Kittens learn from their mothers and siblings what hurts and what doesn't. You need to express to your cat that the scratching/biting is not enjoyable.

If it hasn't already been said, sometimes you can keep a stuffed toy close at hand to replace with your hand as soon as the kitten starts biting. Redirect it to something that is OK for the cat to let loose on.


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

It's so nice to hear about other ppl's solutions to the same problem I'm having! My 3 month Miu Miu is getting pretty strong and brave. She's getting increasingly aggressive with the biting. She doesn't scratch me much at all. In fact, when her paws come in contact with my skin, most of the time, the claws are retracted even during play. However, I'm concerned about the biting too. Her baby teeth are quite sharp and it really hurts when she's getting rough! I've tried hissing, blowing in her face, and finally, I'm trying the ignoring/time-out thing. There hasn't been any significant improvement and I only had her for about 5 weeks. Guess I have to keep on trying the ignore/time-out method?


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## Chrysalis (Oct 10, 2009)

I'd like to second the stuffed toy suggestion. All of our cats had stuffed animals to bite and rabbit kick. Today, no biting problems. Sometimes Basil gets very happy (like when I come home from a long trip) and love bites, but he's very gentle about it. Moxie is in her biting phase now (6 months) but all I have to do is redirect her attention from my hand/arm to a stuffed cat about her size and she's happy playing with that. 

And I have TWO other cats, so just getting another kitten will NOT solve the problem. She has PLENTY of time to play with both of those guys and still has the energy for more.


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## imissmycats (Dec 10, 2009)

Chrysalis said:


> I'd like to second the stuffed toy suggestion. All of our cats had stuffed animals to bite and rabbit kick. Today, no biting problems. Sometimes Basil gets very happy (like when I come home from a long trip) and love bites, but he's very gentle about it. Moxie is in her biting phase now (6 months) but all I have to do is redirect her attention from my hand/arm to a stuffed cat about her size and she's happy playing with that.
> 
> And I have TWO other cats, so just getting another kitten will NOT solve the problem. She has PLENTY of time to play with both of those guys and still has the energy for more.


 Glad to hear that substitution is working for someone.


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## faithless (Dec 4, 2009)

Single cat here. Never a bite or a scratch.


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