Biting kitten - help!

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Kipling has really been clawing and nipping us since he got home. Dante rarely does, but Kipling keeps snaking around to bite when you''re petting him, or tries to claw us - that''s gotten better since we put SoftPaws on the boys, but the biting hasn''t been stopping. I''ve tried hissing, blowing air in his face, removing him from my hand (or foot), and spraying water, but he doesn''t seem to get the clue? Help! Is this normal? We''re worried about his personality - esp. since Dante never bites. We''re also worried about whether he''ll retain this bad habit as he gets bigger, since I think Kipling is going to be fairly big when he''s older.

 

[Steel]

I was going to suggest the tips you have already used; but that would not be of much use to you as you have already tried them!

So, let me whisper this to you....but don't tell anybody I told you because it is silly:

Lissey would not respond to the usual 'tricks' and I was covered in scrawl and bite marks. I don't think she was being mean; she just didn't understand that drawing blood was not fun for me too.

So, I would shriek and cry and sob when she clawed me. I would make a huge song and dance about it and hold out the offending limb to show her the cut. It took a week of amateur dramatics, but it worked. If she relapsed, I would shriek and sob again and she would stop. Once or twice she came over to see what was wrong and licked the arm/ hand etc. She is such a cutie, really.

Edit for: dum dum spelling

 

[tyty333]

Date: 10/4/2009 5:45:19 PM
Author: Steel
I was going to suggest the tips you have already used; but that would not be of much use to you as you have already tried them!

So, let me whisper this to you....but don''t tell anybody I told you because it is silly:

Lissey would not respond to the usual ''tricks'' and I was covered in scrawl and bite marks. I don''t think she was being mean; she just didn''t understand that drawing blood was not fun for me too.

So, I would shriek and cry and sob when she clawed me. I would make a huge song and dance about it and hold out the offending limb to show her the cut. It took a week of amateur dramatics, but it worked. If she relapsed, I would shriek and sob again and she would stop. Once or twice she came over to see what was wrong and licked the arm/ hand etc. She is such a cutie, really.

Edit for: dum dum spelling

Actually, I read something like this...it said you were suspose to react the way the mom cat would (shriek, loud meow etc). Also they
said to pick them up by the scruffs of their neck like their Mom does to let them know who''s in charge.

 

[iheartscience]

Ha, Steel''s trick has worked for me, too! They very rarely bite these days, but if they do, as soon as I say "Owwwww!" they stop.

Also, make sure you''re not playing with the kitties with your hands. Let them play with toys, etc., but nothing too close to your hands because then they won''t differentiate. My sister''s old boyfriend made the mistake of rough housing with his boy cat with his hands and once the cat got bigger it wasn''t nearly as cute when his cat would bite him.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 10/4/2009 6:34:44 PM
Author: tyty333

Date: 10/4/2009 5:45:19 PM

Author: Steel

I was going to suggest the tips you have already used; but that would not be of much use to you as you have already tried them!


So, let me whisper this to you....but don''t tell anybody I told you because it is silly:


Lissey would not respond to the usual ''tricks'' and I was covered in scrawl and bite marks. I don''t think she was being mean; she just didn''t understand that drawing blood was not fun for me too.


So, I would shriek and cry and sob when she clawed me. I would make a huge song and dance about it and hold out the offending limb to show her the cut. It took a week of amateur dramatics, but it worked. If she relapsed, I would shriek and sob again and she would stop. Once or twice she came over to see what was wrong and licked the arm/ hand etc. She is such a cutie, really.


Edit for: dum dum spelling

Actually, I read something like this...it said you were suspose to react the way the mom cat would (shriek, loud meow etc). Also they

said to pick them up by the scruffs of their neck like their Mom does to let them know who''s in charge.

The scruff of the neck trick really worked well for my cat, when I picked her up, I would get in her face and give her a very firm no. Whenever my cat does something that hurts, I do make a big deal out of it. I withdraw very quickly whatever they attacked and say something really laud to let her know it hurts. I also don''t do anything that would be considered positive reinforcement right after.

Sometimes when my cat is really bad (like when she tipped over the fully decorated Christmas tree at 5 am on a Saturday morning after she knew she was supposed to stay away from it), it give her a bad look (she usually knows she messed up). I kind of pretend like I am coming after her, and stomp towards her, she freaks and runs and hides. I never actually touch her, I just make sure she knows I am really mad. I did that for a couple hours to let her know I was really really upset. I have had 2 Christmases since and she never touches the tree.

 

[Deelight]

Date: 10/4/2009 6:34:44 PM
Author: tyty333

Date: 10/4/2009 5:45:19 PM

Author: Steel

I was going to suggest the tips you have already used; but that would not be of much use to you as you have already tried them!


So, let me whisper this to you....but don't tell anybody I told you because it is silly:


Lissey would not respond to the usual 'tricks' and I was covered in scrawl and bite marks. I don't think she was being mean; she just didn't understand that drawing blood was not fun for me too.


So, I would shriek and cry and sob when she clawed me. I would make a huge song and dance about it and hold out the offending limb to show her the cut. It took a week of amateur dramatics, but it worked. If she relapsed, I would shriek and sob again and she would stop. Once or twice she came over to see what was wrong and licked the arm/ hand etc. She is such a cutie, really.


Edit for: dum dum spelling

Actually, I read something like this...it said you were suspose to react the way the mom cat would (shriek, loud meow etc). Also they

said to pick them up by the scruffs of their neck like their Mom does to let them know who's in charge.

Yes it is normal, my younger kitty was 3wks old when we rescued him from the backyard and he would do that all the time, I found by emulating what a mummy kitty worked best for me, I would hold him by the scruff (gentley) and remprimand him with a hiss or a loud meow - however he still thinks I am a cat like 5 years later so I tell him not to do something he hisses at me (it is cute) however he doesn't bite anymore .


They also do eventually grow out of it

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Thanks guys! I tried the screaming in pain tactic earlier, and it definitely made Kipling paused. I''m hopeful that it''ll continue working - I knew I could count on you guys!

Funny enough, we''ve been using the water bottle to get them from getting on the kitchen counters/stove - and Kipling is totally unfazed by the water unless it gets him in the face. So usually I''ll have to haul a wet kitty off the counter, lol.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 10/4/2009 11:59:24 PM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl
Thanks guys! I tried the screaming in pain tactic earlier, and it definitely made Kipling paused. I''m hopeful that it''ll continue working - I knew I could count on you guys!


Funny enough, we''ve been using the water bottle to get them from getting on the kitchen counters/stove - and Kipling is totally unfazed by the water unless it gets him in the face. So usually I''ll have to haul a wet kitty off the counter, lol.

They are Bengals right? I think they are the exception to the rule about cats and water.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 10/5/2009 1:12:00 AM
Author: LtlFirecracker

Date: 10/4/2009 11:59:24 PM

Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

Thanks guys! I tried the screaming in pain tactic earlier, and it definitely made Kipling paused. I''m hopeful that it''ll continue working - I knew I could count on you guys!



Funny enough, we''ve been using the water bottle to get them from getting on the kitchen counters/stove - and Kipling is totally unfazed by the water unless it gets him in the face. So usually I''ll have to haul a wet kitty off the counter, lol.

They are Bengals right? I think they are the exception to the rule about cats and water.

They are definitely curious about it! Although Kipling did not take well to being given a bath (well my attempt to anyway). But now they''re both hopping into the tub when the water''s off, drinking water from the tub, and when we put them in the bathroom while we eat, they hang out in the sink lol. We''ve had some damp kittens running around lately!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Another question for you guys: so the kittens smell a bit (they did when they arrived too). Any way to lessen this? Without giving them a bath? Thanks!

 

[bee*]

ditto steel. We did that with Manolo too and it stopped him biting.

 

[ckrickett]

Date: 10/4/2009 11:59:24 PM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl
Thanks guys! I tried the screaming in pain tactic earlier, and it definitely made Kipling paused. I''m hopeful that it''ll continue working - I knew I could count on you guys!


Funny enough, we''ve been using the water bottle to get them from getting on the kitchen counters/stove - and Kipling is totally unfazed by the water unless it gets him in the face. So usually I''ll have to haul a wet kitty off the counter, lol.

Ill have to try this... poor zookie thinks Im her little kitten chew toy. People look at me at work REAALLLY funny.