5m old Kitten Bites!!!

Izzy · 10-30-2004, 02:57 PM

Hi guys, our 5m old Kitten "Toulouse" constantly bites family members and fights with our older cat and also sometimes jumps on our dog's back. It's really annoying, we tell him off for doing it and he just thinks it's a game. We have been wondering whether it was because we had him a little too young. He was about 5 weeks when we had him, so i guess it was pretty young and we did have to wean him a little. Do you think that it left it's mother too early that he's like this?

Any help or advice would be really appreciated

TinyAlbinoDancer · 10-30-2004, 05:09 PM

Hehe! Actually, it could be. Kittens should stay with mom and littermates until at LEAST 8 weeks of age, as they learn appropriate behaviors from mom and siblings during this time.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but don't mommy cats discipline the kittens by picking them up by the scruff of the neck and giving a gentle shake? I'm thinking you can correct the behavior by teaching and correcting like mommy cat would...

Izzy · 10-31-2004, 08:37 AM

We are trying to correct it, we tell him "no" in a higher tone of voice and it seems to work and we also tap the front of his nose. What's annoying is you can't put your hands down the side of the armchair just in-case he's there because he's jump and bite, honestly you'd think he was a Trap-Door Spider sometimes

.

Our older Ginger Tom also play fights and corrects him when he's in the house so it's good because it puts him in-line lol.

Thanks for the advice

TinyAlbinoDancer · 10-31-2004, 12:28 PM

Having him associate biting with something negative is a good idea. Raising my voice when my cat is sharpening it's claws in the carpet doesn't work, but clapping my hands makes him stop. We also use squirt bottles occasionally, as they don't hurt or scare the cat, just get him to knock it off (and someday I hope his brain grows enough to actually associate one (misbehavior) with the other (squirt)... No, I'm kidding!

)

Gosh, my cat does similar things... He LOVES hiding under jackets or whatever he can find, and then leaping out and grabbing your leg or feet! Or sometimes he just walks up and bites you! I honestly think he finds it funny... We have a quilt hanging in our dining room- just over a wooden bar. He pulled it down the other day, so mom scolded him verbally. She walked into the kitchen, came back, and he tried it again.

I call him our monster! lol

10-30-2004, 02:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
Izzy Animal Management Student Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Wales, United Kingdom Posts: 162 Rep Power: 79	5m old Kitten Bites!!! Hi guys, our 5m old Kitten "Toulouse" constantly bites family members and fights with our older cat and also sometimes jumps on our dog's back. It's really annoying, we tell him off for doing it and he just thinks it's a game. We have been wondering whether it was because we had him a little too young. He was about 5 weeks when we had him, so i guess it was pretty young and we did have to wean him a little. Do you think that it left it's mother too early that he's like this? Any help or advice would be really appreciated
	__________________ dogbydog.com - a home for all your dogs: http://www.dogbydog.com/

10-30-2004, 05:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
TinyAlbinoDancer Always room for one more Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,578 Rep Power: 166	Hehe! Actually, it could be. Kittens should stay with mom and littermates until at LEAST 8 weeks of age, as they learn appropriate behaviors from mom and siblings during this time. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but don't mommy cats discipline the kittens by picking them up by the scruff of the neck and giving a gentle shake? I'm thinking you can correct the behavior by teaching and correcting like mommy cat would...
	__________________ ~Karen Missie~Trixie~Little Guy~Ollie

10-31-2004, 08:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
Izzy Animal Management Student Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Wales, United Kingdom Posts: 162 Rep Power: 79	We are trying to correct it, we tell him "no" in a higher tone of voice and it seems to work and we also tap the front of his nose. What's annoying is you can't put your hands down the side of the armchair just in-case he's there because he's jump and bite, honestly you'd think he was a Trap-Door Spider sometimes . Our older Ginger Tom also play fights and corrects him when he's in the house so it's good because it puts him in-line lol. Thanks for the advice
	__________________ dogbydog.com - a home for all your dogs: http://www.dogbydog.com/

10-31-2004, 12:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
TinyAlbinoDancer Always room for one more Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,578 Rep Power: 166	Having him associate biting with something negative is a good idea. Raising my voice when my cat is sharpening it's claws in the carpet doesn't work, but clapping my hands makes him stop. We also use squirt bottles occasionally, as they don't hurt or scare the cat, just get him to knock it off (and someday I hope his brain grows enough to actually associate one (misbehavior) with the other (squirt)... No, I'm kidding! ) Gosh, my cat does similar things... He LOVES hiding under jackets or whatever he can find, and then leaping out and grabbing your leg or feet! Or sometimes he just walks up and bites you! I honestly think he finds it funny... We have a quilt hanging in our dining room- just over a wooden bar. He pulled it down the other day, so mom scolded him verbally. She walked into the kitchen, came back, and he tried it again. I call him our monster! lol
	__________________ ~Karen Missie~Trixie~Little Guy~Ollie

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