my kitten is eight weeks old iv got him a scratch post but he still bites,how can i teach him to stop??

Question

he is biting but in a playfull way i have tried telling him in a firm voice no but it doesent seem to make a difference

Answer 1

Kittens are highly responsive to attention until they are at least 2 years old and need a lot of stimulation, I have recently become the proud parent of 2 and they are now 21 weeks old and the most affectionate cats I or my friends have ever known.

Firstly, a scratching post will not stop them biting as it's sole purpose is to give them something to keep their claws sharp. The best thing for teething is a bit of untreated leather or for a cheaper alternative cut the sides off a pizza box so you have a long thin strip and fold it over until it is like a slice of swiss roll (if you know what I mean), the smell of the pizza will encourage them to bite it and they will come to associate cardboard with something they can chew.

The best way to respond when they bite is to stop playing with them and in a firm but not too loud voice "NO!" and ignore them for a while. By doing this they learn that they cannot get your attention by being naughty and will soon get out of the habit. The same procedure applies to any bad behaviour you want to get them out of, it does take patience but you should see the benefits withing a few days.

Most importantly remember that they are completely dependent on you and that you should NEVER hit them for bad behaviour, they are at a very impressionable age and will come to see you as a threat and will not love you for it. This will only make them scared of you. At worst use one finger and lightly tap their nose if they are repeatedly doing something really bad, like destroying all the flowers or plants in the house. Do not use a spray bottle, I know that a lot of people use that method but how would you have liked it if your parents had got out the pressure hose everytime you mis-behaved???

As an additional deterrent to bad behaviour buy them a good selection of toys, kittens tend to get bored with all toys pretty quickly so it is important to keep them mentally stimulated with 2-3 "playtimes" during the day. My best buy for their entertainment value (and mine!) was a laser pointer that I got from pets at home for £4.95, they love rinning around after the little red dot, and you can sit and watch telly while playing with them.
About 20 minutes after mealtimes is the best time, this helps them burn off exess energy and stops them having that mad half hour when they tear up the house. By playing with them after mealtimes also strengthens the bond between you as they then associate you with food and play. For the first week make a particular noise (personally I like something like pssshhhweeweee) and they will learn that it means play time. In this respect they can learn just as well as a dog to recognise certain words and sounds.

Try saying Din-Dins over and over when you are getting their food ready and they will respond very quickly, after a week they will go mad, rubbing up against your legs and miowing (it's the cutest thing in the world).

Do give these a try, I promise you that you will have the best behaved and cutest cat by the end of it, and it will only take a week to see the positive results.

If you want anymore advice feel free to email me, I was an animal behaviour trainer for 3 years and will be more than willing to help out a fellow cat lover.

Good luck
David, Gertie & Rudi

Answer 2

Other kittens and mom cats teach kittens not to bite hard. If the kitten doesn't have a playmate to learn this from you have to do the job.

Do this: (1) pick him up gently and hold him near your face.
(2) hiss in his face (that what mom cat does to correct behavior)
(3) Say a firm "No!" and put him away from you.

Follow these three steps consistently and have everyone else who handles the kitten do the same. It isn't an "overnight" cure and it will work.

Never play with the kitten with your hands. Always use a cat dancer or feather toy for play.

Answer 3

Hi sarah i know what you are going though . I have a kitten myself that bites i tryed saying stop in a firm voice it did not work
so every time she bites me i just knock her away from me and if she does it again i put her in her cat box to tell that not nice i did that for two weeks and now she does not bite let me know how you get on just remember that your the boss not him

from kirsty

Answer 4

My kitten did not respond to squirt guns, loud "no's", or much else during the first 2 years. He wanted to play 24/7 and biting was his play method. My aunt visited during his younger years, and Kozmo bit her a few times and she responded by flicking him on the tip of his nose with her middle finger. He wasn't interested in biting her anymore, however, this method only got him more rowled up when I tried it. (I think he sees me as the playmate cat b/c he's an only pet and I raised him from so young.)

He's 7 now, and although I haven't stopped his biting me (he only bites ME) while he plays, I read in a CatFancy magazine that if you pull big, thick tube-socks over your hands and arms you can train him to only bite you when you have the protective socks on. This works when he gets out of control and it helps to let his agression out when he's been cooped up in the house all day. (Although, if he has sharp teeth, I recommend wearing 2 pairs of socks!) Good Luck!

Answer 5

Squirt bottle or hissing would be ones I'd try. I've heard that if you pick the kitten up, put him right up to your face, hiss, then put him down and walk away, he'll start getting the point. If that doesn't work, you can resort to the water.

But keep in mind that ANY method you try is going to take time. Maybe a long time.

Answer 6

Try not to play with him with your hands. Get him a string toy and have him chase it. Always have something between your kitten and your hands. If he bites you lightly pat him on the head and VERY firmly say no. Or you could get a water bottle and every time he bites you give him a little squirt.

Answer 7

Kittens are so cute and playful, but yes it is important to teach them not to bite. Those little teeth can really hurt!

Maybe you can try something like a bitter apple spray. You can find this product, or a very similar one to it, at any pet supply store. It really seemed to work for us. We got the spray, and all it does is taste really bitter, and makes the animal not want to go back for more!

Good luck!

Answer 8

show the kitten the scratching post, and when he done scratching give a good kitty every time!or even a treat, they have meow mix treats in the shape of shrimp, chicken , pork chops, variety of flavors or even when he uses the right thing at the right time give a treat they also have whiskeys for kittens he will love for it but not to much just now and then you don't want a porky piggy on your hands instead of a kitty that just happy to keep you dys brighter!

Answer 9

You could give him a simple tap on the nose with your finger, kind of how a mama cat disciplines her babies, if that doesn't work, walk away from him and ignore him until he settles down (also another thing a mama cat would do).
Also, give him something permissible that he can bite, like a toy mouse or a ball of wool yarn.

Answer 10

If he starts biting stop playing with him immediately and scruff him (grap the loose skin on the back of his neck and lift him up) for a few seconds while saying NO! Then put him down and ignore him. He thinks you are playing with him/sees you as an equal.
The mom scruffs them when she is carrying them, but also when they are doing something she wants them to stop.

Check out these links. I hope they help!

http://www.perfectpaws.com/handle.html
http://www.perfectpaws.com/agg.html
http://www.catsofaustralia.com/aggressive-kitten.htm
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/45323/how_to_cure_a_kittens_biting_and_aggressive.html