am i doing the right thing to stop my kitten from biting??

Question

everytime my kitten bites me too hard, especially when she thinks i want to play, but im really just turning the pages of my book or just combing thorugh my hair or just flipping the remote, she jumps on my hand and bites terribly hard. i tried pushing my finger down on her tongue, but this seems to irritate her more and then she btes down on my hand even harder and more violently. so, everytime she bties me hard now, i clap my hands and shout in her face, she backs down and looks scared. then she cools for about.. ten seconds. and sometimes repeats biting my hand again. if she does it again, i clap my hands and shout and put her in my room for a TIME OUT. after about ten minnutes or fifteen, i let her out, but totally ignore her for about an hour or so. am i doing the right thing to stop her from biting?? if so, why does it seem not to be working? she does it almost everyday. and i get so tired of putting her away anf bringing her out. i am sometimes afraid of sleeping with her!

she bit my lip twice and it bleed, and she also bites my nose, she basically bites anything on everyone's body parts. what is wrong with her?? she is only three months old, and she has not been spayed. please dont advice me that she will cool off after she has been spayed, because me and my family cant live like this for another three months! AND my mom is thinking about giving the kitten away because if it's rotten behavior, so i really really need it to be good! please help! any tips on how else i can stop her from biting?

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW, DOES SHE KNOW WHY I AM PUNISHING HER FOR?? OR IS SHE LIKE 'WHY DOES MY MOMMY KEEP ON DOING THIS THING WITH ME?? I DOTN UNDERSTAND!'

Answer 1

You kitten is trying to bond with you. That is how they bond...they play. They have sharp little teeth and claws and they are not trying to hurt you. If you chase it away now, when it wants to bond with you, later, when it is grown it will have learned to avoid you. I don't think you want that, do you? Cats are living breathing creatures with feelings and emotions. They can't be brought out and put away when it's convenient.

Try to think about the fact that someday you will actually miss the active kitten he used to be. That is why people who have older cats go out and get a kitten again.

Answer 2

She's a KITTEN! She will get totally carried away and can't control how excited she gets when shey's playing.

If she starts biting, have a few things nearby that you can distract her with. She also needs chewy things that will help her with her teething, like a soft toy or thick string.

We have a tiny teddy for our kitten, and we throw it for her when she gets hyper, then she races after it and starts playing with it and biting it to her heart's content. Same thing with a long piece of twisted wool.

If you frighten her when she's playing, you're raising the stakes of the game and turning it into a fight - and you'll end up with a cat who goes in for the kill instead of playing.

Distraction is the answer, and company. Is she alone a lot? If so, does she have plenty of different types of toys?

Hang a windchime on a cupboard door, leave some balls with bells in around, some small soft toys, some rolled up balls of paper and a furry blanket or two.

Good luck - we also have a kitten a little younger than that, and she can nip hard at times! She plays catch with our dog - they chase each other as fast as they can through the house, up and down the stairs, on and off the furniture, and have a ball for about ten minutes, then they both collapse, exhausted for about half an hour! It's very funny to watch. Of course, the kitten always wins.

Answer 3

For a start - discourage *any* biting -she won't be able to differentiate between a bite that hurts you and a bite that doesn't. Kitten/puppy bites are oh so cute, but if they're not discouraged, they'll carry on into adulthood and then suddenly you have a problem.

Don't scare her - besides the fact that a negative reaction is a reaction (and that's what she's looking for) - you'll end up with a terrified, nervous cat.

Immediate repercussions for any actions - she's an animal, she can't link her misbehaviour to a punishment unless its immediate.

Your best bet is to remove her from you with a stern "No" - animals get as much from the tone as the actual words, but don't make a loud, frightening sound - then ignore her.

Then after a few minutes of her good behaviour, play with her for a few minutes (WITHOUT her biting) so she learns that she doesn't have to bite you to get your attention.

And make sure that she has toys which she can chew, so she doesn't have to use you!

Answer 4

My older kitten started out as a biter, but I quickly taught her to use an inhibited bite. She once bit my foot and drew blood but wouldn't dream of doing something like that now. The younger one seems to have learned from her sister and has never so much as nipped me.

The thing that worked best for me was the spray bottle. When I didn't have it available, I would yell very loudly, act hurt, and WALK AWAY. This is the key part of the "time out" idea: you need to walk away and isolate yourself in another room, not the other way around. If you pick her up and put her in another room, she will only associate biting with your touch; and, she won't even remember what she's done by the time you put her away. If she bites you and you suddenly stop being friendly and disappear, she will learn that biting = loneliness.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Kittens bite & scratch. I'd guess that 99% of kittens do this, and even many full grown adult cats. To expect the kitten to stop its natural behaviour may be too much. And the techniques you are using aren't working so far, so they probably won't accomplish anything other than to cause your cat to fear *you*.

I agree that a firm "NO" (not screaming or shouting) and separating the cat from you would be a step in the right direction, but again, natural behaviour is hard to change. Time outs *CERTAINLY* won't work and that on top of the ignoring her are just not proper punishment.

If you know that the kitten bites your hand, then don't use your hand to play with her. If she attacks when you are turning the pages of your book, keep a mouse or toy nearby to give her instead. Again, kittens play with virtually anything that moves. If that's a problem, you might want to reconsider if you are a proper home for her. I always considered the scabs and scratches on my hands to be badges of honour from my kittens and cats. It means I love them and they love me. : )

Answer 6

Hello? This is a kitten; they bite, play, sleep, etc. Have you ever had a kitten in the past?

Do you have play time with her, toys she can access? Think of her as a child, because she is actually. A human child wants attention, love, patience, kindness, just like the kitten.

She bites because she is honing her skills which her mother taught her. She is learning. This stage will pass. Experts recommend you use a spray bottle when they do something wrong. That may be much better than the shouting and scaring her.

You should restrain her to a room with a bed and her food and water at night so she does not wander and then jump on you. I have always put my cats in the laundry room at night.

Just keep remembering that she is a kitten, a baby and needs your patience. Give her lots of love and attention along with toys to play with to keep her occupied.

Answer 7

We have an older kitten who got a bit too into the 'play biting' thing.

And, we were having a lot of fun with a glove with toy mice on elastics on it, and...

That's been put away for the moment, in no small part apropos of some words from the vet, and the biting has pretty much gone away since then, too.

A laser pointer is, at least here, a great thing for kitty play with no biting or clawing.

Answer 8

Kittens teethe and are available across their worldwide via biting. area of why they bite is to assuage their teething, so as that element would be grown out of. yet to resign the development of habit of biting, use a company voice and say NO each and every time he bites. additionally supply up enjoying at that factor. you could initiate enjoying lower back after a 2nd, yet have a harm the place he realizes that something beside the point occurred.

Answer 9

Ask a vet or do a Google search.

I've had kittens and this is very normal both in kittens and puppies. I use to go to work with so many tiny bite marks. It doesn't mean they will always do this. Even human babies teeth and love to chew on things.

Kittens can just be little monkeys and are having fun. Again, get a vet's opinion or check online. Once they settle down, she will probably be a great cat.

Answer 10

Hello, I also do a time out except -I tell him no each time he bites me. Then i put him in another room for awhile, let him out . If he does it again, I tell him no and the second and third no's I gently bite his ear. Mine came to me because he was so mean, the people were going to destroy him for his meanness. He returns back to Dr. Hyde sometimes. Mine is not neutered yet, he is about 6 months. I took him to the vet a few days ago. He had really stinky poop and bad gas. My vet checked out the feces sample I took in. I thought that he may be having stomach problems where he was hurting and taking it out on me. He is on antibiotic, and purcur. It is for the one cell protozoa. My Dr. really thought he was healthy. It has been 5 days now. He has gotten awhole better. I have had him since Sept. I will wait a short time after meds, then get neutered, shots and adopted. I know alot of patience and love, cause the kitties will relate roughness back to playing with brothers, sisters, and mom, which is not how humans play. Hang in there! [e-mail] P.S. I have been rescuing cat & kittens off the streets for 2 years now. Alot have problems-mental and physical from people that abandomed them to the elements.