My 5 month old kitten is no longer cute and loveable. All she wants to do is bite & scratch?

Question

whenever I want to hold her she pushes me away or doesn't want to be stroked. She is very stubborn. She jumps on countertops and tables when she knows I don't like that yet she still does it. I've used the spray bottle but it doesn't work. She's like a disobedient teenager! I hope this phase will end. What can I do?

Answer 1

You answered your own question! She is like a disobedient teenager and will grow out of the phase. Just be loving and don't do anything she doesn't like until she gets over it. I like the hand clapping idea. I'm sure she is still cute and lovable, you wouldn't hate your teenage daughter just because of a phase would you?

Answer 2

kittens, especially solitary kittens, are well known for biting. Some of this is play for them. If you've ever used your fingers to play, then she thinks that your hands are toys. When she bites and scratches, either blow in her face or try hissing. Hissing is a "species appropriate reprimand" and will usually stop the behavior.

As for jumping on countertops, Purina had this to say:

"Behaviors such as these require vigilance and persistence, just the qualities your kitten probably has. First, you must anticipate when your kitten is getting ready to jump on the table and interrupt the behavior at that point in time. This could be done with a loud clap of your hands, or a loud “hey.” If that doesn’t work, a water spray to the face might do it. At no time should you ever use any physical punishment because this might frighten your kitten and make her respond aggressively to you. If all that fails, I would suggest putting her in another room while you eat and she may stop the problem as she matures and does not have the opportunity."

How is your interaction with this cat? If you're yelling at it, using a pop on the bum or the nose to convey your anger, she might be interpreting that as a sign of aggression, and won't want to be held or stroked.

Answer 3

Hmmm... I'm having the same thing with my kitten. She's only about three months old now but over the past few days has become very fiesty. She was always very playful but recently has begun to go overboard with the pouncing and chasing. I'm hoping that phase will end too!

Question: Do you leave your kitten alone at home for long periods of time? Because if you do, and she gets to walk on countertops and tables when you're not around, discipling her when you are there is not going to help. It'll only teach her that she can't do it when you are there. The only way to get her to stop is to discipline consistently i.e every single time she does it. If you are not there a lot of the time, there is no real way to do this.

Answer 4

Some felines are just mischevious as kittens, but get better when they get older. Some just turn out to be brats and will always scratch/bite when you try to hold them. She needs to be trained though, b/c the biting/scratching is not acceptable. When she bites you, tell her no and/or spank her and do not let her go. Once she calms down for a few seconds, stroke her and talk nice to her. Do not get scared and let her go b/c then she will begin to think that she is the dominant one and that it's ok. I'm sure she'll get better with age, though.

Answer 5

He desires to be knowledgeable. it is going to have been executed faster, whether that is not too late. Does he have a horizontal scratching floor, including those decrease priced cardboard scratchers? not all cats prefer to apply a vertical scratching floor, whether the fixtures is vertical. For the rug, you could placed infant powder on the climate he scratches. which will discourage him from those factors. because of the fact that he marked those factors with gland secretions in his paws, for this reason he is going back to those factors. For fixtures, a squirt bottle, and you are going to be able to additionally take care of the fixtures with double sided sticky tape. For scratching and biting on you, you could provide him a unfavorable reaction. you could say NO and placed him on the floor at modern-day. you could hiss at him, that's how a mom cat trains her kittens. you could say NO and placed him in a small darkish closet for a short holiday, minutes, not hours. you additionally can gently seize onto his paws while he scratches, and say NO. If he maintains to chew, an extremely delicate bop on the nostril and asserting NO gets his interest.

Answer 6

First play with her LOTS!! (The spray bottle is not effective, and my cat has held a grudge against me for 3 years now over one.) I got my cat a friend because he was biting and attacking my ankles. Now he bites her instead. I believe your cat is going on the counter to get attention from you (even if it is negative.) Try enticing her to do something else, or clap your hands.

She will calm down just be patient...

Answer 7

Put some water in that spray bottle and squirt her with it when she does something that is not acceptable. Slam a magazine or newspaper down on a hard surface, she will come to attention. Eventually, all you will have to do is pick up the spray bottle or newspaper and she will get the hint.

Answer 8

I have a 2 year old cat and a 14 year old son, and I dont' know who gives me more grief! cats you can kick outside, kids you can't. seriously though, I agree with what most people are saying. She might be a little bored, get her a scratching post and lots of toys. The more to try to pet her and cuddle her, the more she's not going to want it, so let her come to you. Chances are, she may be one of those cranky cats that just likes to be left alone.

GOOD LUCK.

Answer 9

your cat is bored. it needs feline company and a scratch post. cats by nature are animals who like to be high up so if you dont like her climbing on the tables then buy her a cat activity tree which is taller. a floor to ceeling one is ideal, she would much prefer to sit in the higher place! also shut her out of the kitchen. cats shouldnt be in a kitchen its dangerous and unhygenic for both you and kitty. this phase will not end unless you change her environment. this is what cats do! they climb and play rough.

also, let her come to you for attention. she will always scratch you unless she wants to be petted and held. if you carry on picking her upand trying to hold her when she doesnt want it she will just get worse. she really does need a feline companion (both speyed) who she can play rough with. also if she isnt speyed then do it now. it calmes them down. 5 months is not to young, my vet speys my kittens at 13 weeks.

Answer 10

the phase will end when you get her spayed. it's a must. she will be calm and loving. as for the counter top thing, it may never end and you'll have to get used to it. my cat izzy isn't allowed on the dining room table but finally he wore me down, and has pretty much taken over the table. we eat in the living room as we always have anyway. i had izzy neutered the day after he sprayed my dry cleaning (over a $1,000 worth of clothes) now he is a forgiven lap cat.