Weird kitten behavior...licking my hair, attacking hands?

Question

My four month old kitty has been acting strange, although it might just be the fact that she is a curious kitten. Please help!
1. She loves to be carried around in my arms but randomly she will start to attack my hands (biting VERY hard, scratching). I try to get her off but she is persistant and will try and follow me so she can attack them again. She also does this with my feet when I'm watching TV. I'm not sure if this is normal kitten behavior. Am I suppose to discipline her? If so, How?
2. At night, she sleeps above me and my boyfriends head on our pillows. In the morning, she starts to lick and scratch/attack my hair and specifically the hair right on my scalp. IT HURTS! I don't get why she attacks my hair in the morning and NO other time during the day.
3. Sometimes she gets so hyper that whenever I am walking around the apartment, she freaks out and her eyes get huge like she is scared. She will hide under the bed or run sideways. It seems like she is on drugs!

please help!

Answer 1

This is all normal cat behaviour and will continue for the next 15 years or so, so best to get used to it. They do get even stranger. get her some catnip and see her really acting strange.:) The best discplie is a water pistol.

Answer 2

Actually, this is normal crazy kitty behavior.
Kittens love to play with anything that wiggles, so fingers and toes are really exciting to them. They will outgrow this somewhat. Ways to discourage it: never use your hands to play with the kitten. Always pick up a cat toy, piece of paper, string, etc. to play. When she insists on attacking your hands, take a few minutes to grab a toy and play with her. If she's very persistant, when she attacks your hand, gently grasp her by the scruff and give a gentle shake and say 'no' in a firm voice. Then play with her with an appropriate toy and praise her when she does so. The feet--same thing. A squirt of water works great when she pounces on your feet, especially if you can sneak and do it so she thinks attacking feet equals water from sky. Shaking a noisemaker works too, (such as pennies in a can or jar). Those also work when she is doing something else wrong.
Attacking hair in morning--probably because she wants you to get up and play and feed her. Ouch. I would start by encouraging her to sleep at the foot of the bed or in her own bed next to yours. It will take a while since she has gotten this habit started. Every time she lays on your pillow, scruff her and say 'no' then move her to the foot of the bed or wherever and praise her. It will take time, stick with it. (I recommend the scruff because if you pick her up I have the feeling she'll want to attack your hands and cause more issues). Persistance is the key. If she sneaks up on your pillow in the middle of the night and still attacks you in the morning, don't be afraid to discipline her with a squirt of water, a gentle scruff shake and 'no', dumping her on the floor, etc. She'll learn eventually!
The crazy cat hyperness--well, that will last forever, probably! She will calm down as she gets older, at least a little. My cats are 5, 3, and two are almost 2, and they all run around like idiots at least once a day. That's what makes cats fun!
Good luck!

Answer 3

1. This is typical kitten behaviour. She doesn't know she's hurting you. Put her down and get a toy out when she does this. She's playing and doesn't know it hurts you. The little balls with the bells inside are safest for kittens.
2. She's trying to wake you up and there isn't another time when your hair is so easily accessible.
3. She is playing. Kittens are soooooo hyper sometimes. The jumping sideways thing is defensive. She is learning ways to protect herself and hunt. Cats are still animals, no matter how we try to give them human attributes and they do have some instinctive behaviours.
Have patience, she will settle down in time. Just be glad she hasn't pulled your curtains down yet. One of my kittens went through three sets of curtains in a month.

Answer 4

Don't worry, my kitten does the exact same things!

When I walk around the apartment he gets all crazy-eyed, hides behind things, and usually jumps out and latches onto my legs.
In the mornings, he does the same thing to my hair/scalp that your kitty does to you.. and only in the morning as well!
Kittens love to attack your hands and feet. It's perfectly normal. If he gets too rough, bop him on the nose and clearly state "NO".
After a while, he'll learn that he can play with you, but he can't be too rough with you.

Have fun with your kitty!

Answer 5

Just tell her NO when she does something that hurts you you have to let her know that she's not the boss and you are keep telling her no get aggressive with her you're probably like 100 times bigger than her my cat used to do this when she was little well not the hair and stuff but the hands yeah and eventually she stopped so good lucc with everything!

Answer 6

Sounds just like my kitten done. Theyre playful and just generally want attention. My aunts cats are the exact same way as what you described. Either it'll get over it on its own, or you can teach it right from wrong.

Hope I helped =]

Answer 7

the licking of the hair is called grooming as cats groom each other as the the scratching and biting it's mock combat your kitten is praticeing what he/she would do when full grown being she has no other such as a playmate to pratice on she pratices on you. what i would do is get her kitty toys like platice balls that jingle or a cat nip mouse if the kitten still continues to bite and scratch you i would disipline

Answer 8

Cats are weird. And funny. Sounds like she's being a normal, playful, spastic kitten.

Answer 9

That's normal.

2. She wants you to wake up. She can't get to your hair as easily during the day can she?

Answer 10

Completely normal for cats!