My kitten is always attacking me!!?

Question

My kitten is 6 weeks old and she is very playful but she is constantly attacking/scratching and biting my legs and feet. During the night when I try to sleep she is clawing at my face and biting my face and body as well. I know this is normal because she is a kitten, but is there any way to curb the biting and scratching? Someone told me to get a spray bottle and put water in it and each time she bit me I should spray her with it, but I feel mean doing that. What do y'all recommend? I am taking her to the vet tomorrow for just a normal checkup. Thanks!!! :)

Answer 1

I've read that kittens learn to see humans' hands and arms as playthings because we condition them into thinking so.

Avoid playing "tickle" games with the kitten, where you use your limbs to get the cat's attention, and then pull away before it can swat at you. This teaches the cat that your appendages are toys. The next time it attacks your arm, remove your hand in a slow, deliberate fashion, rather than recoiling quickly.

Give the kitten proper toys to occupy it. Once it's old enough, get her spayed. She'll grow calmer and it will reduce erratic behavior.

I tried the spray bottle thing with my own cat before. She grew fearful of the spray bottle, so eventually you could shoo her away by just showing her the bottle. It didn't stop her bad behavior, however.

Answer 2

If your kitten was still together with his brothers and sisters, tehy would show him what is too much and he would learn to stop it. Be very careful, because if you don't stop this behaviour, he will continue doing it when he has adult teeth, and it really hurts and it is unsocial behaviour. My older cat does that because I didn't know how to teach him not to.
However, if you punish him, like hitting him, screaming, pushing him away, perhaps spraying too, he will only find the game more exciting and he will come back for more, and more roughly.
You must show him that this type of behaviour is not acceptable. Whenever he does it, grab him from his neck, like his mum would do, and put him elsewhere, WITH ANOTHER TOY, AN ALTERNATIVE THAT HE LIKES. He will come back. Repeat consistently to send him away, saying NO. If he does something more rough, like attacking your face, show that you are really angry, give him a spank and lock him in another room, so that he realizes the play is over when he does that. I have generally succeeded in training my younger cat this way, but it is also possible that it was my oldest cat who taught her when enough is enough, by biting her hard whenever she was biting his legs or tail, so the best way to solve this problem is to get another kitten. Trust me, I have regretted not having taken 2 kittens the first time, my older cat became really unsocial, and it was very hard to introduce a new cat. He threatened to kill several kittens, he liked this one for a reason I don't know!

Answer 3

Shes basically a kitten so thats why, shes in simple terms enjoying and shes no longer attempting to be propose. My kitten did the comparable ingredient, yet now hes 3 and he would not try this anymore. As time is going on she'll get much less loopy, my cat will each and every now and then bite me because of the fact hes enjoying and that i will in simple terms sternly say no! and he gets the hint. good success with your kitty :)

Answer 4

When you are awake don't play with her when she gets bitey or nasty. Take you hand away and find something else to do. Ignore her completely everytime. Sometimes I'm not fast enough for the water bottle, a loud clap works very well too. You could try closing your bedroom door for a couple of months. That's what we did when they were little so they only come in occasionally to sleep with us.
Sounds like she is a happy healthy little kitten otherwise :-)
Goodluck.

Answer 5

I suggest playing with her as much as possible during the day, and use things that don't involve you. Like get a laser light that she can chase around, or mice for her to chase. This way they won't be near you, and she'll take out her attacking skills on something besides your face and legs. Also, if you play with her a lot during the day, she may feel more inclined to sleep at night. Never rough-house with your kitten and use your hands or she'll be mean. Just pet her and love her and let her play mean with her toys, not you.

Answer 6

The spray bottle is not mean, it's a harmless attention getter that they dislike and thus avoid. I use it for my cats even now when they do something "bad" and they are loving, sweet pets.

PLEASE ignore anyone that tells you to use your hands in ANY forceful or negative way towards her, even hitting on the nose. Your hands should always mean good and loving things to your cat, and those things will only teach her to distrust you (yelling does this, too). Clicker training and other positive reinforcement tools work VERY well with cats as well as dogs. www.clickertraining.com
The concepts found on this website work with or without a clicker, but I have found that the clicker works the quickest and the best.

Good luck to you and your new baby. :)

♥

Answer 7

i spray my cat with the water bottle when he's being bad... getting up on the counter, table, etc. it's the only thing he responds to.... tossing him off, he just goes right back up there. i don't feel that it is mean.... they have to learn sometime and somehow.
as for the attacking.... if the spray bottle doesn't help, lock her out of your room at night. my cat used to attack my hands, still does once in awhile, i usually pinch (not too hard) his ear and then he will stop and/or let go.
he was like yours with the attacking of feet and legs when he was smaller, but grew out of that, hopefully the same will be true of yours.
good luck!!!

Answer 8

Kitty's nocturnal play is interfering with your sleep. The only thing I can think of is to pick her up by the scruff of her neck (she's pretty helpless that way), tell her NO and drop her on the floor (drop, don't throw). If that doesn't work you'll have to put her and her potty box in the bathroom and shut the door. That way her fun will be confined to the bathroom and you can sleep. She just wants to play but has picked a poor time to do it. Maybe if she's in the bathroom she'll go to sleep and then play more in the daytime.

Answer 9

My cat did the same thing when she was little, I didn't do anything though... she just grew out of it. That's what kittens do and as they get older they won't do it as much, if at all. A couple of times when I was waking up, I'd open my eyes and she'd be right there.. she scratched me in my eye once, talk about pain!

Answer 10

OK the spray bottle thing is OK but you should try to absolutely exsaust her. every night before you go to bed. dangle a toy in front of her and play with her as hard as you can. and if its just that she wasnt with her brothers and sisters long enough you need to teach her the ouch factor. tell her what hurts say ouch really loud when she hurts you. you cant stop. do this constantly till she learns.