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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

11 week old kitten trying to bite!!

25 replies

Italiangreyhound · 18/06/2013 00:11

Please help! My beautiful ginger tom kitten is driving me mad. He tried to bite my daughter tonight and had tried to bite me today too. He is normally as mad as a box of frogs and a bit scratchy but very loving and very much purrs and enjoys attention. Today he has been quite different and really very crazy and tried to bite and scratch my 8 year old DD. DD has been very sensible with him and I am pretty sure did nothing to deserve it, we were all in the living room together.

I am really feeling frustrated.

No idea how to discipline a kitten and feeling quite down about how he is behaving. It may be that he is sort of fake biting just to be put down but today my DD was on the sofa and he kind of went for her, I mean even when she stood up he kind of chased her!

She has forgiven him and had him back on her bed but I did notice she shut her door later. I just feel rather disappointed as the pet was for her and I hate to see her afraid of him.

We do have a Feliway Diffuser (Plug-In) thing (which the vet charged us £30 for [shocked]) and I am half tempted to write to Feliway to get my money back as this cat is not behaving very sociably!

He has also pooped twice in the dining room!

Any advice, please?

OP posts:
Mabelface · 18/06/2013 01:13

he's being a kitten. if he's a bit bitey, distract him with toys and make sure he's got unfettered access to his litter tray

cozietoesie · 18/06/2013 07:55

Yes, Italian, he's just a kitten so it's like having a terrible three year old with you all the time.

What toys does he have to massacre play with?

Lonecatwithkitten · 18/06/2013 08:01

As other have said he his being a kitten. I prefer to ignore and remove myself when kittens are having nasty biting behaviour so as not to reward that behaviour. Once the kitten had calmed down I would then instigate a game that would prevent me from getting hurt such as with a fishing line toy.

itsnothingoriginal · 18/06/2013 11:54

Our 9 week old new kitten bit dd last night too and is quite scratchy when she plays but I'm hoping is just a kitten/toddler phase too. It's a whole new world isn't it!! I love the affectionate times - she's currently curled up on my lap Grin I hope that bit doesn't change!

Trying not to feel it's my own fault as the rescue centre really tried to push us into having 2 kittens so she had a mate to playfight with and keep her company. We just couldn't afford to run 2 cats long term though.

Does your kitten have free rein of the house yet?

cozietoesie · 18/06/2013 12:04

At that age, kittens can be quite rough with the nearest plaything - litter mate or human. Even their mothers. Have a look at the Critter Room if you want to see.

They grow up pretty fast though.

Smile
Original poster
Italiangreyhound · 19/06/2013 22:06

Thanks so much one and all.

itsnothingoriginal in the evenings he has free reign of the house but during the day when we are out he has utility, kitchen and dining room. He can go out in just over a week so might calm down then.

He was lovely last night and is being lovely now. It was not so much me being bitten or scratched I minded so much but DD loves him so much and it was a bit hard to see her being scared of him!

Thanks to you all.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 19/06/2013 22:23

They're maturing almost by the minute at that age. Try to reassure DD that he was just being a silly baby and that it doesn't mean anything.

Smile
Original poster
Italiangreyhound · 19/06/2013 23:38

He is sitting by me as I type and being super lovely.

OP posts:
Mabelface · 19/06/2013 23:58

just want to say that 12 weeks old is a bit little to be going out. best wait for first jabs and neutering. more like 5 months.

Original poster
Italiangreyhound · 20/06/2013 01:13

He has had his first jab and has his second one next week. I was told he could go out after that. He is desperate to get out and will be stir crazy if I wait 5 months! I was told to wait until he was 6 months before neutering.

OP posts:
Mabelface · 20/06/2013 16:28

They can reach sexual maturity from 5 months onward, and getting them neutered as soon as possible means they don't get the chance to start behaviour like spraying.

cozietoesie · 20/06/2013 16:31

Italian

He doesn't know what outside is. Are you sure you're not laying your being fed up with his behaviour at the door of some notion that he wants out?

12 weeks is too young to go outside in my view - and you don't need to wait until 6 months to have him neutered.

Fluffycloudland77 · 20/06/2013 18:19

You mean that's not normal? Wink

They grow out of it. Fluffy cat bit all the time and pounced and bunny-kicked. He doesn't now.

cozietoesie · 20/06/2013 18:42

Well be fair, Fluffy. He doesn't any longer do it to you.

Smile
MumnGran · 20/06/2013 18:53

As people have commented, it is a kitten stage. They do go through a stage of playing rough, and (again as mentioned) distraction therapy with other toys is a good method to end the behaviours.

There are a few things you can do to help ..although more don't than do's :
....avoid playing games with fingers or hands. The kitten needs to learn that they are for stroking not play
....don't be tempted into stroking tummies when kittens are awake and playful. However tempting they look, its a tease and kicking & scratching the hand is almost guaranteed.
...do gently stroke tummies when they are dozey and cuddly, though., so they learn not to be defensive of the area, for grooming etc
...do give toys with long term entertainment value .... a cardboard box with a couple of holes in can give hours of fun, and cardboard is a winner for safe sinking of teeth!
...remember that he is probably teething, and as with any baby ...biting down helps! (see above for cardboard box therapy Grin

Hope this helps a bit.

Fluffycloudland77 · 20/06/2013 18:56

Well, he went for a relative after we warned them the cat won't take being teased doesn't take shit.

Said relative is a life-long tease with animals and small children.

I may have forgotten to tell the cat off at the time as I had to fetch a tissue.

MumnGran · 20/06/2013 19:02

I have to agree with cozie OP
Kittens are protected against viruses which can be contracted out there in the big wide world, if having their second shot at 12 weeks ....which is why people say they "can" go out then ....but that doesn't necessarily mean they are safe to be out there on their own, or that they should be out alone at that age.
Vaccs give no protection against the myriad other dangers to small kittens....and they are many, and varied.

Fluffycloudland77 · 20/06/2013 19:28

Shock ours didn't go out until 6 months, a fox tried to eat our relatives cat when he was a kitten.

GeraldineAubergine · 20/06/2013 19:33

My cat is ten years old and as bitey as the day i got him. Not to dp, just me. He actively tries to bring me down. I wouldnt part with him though, grumpy old rat bastard he is.

itsnothingoriginal · 20/06/2013 21:12

Deciding about going out is a hard one. I'm tempted to leave it until our kitty is 5/6 months but DH thinks she could go out in the garden sooner than that.

It's going to be very hard stopping her getting out though - trying to remind the kids about keeping doors and windows shut over the summer isn't going to be easy Hmm

Hope your kitten is settling down a bit now Italian?

MumnGran · 20/06/2013 21:20

IMHO ....accompanied trips in the garden are fun, and a way to gradually introduce the outdoors over the time between 12 wks - 6 months
Its a lot of fun to watch them

The worry is being out alone, wandering out of the garden, bullying older cats (who can cause serious damage to a littley) ....and a host of other risks, including foxes and local louts (I have nursed kittens injured by having firework tied to tail, and eye shot out with air gun....in the hands of a 10 yr old!)
Its just not a safe world. Particularly evening/night

Branleuse · 20/06/2013 21:22

Thats what kittens do, especially if theyre on their own. Its playing.

deliasmithy · 21/06/2013 18:58

12 weeks is quite young to be going out, especially alone. Still a baby really.

There are two types of cat bites and scratches. The first one either serves as a warning shot to say 'leave me alone' or it's a form of play fighting. Kittens bite and scratch each other all the time and learn boundaries this way.

The other type is where your feline is trying to kill you.
The bite will involve the sinking in of teeth and clamping on with all its might while at the same time scratching you with front and back claws with every ounce of energy in its being. The bunny style kicks of the back legs are the most damaging. You will be covered in wounds and look like you've cleared a bramble patch with bare hands or started self harming. Oven gloves become part of your daily attire.

Yours doesn't sound like the second so it will be fine!

TheSilveryPussycat · 22/06/2013 17:45

I suspect your kitten is treating your DD like a sibling, and wants her to play. DCat did this with DS who was 7 when we got her. She adores him, and still does, DS is now 24! He is the only one she still plays a bit rough with (when he visits), when doing pouncing on his hand through the landing bannisters. When I do it, she keeps her claws in!

Shitsinger · 22/06/2013 17:50

Our kitten(other one didn't) did this and the vet advised me not to allow the cat to view you as a plaything. So lots of toys and plenty of chasing /playing but if it bit or clawed my hands to do a little pssst sound quite sharply and remove your hand.
Apprently this what the mother does if they get nippy with her - it worked!

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