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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.

Bitey kitten!

22 replies

LolaStarr · 12/06/2015 17:21

I have a siamese kitten who's about 11 weeks old now. She's an absolute sweetheart, she has the loveliest nature, but when she plays she's sooo rough, she bites and it bloody hurts! Is there any way I can discourage her from doing this? She's my first kitty so it's all new to me! This is the little madam;

Bitey kitten!
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BettyCatKitten · 12/06/2015 17:24

Omg, she's gorgeous! I'm seriously Envy. When she bites say 'ouch' really loudly. Hopefully she'll grow out of it Smile

LolaStarr · 12/06/2015 17:26

Oh I say a lot worse than ouch, trust me! Grin there's no badness in her at all bless her, she just gets a bit overexcited! Thank you, she's lovely isn't she Grin

Bitey kitten!
Bitey kitten!
Bitey kitten!
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BettyCatKitten · 12/06/2015 17:27

Also let her play with a toy on a wand, so your hands are further away!

BettyCatKitten · 12/06/2015 17:28

Ahh, gorgeousGrin

GerundTheBehemoth · 12/06/2015 17:31

What a beauty :) I guess a tortie-point Siamese might have a bit of the 'naughty tortie' temperament! I would agree with using toys on a wand, and toys for her to chase (multiple balls of paper - when she's occupied with one, throw another and retrieve the first) and generally keeping hands away when she is in play mode.

ShadowsInTheDarkness · 12/06/2015 17:33

Ohhhhh she's gorgeous! Mine are all grown up now, god I miss kittens!

When mine used to bite I'd say "ow" loudly, withdraw my hand and look away. She soon learnt that controlling the bitey urge led to more playtimes. I also did a wee bit of ridiculously over doing the praising and cuddles and fussing when she played without taking the bite beyond play biting. Play biting doesn't hurt at all, they barely engage teeth, it's literally just mouth loosely round your hand and that I've always allowed. Scissor claws also led to a withdrawal of play and stronger language than "ow" Grin oh and YY to lots of toys. Let her sink her jaws into those instead!

LolaStarr · 12/06/2015 17:35

Ooh no one warned me about the naughty tortie temperament! We have a wand toy for her, she spends a lot of time playing tug-o-war with my one year old son with that! I'll try the paper ball idea!

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tabulahrasa · 12/06/2015 17:39

My Siamese played really rough as a kitten, she doesn't as an adult... I'm not quite sure when she stopped though.

LolaStarr · 12/06/2015 17:43

That's good to know tabulahrasa, hopefully she'll just grow out of it! Do you have any pictures of your siamese? Love them! Could someone tell me how you tag people in posts by the way?

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WhenMarnieWasThere · 12/06/2015 17:45

Weird, but it works:

Lick your hand and hold it up in front of her face.

Cats don't generally like the smell of human saliva.

Our cat used to stop biting, pull a funny cat face, wrinkling his nose and walk off.

tabulahrasa · 12/06/2015 18:27

That's mine, she's a fairly sedate old lady now...I mean she still hunts hair bobbles and sneaks up on people to steal their food, lol, but she no longer play fights with us or tries to hunt us down as we walk past like she did as a kitten.

Bitey kitten!
BettyCatKitten · 12/06/2015 18:31

My suamese cross Smile BettyCat

Bitey kitten!
Bitey kitten!
BettyCatKitten · 12/06/2015 18:32

Siamese not suameseGrin

pinkchampagne1 · 12/06/2015 18:35

Reading with interest as we are having the same issues with our 13 week old kitten. He is a bundle of fun and we all adore him but when in play mode he will bite anything and that includes us!

LolaStarr · 12/06/2015 18:45

Both gorgeous kitties! Betty her eyes are stunning!

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AwkwardSquad · 12/06/2015 19:40
Envy
RubbishMantra · 12/06/2015 20:10

Those beautiful sapphire blue eyes!

TrueFact · 12/06/2015 20:16

Just stop play and walk away when she bites. Any play should be initiated by you not her. And yes, lots of toys helps.
She's very cute though Smile

LolaStarr · 12/06/2015 20:23

Easier said than done when she's hanging round your leg chewing on your ankle Grin I'll try though!

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SunnyAgain · 12/06/2015 21:32

Sorry I can't help with your question but just wanted to say how beautiful she is!

LolaStarr · 12/06/2015 21:43

Thank you Sunny Smile

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limitedperiodonly · 13/06/2015 22:09

This is Nobby, my tabby Siamese. He was like your baby too.

I got him when he was much older than a kitten but he was very bitey, scratchy, clingy and destructive.

When he was with my mum, who indulged him like mad, I used to put him on the floor whenever I went round there. I loathed him. He was a terrible pest, though I wouldn't have hurt him.

When she died, I didn't want him but no one else was going to have him. So I got landed with him. I just fed him and cleaned his shit pit out and asked him to leave me be.

After about two months he was transformed. He is now the most wonderful thing. When he dies, I'll be devastated.

He seems perky enough at the moment though.

There's a poster here called something like cosietoesie who gave me a lot of help about oriental cats and explained maybe why I might have inadvertently hit on the right idea with Nobby - ignoring him or something. Not quite sure if I've got that right.

Your kitten is gorgeous.

Bitey kitten!
Bitey kitten!
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