Will he grow out of this?

[TheCakes]

Ozzy is a little hunter, it seems. He bites, scratches, pounces...
He jumps up and grips my legs with his claws and bites my fingers, hands, face...
He's only four months old. We give him all his wrestling toys and tell him no firmly when he's not playing nicely, but he can be naughty.
DS has started wearing his shin-pads round the house in self defence 😂
This is baby kitten stuff, right? There's not a lot more I could be doing?
He gets neutered in January.

Only four months old? And with a neutering to come? You can't judge much yet.

I hope so. DF is very elderly and has dementia. We have a new kitten which he loves but today it scratched his hand right along an artery. Lots of blood everywhere.

if it happens again we will have to seriously consider Kittens future.

Yeah, he is very, very lovely. He wants cuddles all the time and loves his kitten milk. Such a softie. But by god, he can be naughty.
Poor DS gets ambushed all the time.

Rose - it will happen many more times. Did you not realise that kittens scratch a lot in play ?

Sounds like normal kitten behaviour to me. Most cats will grow out of it. I'd personally get him neutered sooner than January though. 4 months is the recommended age for neutering IIRC. I'd want to make sure he was neutered before his hormones started kicking in. If not he may develop unwanted behaviours that can be difficult to get rid of.

Yep, kittens scratch and bite, perfectly normal. I've been hand reading a kitten from birth (beg June) and she has just stopped attacking my hands

Normal. Ask if they can neuter him early.

Ineverpromised - or keep kitten and father apart? You can't seriously be considering getting rid of the kitty over an accident?

That's how I read it! Honestly everyone knows that kittens draw blood frequently don't they? They're like it until 6-8 months

My friend reminded me the other day when we were talking about my parents horrid Siamese, my arms and legs were always covered in scrams. I hated that bloody cat and he hated everyone bar my parents and sister.

She is a rescue on trial which may or may not work out.

She isn't mine so not my decision.

I do know they draw blood regularly and it was really unfortunate that she hit the blood vessel right along the length of it. The safety of DF needs to come first as he is a vulnerable adult.

The situation will improve when we can let her out.

Ozzy is desperate to be allowed outside. And I'm desperate to keep him in. There are bigger cats living nearby, and I worry about him getting hurt or stolen.
I'm trying to play with him more to get some of his aggro out, but considering a harness so he can go in the garden a bit with us.
The vet said they won't neuter before 5 months, but I'll double check. Might be worth doing sooner.

Yeah they grow out of it

Erm. He's 8 so maybe when he's 18 he'll have calmed down 😂

I have 2 cats. The eldest was given as a "gift", to ddDH before I met either of them. The only time he lashes out is when he gets too comfy on my lap, and I might breathe or something to aggravate him. Then CHOMP! Like a snake striking.

Littlest does pretend bites - opens his mouth like a crocodile and moves towards me slowly, then a pretend bite, just mouthing really.

Kittens are bitey/scratchy little baskets though. Little adorable thugs.

Ha, little adorable thugs indeed!
It's occurred to me that part of his desperation to escape could be him looking for a girlfriend. He's far too young! (Although his kittens would be adorable).
Maybe time for a word with the vet...

Cats can become sexually mature at 4 months, I know this because Little M began humping his fluffy cat sleeping bag at that age. A lot.

Asbo was trying to mount his sister at 17 weeks. She was a gorgeous little thing but it was still icky.

We even caught Little M trying (unsuccessfully) to mount MCat, an adult male.

MCat was not impressed.

They're pretty much a walking hormone at that age. I'd book him in for the chop, better than him streaking out the door on the scent of a female and getting lost. That's why so many strays are entire toms. Is he chipped?

No, they said its easier to chip him at the same time as they neuter him, so I was planning on doing that.
Best get on with it really or Ozzy will be off, sowing his wild oats around the neighbourhood.

I don't think he'd be a stray for any length of time - he's a blue tabby BSH. I do worry about someone taking a shine to him though.

Fluffy cat has never escaped on my watch. Now Dh on the other hand has been in the doghouse several times. Notably on bonfire night.

Ours wasn't really interested in outdoors until about 5 months.

Do you keep Fluffycat as an indoor cat, Fluffy?
That's my plan for Ozzy, but sometimes I feel a bit mean on him.

No he goes out. He's a Bengal and they've got high energy levels. I'd struggle to entertain him with working too.