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

Original poster

Help please with kitten biting and scratching

28 replies

Secretdebt · 10/03/2019 06:28

In need of help desperately as we don't know what to do. We have two adult cats both adopted by us when they were adults and who are very gentle and never hurt us. In October we got a kitten. (4-5 months old) from Cats Protection who said that she was suitable for young children (we have 3yo DS) and other cats.

We noticed that she was particularly scratchy and bitey from the word go but we put it down to her being young and we focused on being firm with her and ignoring her if she bit/scratched. However as she gets older she is getting worse. She will cling to your hand and arm with her claws plunged in and it is almost impossible to get her off (she doesn't do this to DS thankfully).

My hands have been covered in scratches for months now and are constantly stinging with pain (photo attached). When you go to stroke her you never know what will happen. She can however be beautifully affectionate and snuggle up with you.

She does not get on with our two older cats either. With the eldest she will launch at her and sink her teeth in. The middle one is constantly boxing her.

We love her very much but we want her to have a good life and of course to protect our older two and DS. Is this something that could be fixed or should we be asking Cats Protection to find her a new home? I have never rehomed a cat before and it feels so so wrong to be even considering it. If it was just my hands suffering I would put up with it but I am worried about my other cats especially as one is shy.

Has anyone had any success in past with this?

OP posts:
Original poster
Secretdebt · 10/03/2019 07:06

And just to show how lovely she can be.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 10/03/2019 07:47

Does she go outside? It sounds like she needs to do some hunting to get rid of her aggression!.

Is she spayed?.

I would restrict fuss to the head only for a bit and only a few strokes.

Tea tree oil is very good for numbing pain in cat scratches. I have a Bengal and was similarly attacked when he was a kitten. He calmed down a lot when he started going out.

Original poster
Secretdebt · 10/03/2019 09:18

Thanks Fluffy, she does go outside but only on weekends really as we don't have a cat flap. Our older too are perfectly happy with that but I can see it's not enough for a kitten. Only issue is we will have to replace the entire pane of glass in the patio door from what I have seen on the internet as we don't have a traditional back door.

Am also going to try to be more structured with play for her and allocating portions of the day to it and see if that helps.

OP posts:
Ijustlikefood · 10/03/2019 09:31

Does she have stimulation toys for when she is left by herself to keep her entertained?
Also try feliway plug in it can help calm cats she definetly needs access to the outdoors as well and neuter if not already before letting out

Original poster
Secretdebt · 10/03/2019 09:41

We have the toy with the ball in the tubes (can't remember it's name as well as normal balls, toys in end of sticks etc. I think the main solution is going to be to fork out for a car flap (and new door).

She is spayed don't worry :)

OP posts:
Original poster
Secretdebt · 10/03/2019 09:42

Cat flap! The car definitely would require doors to be replaced Grin

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 10/03/2019 09:46

Ours were like this. They need things to attack! Laser pointer (used with care!) feather on a stick or catnip toys they can murder.

OytheBumbler · 10/03/2019 10:00

Do you really need a cat flap?
Our energetic boy goes out in the morning after breakfast and doesn't come back until teatime, then he'll be off out again until bedtime.

If it's raining in the morning he might decide to stay in but generally I just open the door and call him every so often to see if he wants to come in.

Original poster
Secretdebt · 10/03/2019 10:17

Unfortunately bumbler when it's not school holidays we are out weekdays all day so wouldn't be able to let him in and out as wanted. We do have a laser pointer actually will dig it out from wherever it has ended up :)

OP posts:
Aph413 · 10/03/2019 11:42

There are companies who can install cat flaps in glass without replacing the whole pane. It costs a bit more but definitely less than replacing the whole thing

SandAndSea · 10/03/2019 11:52

Are you doing the obvious things like making a loud 'Ow!' noise when she hurts you, so she knows? (I'm sure you are, just checking.)

Are you in a good feeding routine? I think it might help to make sure you feed her at the same times every day. If you're currently feeding twice a day, change to 3x. Get her into a routine where you play before you feed her as that's their natural way of doing things. I've found a laser pen is the best way to get them running about indoors. You can get running wheels for cats now too.

Failing this, I would see a behaviourist before the behaviour becomes too entrenched.

viccat · 10/03/2019 13:04

It's natural for kittens to still be learning boundaries - kittens play really rough with their siblings but of course having fur helps them not get hurt the way us humans do, and they will let each other know when the other has gone too far.

Make sure you never use your hands to play with her or to 'grab' her in any way that might seem to her like play fighting (for example suddenly touching her tummy). All kittens need lots and lots of play time to wear them out, especially solo kittens who don't have a sibling to play with. Get a couple of dangly toys on a stick to play with her and also some long kicker type toys she can wrestle with.

When she attacks your hand, keep your hand very still rather than pulling away as pulling just makes them hold onto you harder. Make a high pitched 'hey' or 'ouch' sound and walk away from her afterwards (this is what another cat would do, too). Never ever retaliate in any way or punish her, she won't understand this.

Original poster
Secretdebt · 10/03/2019 13:24

Thanks Aph will dig a bit deeper with my Google search to try to find one :)

When she does it ow is often an automatic response as it bloody hurts but I tend to do a very firm no, is this less effective than an ow? Thanks for the tips about feeding and play will give it a go.

Will do my best not to pull my hand away when she digs in although it is so hard not too when in pain. Will really increase the play too.

She spent this morning outside and is now flopped out and I haven't had a single new scratch!

Another pic because she really is beautiful, her tail is magnificent.

Help please with kitten biting and scratching
OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 10/03/2019 13:31

You can hiss at them, that stops them long enough to get way or gently grip the scruff and retrieve your hand.

She is a looker and seems to have a dose of cattitude too!.

TopBitchoftheWitches · 10/03/2019 13:36

My kitten is almost 8 months now and still attacks me Grin he isn't a lap cat so it takes me stroking him or rubbing his belly for him to try and kill my hand, it is my own fault really.

littlebillie · 10/03/2019 13:47

We had our glass door fine it was around £100 also I have a cat safe touch out side just in case they want to be out while it rains. Our younger mad cat loves being out

MadCatEnthusiast · 10/03/2019 14:02

Mine was a huge biter/scratcher from 8 weeks to about 6 months. She still tells me off with a scratch or a mock bite if she doesn't want to be touched! A hiss/whine of pain and a stamp (if bit on the feet) put a stop to it though. It mostly happened during her zooms. She's an indoor cat though so it's not like she gets respite in the garden

chocochipscurry · 10/03/2019 15:32

Give it a slap it will soon stop!

Fluffycloudland77 · 10/03/2019 15:44

You can’t hit a kitten! That’s terrible advice.

Have you just beamed in from 1960?

Original poster
Secretdebt · 10/03/2019 16:21

Don't worry fluffy I won't be hitting any small animals!

OP posts:
oopslateagain · 10/03/2019 16:37

We had a biter, also from Cats Protection, he was a bit older than yours though. We got a spray can of air (the ones you use to clean a keyboard) and had it to hand all the time. It makes a really really loud hiss, and he would jump a mile and leap back when you squirt it (obviously not AT him, we'd spray into the air). Now he still does the tackle-grab at our hands, but without the claws and he just licks. I think it took about three months until he completely stopped biting/scratching.

Original poster
Secretdebt · 10/03/2019 20:14

Wow the hissing really works although she looks a little offended Grin

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emmalovesmangoes · 10/03/2019 20:16

My kitten has been exactly like that. She was a tiny little fluffy thing and so delicate. All of a sudden it was like a switch flipped, she was biting and scratching constantly. I would just remove her and ignore her if she bit or scratched and put her in another room if she scratched or bit my daughter. I think a lot of it was playful but she was quite vicious and it did really hurt ! The ignoring helped a little but since she has been spayed and started going outside I think some of the aggression has worn off and she's burning off extra energy out hunting and playing outside x

Aph413 · 11/03/2019 17:43

@secretdebt keep with the hissing.or a sharp intake of breath sounds the same. It's how I get my killer kitten to detach from my arms. Hopefully you get somewhere with a cat flap fitter. Or they can actually put them in walls now. I have the sureflap microchip flap that scans cats in and out. You can set certain cats to emergency mode if you don't want them out but it's so they can get back in if they escape.

exWifebeginsat40 · 11/03/2019 17:56

a sort of high-pitched PSHH-PSSHH-PSSSH noise works for ours.

(or the tiny nerf gun if they are being proper wankers)

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