Overly ‘playful’ kitten

[StringersBell]

Any tips on how to train a very boisterous kitten?? He’s 9 weeks and at times, goes way OTT with the biting and scratching. I know he’s only playing in his own way but he’s got claws like Wolverine!

He’s gorgeous - you can forgive anything surely ❤️

He does seem to have exceptionally lethal claws though judging from the second pic 😂😂😂

@StringersBell
LOVING your username btw
Not wanting to worry you about ‘he will grow out of it’ but this is what my 13 year old ‘oldest swinger in town’ did To me Sunday . My fault I was playing ‘fingers through the gap in the door game’ I never learn 😂

Fishing rod toys, tunnels, paper grass mats and dedicating two or three 15 minute bouts of play with her per day really helped. Although rod for my own back as she now asks for the play time when it's expected- but at least she's not climbing my legs and zooming around the place. Leaping out from behind things to attack my feet and legs etc. She's much better and my legs and arms haven't been marked for months now.

@BeaucoupFish 😂your poor finger!! Yes he has us all wrapped around his paws for sure! Though I’m going to talk to the vet tomorrow about trimming his claws (@Taoneusa thank you for Amazon tip, I’ll watch the vet first then see if I can do it myself)

@kittenkipping thanks! Yes he’s v fond of the feet too 😬 I have fishing rod toys and tunnel (he loves them) but not the mat 👌

@StringersBell
Haha 😂 thanks it’s been difficult typing that’s for sure but I’m used to his ‘attacks’ it just ‘playing’ after all, I can never get cross with him we just need to remember that despite that gorgeous face they are capable of mayhem ❤️
Your baby’s claws are fresh and very sharp so maybe a trim would benefit anyway he’s absolutely beautiful x

Agree with all that 😊😊

Before I got my last cats I thought that that type of playing was something all cats did, then I read something about 'hands aren't toys' and did this with my kittens. Always play with them with toys, string etc, but the minute they start on your hands, just don't let them do it. Withdraw. Mine grew up and I could stroke their bellies etc and they never ever went for our hands.

@LadySlipper

Before I got my last cats I thought that that type of playing was something all cats did, then I read something about 'hands aren't toys' and did this with my kittens. Always play with them with toys, string etc, but the minute they start on your hands, just don't let them do it. Withdraw. Mine grew up and I could stroke their bellies etc and they never ever went for our hands.

Agree with this. Hands are not for playing unless you dont mind being scratched but who wants an adult cat that attacks you?

Im not a fan of clipping cats claws at all.
They use them for climbing, balancing and hanging on to surfaces.
Your kitten could jump up and fall if if its claws are clipped.
Far better to teach now that hands/ feet are out of bounds.

He looks like he's playing I see (peek a boo) behind the cushion.😂😂😂😂

Our boy was exactly the same!

Fishing rod style toys are great. Also, if he bites, don't pull away, just exert gentle pressure towards him, and he will let go. Don't react to the scratching. If you can, cut his nails (I did this all the time and now can touch our boys feet with no issues, helpful as he's now a night prowler and comes home with all sorts stuck in his pads!)..

Our boy was 5 weeks when we found him, so we had to teach him what was ok and what was not. With the scratching, we just stopped playing and looked at him if he did it too much, and he soon learned to stop. When he did stop, we would give him a 'slow blink' and say good boy, he soon cottoned on that was a better reaction!

At around 12 weeks though ankles became his favourite prey, he would hide under things and jump out when you walked by.. Big bed socks were the answer, and just keep walking (carefully, of course!)..

Good luck!

Wellies are good for the 'pouncing on the feet' stage. You feel a bit of an idiot wearing them in the house but kitty soon gets bored as they don't feel nice for him to attack and it's easier for you to ignore the behaviour as you'll barely feel him!

Clipping claws is more practiced in the US, and highly criticised as inhumane, right?
Can you go back and get him a littermate? It would make life easier and sweeter.

@AppleButter

Clipping claws is more practiced in the US, and highly criticised as inhumane, right? Can you go back and get him a littermate? It would make life easier and sweeter.

No. You're thinking of declawing. Clipping nails is the equivalent of cutting fingernails.

@AppleButter

Clipping claws is more practiced in the US, and highly criticised as inhumane, right? Can you go back and get him a littermate? It would make life easier and sweeter.

I think thats declawing -the claws are removed which is appalling. Even clipping them is removing one of the cats " skills" as he wont know they are clipped and it makes climbing and jumping risky.

Oh yes, I was thinking of the awful practice of declawing, not clipping.
Not sure about the issues of clipping, I thought cats didn’t need claws clipped as long as they have sufficient scratching opportunities?

One of ours needs her claws tipped - by which I mean I use nail clippers and just top of the very end of the point.

If I don't do this she gets stuck in things - she seems to have extra hooky claws. Doesn't happen to my other two!

Yes, just clip off those needle like tips! We also have one cat who gets stuck on everything if we don’t trim her nails.

@TempleofZoom
That’s true but my boy was a rescue and I am Pretty sure he wasn’t socialised properly, he is a bit ‘mixed up’ I think he does enjoy loving a lot now but can’t seem to cope mentally with it and it’s like he doesn’t know how to react to feeling good, sad really but I do love him despite his (minor) faults. 😻

[quote BeaucoupFish]@TempleofZoom
That’s true but my boy was a rescue and I am Pretty sure he wasn’t socialised properly, he is a bit ‘mixed up’ I think he does enjoy loving a lot now but can’t seem to cope mentally with it and it’s like he doesn’t know how to react to feeling good, sad really but I do love him despite his (minor) faults. 😻[/quote]
I have a "failed feral"
Shes a lovely cat but has very firm boundaries about being touched.
She cant cope with too much and so we are careful to avoid over loading her.

@TempleofZoom
That’s it in a nutshell 😻