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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

18 week old kitten constantly attacking us

49 replies

3orstickto2 · 20/10/2023 10:22

As titled really you can't walk without her pouncing and biting your legs etc. she is constantly attacking my 16 month old (who doesn't bother her) Hel be happily playing and shel go right for his neck! Is this normal kitten behaviour, will she grow out of it! I can't have my children constantly attacked and it's getting to the point I am considering re-homing her. Thank you

OP posts:
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TheYearOfSmallThings · 20/10/2023 10:24

It is normal - if she were still with her siblings they would be pouncing and wrestling each other and practising their hunting skills. She may be a good mouser!

TheYearOfSmallThings · 20/10/2023 10:25

But yes, if you want to re-home her, the sooner the better - ideally to a home where they are familiar with cats and will socialise her.

Myhusbandearns150k · 20/10/2023 10:26

As above 100%

Give her time. And some adults to play with.

BlueKaftan · 20/10/2023 10:27

Kittens are nuts. I would gently redirect her and make sure you play with her. Keep her away from your children until she calms down. She’s just got loads of energy right now. Get her some toys and a climbing frame, anything that will enrich her life.

Nochoiceleft · 20/10/2023 10:36

She’s a kitten. She wants to play.

sekift · 20/10/2023 10:38

She needs lots of interaction and playtime if she hasn't got another car to play with (although don't encourage toe/finger biting- use toys). She will grow out of it in a matter of months.

sekift · 20/10/2023 10:39

*cat!

beeswaxinc · 20/10/2023 10:39

Aw they are just playing! My kitten of the same age is running around like a mad man right now, feet are the target because I'm not waving any of his toys around.

TerfTalking · 20/10/2023 10:40

You need to get her a string toy

we use these at the cat charity where I volunteer, it encourages the kitten to hunt and play without inflicting injury on a human. They very quickly look forward to the string toy play. Ping pong balls are also a favourite as they bounce and are very light.

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User0000009 · 20/10/2023 10:41

I had one of these. Great fun. He’s 7 now but still likes a bit of a chase

BellaTheDarkOverlord · 20/10/2023 10:42

Normal. When our kitten was 4-5 months she was a little terror. Attacking us and dd and you couldn’t pick her up as she’d wrestle you. We had her spayed at 5 months and she then started going outside too. She’s a little sweetheart now, really affectionate and cuddly. She goes out and then comes running in for cuddles and food. She’s nearly 7 month now. She wrestled sometimes but only with our 5 year old boy cat.

We also bought her a tall cat tree which she gets her energy off by attacking that.

andymary · 20/10/2023 10:42

TerfTalking · 20/10/2023 10:40

You need to get her a string toy

we use these at the cat charity where I volunteer, it encourages the kitten to hunt and play without inflicting injury on a human. They very quickly look forward to the string toy play. Ping pong balls are also a favourite as they bounce and are very light.

100% this!
String toy, then sit on the floor and move it around you (like in a circle) so the kitten has to run around you, or hold it and move around the house and let the kitten chase it. Ideally do this twice a day to get their energy out.

Baldieheid · 20/10/2023 10:43

Play with her. Feathers tied on strings. Ping-pong balls, in a dry bath. Cut a hole in a cardboard box and turn it upside down to create a "cave". A laser light run up and down the stairs for her to chase. Scrunched up paper for her to kill. A special soft toy just for her.

Best toy you could get her is another kitten. I got 3 at the same time, same litter, and they charged round for hours, chasing and wrestling. Then stuff themselves, collapse and sleep for a couple of hours. Repeat.

amylou8 · 20/10/2023 11:01

Completely normal, they have 2 modes, asleep and crazy. If your legs and arms don't look like something out of a zombie apocalypse you are not kittening properly. They usually calm down a bit about 8 or 9 months, when you find you can stroke them without being chewed.

Sameshitdifferentdayx · 20/10/2023 11:29

Yes completely normal. We have a 9 week old kitten and a 1 year old cat. Now they're used to eachother they roll and tumble around with eachother and kitten is constantly on the go causing riots. It's normal kitten behaviour. Plenty of stimulation with toys and that.. Kittens just wanna play! X

Doomscrolling · 20/10/2023 11:33

She needs constant stimulation - kittens that young are either playing or asleep. She’s basically a hyperactive toddler.

A tissue box with a ball inside and a couple of arm holes to reach, dangling things on strings to pounce on, a stuffed cylinder to boot and ‘kill’, a laser toy to chase in the floor… even elastic hair bobbles to fling about.

Give her lots of variety of playthings and she’ll be just fine.

Coldinscotland · 20/10/2023 11:41

That's your punishment for not getting 2...

Original poster
3orstickto2 · 20/10/2023 12:57

Thank you all! Glad to see it's all normal behaviour! She has lots of toys and string toys too. I need to obviously put in more time for her to play with me.

OP posts:
PickledMuffin · 20/10/2023 13:28

Can we have a photo of the kitten please 🙏

booksandbrooks · 20/10/2023 13:30

3orstickto2 · 20/10/2023 12:57

Thank you all! Glad to see it's all normal behaviour! She has lots of toys and string toys too. I need to obviously put in more time for her to play with me.

Some breeds don't grow out of this, so even moggies with breed in the mix can stay like this but not to such an intense level.

The vast majority of cats grow out of it though.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 20/10/2023 15:20

I am so glad I missed the kitten years and went for adult cats 🤣

The female loves elastic bands ,we have to keep a close eye on any that come into the house She broke into DD hair and drawer to ransack them.
Male loves the laser light and feathers.

Ctest thing was Female carrying the lid off a milk bottle (green plastic one much bigger than her mouth) about the kitchen in her jaws 🙂

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 20/10/2023 15:21

Cutest

Mia184 · 20/10/2023 15:29

3orstickto2 · 20/10/2023 12:57

Thank you all! Glad to see it's all normal behaviour! She has lots of toys and string toys too. I need to obviously put in more time for her to play with me.

Or get another kitten.

margotrose · 20/10/2023 18:02

Yep, totally normal and it's one of the reasons rescues and breeders encourage you to take two kittens - because they take their energy out on each other and not on your hands, legs and furniture Grin

Lots of playtime is vital for kittens - if you don't have another cat, then that's going to have to come from you. Fishing rod toys are a firm favourite here, as well as those ones they can hold and kick. He also has a cat tree with a furry ball on an elasticated string thing that he LOVES.

We have two older cats too but they don't always want to put up with his ridiculous behaviour!

pointythings · 20/10/2023 22:01

I have two brothers that I got as 20 weekers, they were absolutely bananas and still wrestle each other daily. This is why kittens are best acquired in pairs (the rescue where I got mine will only home kittens in pairs unless there are very compelling reasons to do otherwise).