Member

Posts: 107
From:sherman oaks,california,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 12-17-2003 06:25 AM         

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Hey guys! Heres my problem: I have a 10 week old kitten (Bug). I got him from my vet where my friend works. He was found as a stray at about 2 weeks old. So he has been away from mom to early. Anyway when we first got him everytime we pick him up, touch him or anything he bites. Not hard bites, it never breaks the skin, never hurts, and it is always in play (he purrs when he does this) Well we tried EVERYTHING, cans with coins in them, spray bottles, diversion, lots and lots of play everyday. We even got another kitten when he was old enough for shots. Bug and the new kitten (Tristan) love eachother and play all the time. This still hasnt helped. Maybe it helped a tiny bit but he is still biting ALOT. My friend suggested that this might be his way of bonding with us and that he will grow out of it, but i dont know how true that is. Will he grow out of it? I've given up, i dont know what else to do. I dont want him to continue this behavior when he is full grown cause it will probly start hurting. Oh and this kitten does have his moments were he is the sweetest thing, like at night when he cuddles with me when i am sleeping, but even then if my hands are showing he goes for them, he also licks my face at night which is so much better then biting, so he isnt all together bad. any suggestions would be greatly appriciated. thank you

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Member

Posts: 996
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 12-17-2003 09:20 AM         

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A lot of people on here have suggested blowing in your kittens face when he/she bites. This might work for you.

I have also heard that you can pull your hand back and scream in pain, so he will figure out that he is hurting you.

I have a biter, he always has been. He mostly likes to bite my nose. He will cuddle up with me and randomly reach over and bite me. He doesn't do it to be mean, its more out of affection. I tried blowing in his face, but he just pulls back and then bites again a second later. I bite back again and bite the air right in front of his face, this usually works. When he was little it was really bad the way I finally got it under control was to bite the corner of his ear when he would bite me. I know this sounds weird, but if kittens don't have their siblings or mom around they don't learn that biting hurts. I would bite his ear just enough to make it uncomfortable for him, not enough to hurt him. This got him to stop biting for a long time. I have had him for 4 years and he has just started biting again.

I think your kitty should learn from playing with the other little one.

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Member

Posts: 260
From:MO, USA
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 12-17-2003 09:29 AM         

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Here is a link for play aggression.
http://www.kingstownecatclinic.com/Play%20Aggression.htm

It has some good tips on how to break it and why they do it.

I have 2 fosters who give love nips. When your not paying attention to them they come up and nibble on me. I havent been able to break them of it yet. It dosent hurt and is always followed by kisses. I believe they will stop once they are placed in their new homes and they dont have to compete with so many.

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Member

Posts: 944
From:Columbus, Tx ,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 12-18-2003 11:41 AM         

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I don't know if its the same with dogs, but Smokey is a nipper, he does this thing where he puts your wrist or arm in his mouth and ever so gently leads you around. He's playing of course, but if he did this to someone who didn't know that, they'd freek.

SO we took a hot potato (pretty darn hot at that) and when we went outside and he was going to do his biting thing, we quickly put the hot potato where my arm was, when he bit, it hurt, but not enough to injur him or anything, it took two more times in a row, and he hasn't done it since.

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Member

Posts: 123
From:Vancouver, WA USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 12-19-2003 10:45 AM         

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My kitten used to bite a lot! But slowly he is stopping. (Hes 7 months now)

People always say to put him down or stop playing when he bites. I know that thats really hard, especially if he is biting your feet or ankles. I tried my best to never let him bite me, even if it was just cute little love bites or sucking on my fingers.

I also make sure that he had a variety of toys to play with and in particular his stuffed animal I think was important. When my cat plays too rough and attacks I get his stuffed animal and taunt him with it. He wrestles with it and bites it and usually he stops biting me.

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Member

Posts: 17
From:Fort Worth, TX USA
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 12-21-2003 07:53 PM         

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My girlfriend's cat is a biter and the only thing that works with him is to bite him back. I never do it hard but it seems to shock him and he stops...at least for awhile.

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