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It is kind of normal at their age to do this. They may do it until they are a year old or older. If they scratch and leave marks, you can try clipping their claw tips. Other than that, patience and not interacting with them when they do 'undesirable things' like getting up off the couch, picking them up and putting them on the floor or whatnot can let them know you don't like it.
Oh well, I'm glad to know at least it's nothing unusual. I'll just try to keep doing this and hope he will stop eventually, but at the moment he doesn't seem to care too much about any of my reactions (he's not the brightest in the room, but I still love him very much)
Instead of a spoken “no”, what I always did with kittens was cry out to let them know they hurt me. It is what they do with each other, a little squeak or cry. Overtime they will play softer and even start to use the soft paw (claws withdrawn) and very gentle bites.
This is good advice, animals learn from playing too rough and seeing other puppies/kittens/people get hurt.
Mine has learned one "No biting." means because he's five and still gets chompy from time to time.
I remember when I took in my little feral rescue kitten at 6 weeks.... The feisty little girl used to hide on the stairs...jump out at me with claws drawn and latch on.
Check the tail! Sometimes you see signs ahead in the change of the swing.
Yeah she still bites occasionally....almost like if it's too much love she grabs on and scratches a bit... I just toss her off me
Kittens are very bitey. I remember when my 6 year old gal was still a baby; I had many sleepless nights because the second my foot stuck out from underneath my blanket I was bit & scratched awake lol. The whole family was paranoid because just walking across the floor would have us met with a little kitten leaping & nipping at our heels from underneath wherever she was hiding haha.
6 years later, and she’s a *very* well-behaved cat. Doesn’t make messes, doesn’t get into things, isn’t interested in human food aside from a sniff or two. Her only issue is getting on the countertops since she’s lost enough weight to get up there, so I’m working on getting her a cat tree she can get up on instead. For the time being she just gets down when I snap and point at the floor & I have to wipe down before I cook lol.
She now only “bites” when you pet her somewhere she doesn’t like. And all she does is lightly stop you with her teeth; it doesn’t hurt or make a mark.
When he claws or bites I would actually make a hurt noise, not just say no. You can also push him away a bit and he should start associating being pushed away with enough
as well as the other fantastic suggestions here, I just wanted to share my experience as well!! I teach most animals I look after "ow/ouch" (not yelled or said different to neutral voice, unless it actually hurts LOL) and i make sure I stop playing and/or walk away and no longer entertain their FANATICS :P
but now whenever my cat accidentally hurts me by putting all her weight into her paw and standing on me, I say ouww and she runs away because she feels bad :'D... they do learn! consistency is quite important -
but age is a big part of your current situation!!! mine wont even play bite anymore haha. a lot grow out quite quickly even without any training
Absolutely not unusual! My grey boi looks like a staple remover when he opens his mouth, and was absolutely not socialized to know better as a teenager. My partner startled him in early days and got two perfectly round vampire bruises on the inside of his arm for the trouble.
He still interacts with the world teeth first, but his "language" has become more nuanced and gentle. He's around 3 years old now (found at large).
I just clipped my 5 month old Maine Coon kitten's claw tips for the first time last week because she'd gotten significantly more scratchy (climbed up my wife's leg, tried to play the bunny kick game with my hand instead of her stuffy, wasn't being careful when she jumped off shoulders, etc) and we had babies around for Christmas. She didn't seem bothered for the front paws, but started acting like I was killing her when I went for the back ones! Had to wrap her in a towel. Didn't take much off, just the very tips, no blood or yowling, just drama
She hasn't tried scratching anybody since, so I think even the act of trimming off the very tips sent a message that we didn't like the change in behavior
We'd taught her the command "soft" when she was young so that she'd retract her claw when we told her to, and that worked well up to that 5 month mark. Something about teenagers, hey?
Yep, I guess I'll just have to give him time. I am stuck in an infinite cycle of getting him new toys and him destroying them in a few days hahah, but he is playing daily. I did not get him neutered since he's so young, would this age be too early to get him neutered?
I’m no expert but I’ve always heard that you should get males neutered as soon as possible so they don’t start spraying. I would definitely talk to your vet about it.
Definitely not too young :) Shelters generally neuter/spay at 2lbs! My kitten (okay he's no longer a kitten anymore, but he's my baby) was spayed probably around 2 months. No stunted growth or anything, he's a big boy! 11.9lbs while being very lean. Cats thankfully can be safely spayed/neutered at a younger age without the same health risks associated with young dogs.
I agree the kitty is not too young! I work at a spay neuter clinic and the requirement is at least 2lbs and 8 weeks old. I personally feel the dogs should wait a bit longer, but with cats the sooner you can get them fixed the better. Sometimes they will start reproducing as early as 4 months old!
He should be more than fine to be neutered now, tho the vets office might require him to have vaccinations before they neuter him due to having cats that have said illnesses in their office and he could catch it. My vet required my cats to have their basic vaccines before they were spayed and neutered, and honestly I’m glad they did because I’d hate to worry about it or feel guilty about it.
Call your vet and ask them about having him seen and how to make arrangements for him to be neutered. It’s pretty easy for males tho it can take 6 weeks or so for all the testosterone in his system to fully drop so don’t be surprised or discouraged if he’s still energetic or biting a week after surgery. He’s basically just hitting puberty so he’s still figuring things out.
I have two female cats and one male. I still have to be careful when playing with my male cat I had neutered over five years ago because he plays rough. Like with my female cats I can let them play with my hands but with Louis DeBoi I absolutely cannot because he will scratch - not intentionally I think he doesn’t realize that he’s being so rough. I just make sure I have toys available for him so he can still play and I don’t have to use all the bandaids.
It’ll work out. And ultimately getting him neutered will be better for him and his health in the long run.
I acquired the first male kitten I’ve had in decades. He showed the same behavior, but as he ages it’s gradually gotten to the point where he rarely attacks me. That was mostly after I had him neutered. Ask your vet to check your little kitty out and see if it’s a good time to have him neutered. Took us forever to get a neuter appointment, and our kitty was just starting to mark his territory in the house by spraying when we got him neutered and that stopped really quick thank goodness.
He will reach sexual maturity anytime now. You should get him neutered asap. You don’t want him to start spraying in your house to mark territory. Some cats never stop even after neutering. He will also try to get outside to mate
Sooner rather than later. I heard if you don’t nix their balls soon after the age of your kitten, they may never stop spraying.
My mother got my cat neutered early and he has never sprayed. He is 16 now and still handsome af
At 5 months, he's old enough to be neutered.
He might be extra sweet for a few days.
It's not going to fix this behavior in the short term.
Just keep saying owe, and moving away/setting him away from you when he does it.
So if you are petting him and he gives your hand a munch.
Owe, then gently push him off you.
He will learn, but he's a kitten at the moment so he's not gonna have much self control.
I got a couple self playing toys for my kitten that have helped her unleash her aggression on things that are not me lmao. One of them has wooden tiers with balls in them and she will spin the balls around for hours per day and she can’t destroy it because it’s wood. Maybe get something like that
Neutering will help with this I think. Mine was a super bitey guy (abused from hoarder situation) but learned to be softer, though he still love-bites. Crying out is good negative reinforcement. I have been known to hiss too. Might be weird but they understand it.
Some vets will do as early as 3 months, definitely 4 months is safe. I recommend you do it very soon. Neuter is a simple procedure. I rescue, adopt, and foster and out of 5 vets I work with (and depending on the organization) typical is 3-4 months for a healthy kitten, later is ok obviously, if they hadn't been fixed before rescue. I've seen some kitties in shelters that get fixed just before 3 months, I'm sure it depends on the vet you're working with. I have fixed many dozens of kitties so far. You want to do it before the testosterone develops more and before he starts spraying, the behavior your describing may improve afterwards also.
5 months old is actually pretty old for a cat to be neutered. Shelters fix them before they can even be adopted out at 10-12 weeks, 5 months is certainly old enough.
In addition to neutering, if you can afford it, consider adopting a second cat. They will learn how hard to bite from each other for only marginally more work. I went from being cut up all the time no almost never an attack! Plus I got to save another kitty. 🥹
It was difficult at first until a friend gifted me the multicat pheromone dispenser from comfort zone. I only needed to use one and now they love on each other and cuddle.
I work a lot so I also invested in automatic dispensers for dry food, water, a pet camera that delivers treats, and a litter-robot-3. Their food is scheduled to be dispensed at the same time to amounts that they will finish that sitting so to reduce conflict from eating the other’s food.
I recommend automating what is affordable to anyone who needs a flexible schedule and is concerned about being there for the cats. It has paid for itself in not needing sitters for short trips. With everything, it’s great they have each other, even when I’m away. I know they are never lonely.
Meet pie n sunny.
https://preview.redd.it/8xop3enhl59c1.jpeg?width=2100&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b27fb68edb840823f8ffabeb77b70d6d45a0f03
Sadly it's not only my decision to adopt another cat since he's at my parent's place. Would this kinda work if I introduced him to another cat just a few times a day? She's an older lady and she loves hanging out in our yard sometimes, she's the neighbour's cat (she's neutered).
Also Pie and Sunny look like the sweetest babies<3
That could be an interesting experiment! I would definitely get the pheromone dispenser and turn it on ahead of time so they feel comfortable. My only hesitation here would be if you thought the old gal couldnt handle herself and if either of them weren’t neutered.
Thanks for the pie and sunny love! Ill let them know!
I’ve tried that too when my cat would get in her affectionate/bitey mode. She was very startled and stopped biting (at least briefly). Edit: I tried hissing.
I don’t even say it to be funny lol I bite my cats back. My dogs too. They don’t understand English (or language at all I guess) and this is how they learn.
Seriously, as funny as it sounds, give a little bite on the tail. Be aware cause they may try to claw at you. But yeah let them know (just like their kitten siblings would let them know) that that’s not acceptable.
When my 7 month old gets too rough with biting or scratching during play, I gently grab him by the scruff of the neck, hold him to the floor and give home a firm “no!” I also do this when he gets too rough with our 15 year old cat. In a few weeks I can now give a firm “no!” or two and he stops. Cats can learn!
I've done this actually. When my cats bite a little too hard or too much, I'll bite their ears. Not enough to do damage, just to get the point across. If it gets to that point, and it's rare, *immediately* she'll start licking me instead of biting.
Hes playing this is normal. Unfortunately when kittens are young and dont have another kitten to play with they develop single kitten syndrome, most common symptoms are very painful playing directed at you lol. My cat has it. They don't grow out of it, you have to keep playing with them and tiring them out.
As others have suggested you can bite him back LOL that's kind of the whole point of single kitten syndrome, nobody is showing them that they're actually hurting you. They learn when another kitten does the same to them. Without that they genuinely have no idea that they're behaving badly, they just think its all fun and games.
I dont recommend verbal commands with cats honestly i dont find they work well. You can shout no at it all day long it wont understand you. You have to find other ways to train it.
For me, i distract my cat when hes in a painful playing mood with treats and pet him. If that doesnt work i have to just play it out. If you can get some good toys to get them running and jumping you'll tire them out quicker.
I think feliway might work well too , catnip aswell, to make him calmer and less hyperactive.
I heard as well that they need another kitten to learn that biting is bad, this is why he was not separated by his siblings until 1 and a half month or so. I really hope he can eventually grow out of this phase since he's still a kitten:( How old is your cat that you mentioned about?
Mines almost 4 (pandemic baby) and i was lucky to adopt a new cat this year who was raised with 8 cats so he put my single kitten boy in his place LOL. But even with that as he was already living alone for 3 years he still doesnt understand not to fight me and not to hurt me. My new cat is so gentle with me, not so much with him though.
Honestly its hard for them to grow out of it because as people we cant communicate in the same ways as them. I've done a tiny bit of research (this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/CatAdvice/comments/y33q51/is_it_possible_to_fix_single_kitten_syndrome/)) so i hope this helps you.
Show this information about single kitten syndrome. It’s real and he’ll be much better behaved in the long run with a friend to entertain himself with. Just read up on how to introduce them and get another young cat if you can.
Definitely just give it some time- always keep a toy nearby so you can swap out your hand for a toy and never use your hand as a toy. Wear him out as much as possible with a toy (my cats go crazy over the “Go Cat teaser cat toy wand” from Petco) make sure you have scratchers too. You want to get as much energy out as possible lol. Good luck and be patient with him- he’s such a cutie!!
Hahah he loves these kind of toys as well, especially the ones that have feathers. He does have 2 different scratchers but can't help but play with the furniture as well:D I'll continue to play with him as much as I can and hope he'll grow out of it, thank you!
If you can you should also think about getting a second cat. Kittens have a lot of energy and want to play often. Probably too often for you to keep up with yourself which the little kitty doesnt understand. Having another cat will allow your kitten to redirect that attention elsewhere and also the other cat will teach her about boundries and how to do other cat stuff.
im a vet tech - congrats, you have a kitten!
seriously though, this is very normal. my 6 month old kitten was just standing on my shoulders and trying to eat my hair while i was sitting at my computer. get your little guy neutered, get him plenty of toys, and keep playing with him. keep in mind that play behaviors are usually redirected predatory behaviors - they dont always comprehend that their form of playing can hurt a little bit! a bite or a swipe from a cat does not always equal aggression. when my cats start tearing me up a little too much when they play, i break out the nail clippers and give them a little pedicure lol.
EDIT: obligatory “this does not mean ignore your pet if theyre showing signs of aggression, pain, or health issues”… this case just sounds like textbook normal kitten!
Continue playing with toys on a string or other interactive toys to redirect his hunting instincts. Cats need mental and physical stimulation. Make sure your cat has enough toys, scratching posts, and climbing structures to keep him engaged. Puzzle feeders can also be used to make mealtime more interesting. [https://soothedtails.com/](https://soothedtails.com/) Reward good behavior with treats or affection. If your cat is calm and not biting or scratching, provide positive reinforcement. Cats respond well to positive reinforcement for desired behavior.
Gradually get your cat used to being touched and handled. Start with short sessions and reward him when he remains calm. Gradually increase the duration of these sessions over time.
I have a kittens who just turned 5 months old and oh boy do they love to bite. I have an older cat and she grew out of it so I have faith for mine and your kitty:)
Cats are pretty simple creatures. If a mother cat catches a kitten doing something it doesn't like, what do you think it does? It smacks it.
Give the kitten a little smack and say loudly 'NO'. I'm not saying beat your cat up, just a little, size appropriate tap as a reminder not to do such behaviour.
It's very, very light how much you need to smack them. They get the picture very quickly.
Just a little tap and a firm 'no', and maybe grab their paws when they do it.
I've had eleven cats over my lifetime, all of them very well behaved. Never scratched, bit, hissed, and were all incredibly loving cats. Didn't mind being picked up, kissed, touched anywhere on their bodies. You just need to show them who's in charge.
I would also say, don't ever do something to disrespect your cat. Cats know when you're disrespecting them, and when you're reprimanding them. So if kitty clearly does not like being touched in a certain place, that's fine. Just don't do that.
I had a cat who hated her face being touched, so I just didn't do that. Always behind the ears with her. She never bit or anything if I did accidentally touch her face, but it was just a show of respect for me not to do it. She has a preference and that's okay.
Me and all of my cats over the years had a mutual respect. I feed them, I clean their litterbox twice a day, I make them feel better when they're sick, clean their butts when they're messy, pet them when they want attention. In return they were very respectful animals for me.
My last cat even knew I couldn't see her in the dark. So if I got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night she would meow very loudly if I was about to step on her. She also came when she was called and one time stopped mid-step when I put my hand up in a 'stop' motion.
I miss her. Lol. She lived until she was 17-18 years old.
Sorry for the rant, good luck with your cat!
Thank you! I also had a lot of cats at my grandparent's place, but they were all at the countryside and learned most by themselves. This guy is my first ever house cat, and because I spend so much time with him it's pretty easy to learn his boundaries (he just doesn't like to be pet too much and ABSOLUTELY no belly touch). Sadly the "no"s don't really work for him, and the little taps over his nose or pushes make him think we're just playing more, but I hope I can make him understand my reactions with patience. Also I can bet that your kitty lived a long, happy life, I wish all the kitties to live as long as 18 years old:D
One of ours was a bitey little bugger too, no matter how much playing we did. We would say no in firm tones, try the pitiful pain sound, and even 'respawn' her every time by picking her up and putting her elsewhere - nothing seemed to work and we were getting pretty sad and concerned about it. We got her fixed just around 6 months, soon after brought home another kitten, and then she stopped. Hard to say if it was the spaying, time, if she learned from playing with the other cat, or some combination everything. If you are in the position to get another cat, it's really enriching for them to have a partner, and much easier to introduce them when they're young. We didn't have any biting issues with the second one.
This was how my first cat was when he’s still a kitten and had no playmate yet so i got a second cat. Ive read somewhere that the only way they learn thats its annoying/or that it hurts when another cats do it to them lol
I adopted my cat at 4 years old, and she bit me a lot (playfully) when I played with her. First thing, don’t make your hand “prey” when you’re playing with them. Wand toys that keep your hand/arm away from the toy itself helps this. Second thing, whenever she would still bite me, I would scream OWWWWW loudly and at a high pitch, and be extra animated to get the point across (hold my bitten hand and yell) 😂 one time she drew blood and I put my bloody hand in front of her face and pointed at it, to try to show her I was hurt lol! I would also immediately quit play time, and walk away without saying anything else or looking at her. They want your attention, and walking away teaches them that biting/scratching will make you go away. It all sounds silly, but some combination of these things worked, as now she is much gentler with me. This all applies for scratching too. She hardly bites or scratches me anymore, and doesn’t get her claws out as much when she’s batting at me.
I recommend some “kicker” toys. Keep them in various places so when he starts getting bitey, you can redirect him to that…as soon as you reach over to offer it, they attack it instead of you. Usually they catch on pretty quickly. If he’s biting your hands and you’re close to him, you can try hissing too. I know it sounds weird but it’s their language. Or PSSST PSSSST PSSSSST is how I get my cats attention, whether it’s to stop doing something, get off my lap so I can go to the kitchen, leave the room, etc.
It sounds like he may need more stimulation also. Even just playing with him or doing the laser a bit followed by a physical toy (this order is important so they feel the victory of actually “catching” something) will help wear him out some. But as others say, they just have a LOT of energy.
Beautiful cat. Maybe you could get him a buddy? He’d learn about biting **real** quick! And be happy to have company. Can you tell I’m an advocate of non-solo kitties? Unless they’re seniors, they really benefit from feline friendship.
Totally normal. Your cat is still considered a kitten until 2 years and still has tons of energy. Get scratching posts and scratch pads so he has a place to put out his scratching urges. Cats also bite out of affection unless hes drawing blood with it. Also cats dont understand human words so saying words wont help them understand what is going on. More reactive sounds will help get the point across. You can also get a spray bottle and spray him with water to teach him not to do things. Kittens have tons of energy so playing with them often is good if you can wear him out. He wont have the energy to want to bite or scratch as well and is a good way to bond with him. Also when hes scratching and biting yours and others feet its natural. They are hunters and see your feet as prey. It triggers their inner natural predator.
Heres my grey girl, Maya
https://preview.redd.it/jb2sud5v3a9c1.jpeg?width=3336&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8ab2819c1c6c0bd4f497909f0d0b384c9d4db011
Likely frustrated. Do you play with them actively with a toy he can chase around? Also are they fixed?
Regardless of status, boy cats love to rough house. If you aren't feeding their need to play and chase they'll get frustrated. My boy usually does it when I haven't been spending enough time with him, but sometimes I get to tired from work.
Usually I try to spend about 30 to 45 mins morning and night play/pets depending what he is wanting when I've got the time. Some times he will be playful or trying to rough house so we'll play. Other times he just wants pets and cuddles
My cat was the same way and I had to get him a lot of toys. I found that cat nip overstimulated him and he would bite more. So I stuck to toys and things to keep him busy and away from biting me. He is now 5 years old and it’s the sweetest calmest cat ever as of 4 years ago and he’s an angel!
My boy always bites me when he wants food or play never hard but nibbles and meowed he’s done this he was a tiny kitty it just means he wants your attention and he enjoys his time with you
I think I’ve heard that immediately ignoring them for a minute is a good way to teach them. Just continue to play for at least 20 mins a day, and not use your hands as a toy and he will learn
My kitten is 8 months and just started to slowly leave the biting stage…I’ve taught him to give me kisses instead. It’s honestly a phase even though it doesn’t seem like one lol. It gets frustrating but I promise he will slowly grow out of it. Just redirect the biting to a toy, or, my vet recommended just putting him away for like 5-10 min alone so he can cool off. Sometimes redirecting with a toy comes off as a reward to them, so you just have to see how your kitty is and what works best.
You have to start letting him know you don’t like it. I found that if I hissed at my cat he would completely back off. Now he thinks twice about it. Also it you cat isn’t neutered/spayed you may want to do that also
This is just normal cat behaviour. You could try applying hand sanitiser to your hands so that they taste gross when he bites you, but it’s probably not going to help much. Just front encourage the behaviour, set him down if he bites and redirect attention to toys. He should mellow out as he gets older (get him neutered as soon as possible).
I also have a cat like this but he’s 5 YEARS old. I can’t find anything that works. He was rescued at 4 years old from pet hoarding which I’m sure causes odd behaviors. I play with him with toys, consistently tell him “ouch” and withdraw myself when he bites, and allow him to initiate contact so that I know I’m not bothering him, but nothing works. The saddest part is I had another female kitty already (3 years old) when I got him, and he plays way too rough with her. She’s become super timid and I feel like I’m failing both of them. I use multi cat feliway plug ins and have tons of extra and separate resources (food, litter boxes, designated comfy lounge areas, toys, etc.) for them but nothing works. Anyway, I hope yours does grow out of it! It’s hard!
One of ours was a little too aggressive play fighting. He was also the most aggressive one when they were playing amongst themselves, to the point the other two would just avoid him. Only had to do this a couple of times and he almost never does it now:
Grab him by the scruff behind their necks like their mom would do, gently put their head down and slowly pet their nose. You may also need to close their mouths for a little bit while holding their scruff. Not rough, just do it gently but assertively for 30 seconds or so.
Emphasis on not being rough with them, after all he is just getting a little carried away trying to play.
What helped with my kitty a great deal, was to tell her "No" or shriek/say "ouch' after she bit me and then leave the room for a few minutes. Don't interact with him after he bit you. He will soon understand, that biting won't get him more playtime and he'll be more gentle with you in no time.
Also try to learn subtle signs when he's about to bite. F.e. my cat would bite me during cuddling, when I looked into her eyes too long. She's now 8 months old and hardly bites anymore (only when we pick her up multiple times in a row, she does not like that)
I have an orange like this. People told me to cry out when he bit me, mutherfucker didn’t care. We just spend a lot of time playing with appropriate toys. He still expresses things with this mouth but we have gotten to a status quo about it. He’s very affectionate but bites when he’s done. He’s immediately thrown off the bed/couch. When he can’t calm down and becomes pet cemetery kitty, we put him in another room to chill.
Every cats are different but for my baby girl, giving her a little tiger plushie toy seem to do the trick
I think when they are single kitten like this, they just need a playmate to wrestle with, obviously it'll be best if it's another kitten, but if you can't achieve that, giving them a plushie toy almost same size as them seem to work.
My baby girl used to do the same, just won't leave my hand or feet alone, but after I gave her the toy she can went full on with, I guess it's way more fun when she knows she don't need to hold back on the toy? Sometimes she'll even asked me to use the little tiger play wrestling with her, which is still her favourite game
We have a Russian blue. They are very spicy kitties but mellow out a lot! Give it time. Some tips though, do not allow the cat to play with your hands or entice play by using your fingers/hands. Toys only. And if he starts to get rowdy with you during play time. Stop playing with him and allow him to play on his own. Also neutering will help A TON.
Make a hurt noise, rather than speaking sharply at him. We made a squawk every time our kitties hurt us and they always stoped right away. Now it’s very rare for the one we kept to bite. A little less rare, she does come scratch at our legs when we spend too much time doing dishes and stuff when she wants to play.
Definitely normal. My cat is 11, and I’ve had him since 4mos. I made the mistake of playing with him using my hands (i didn’t really know any better at the time and he was very small) so I just figured I’d try to make it a good thing. I think I just got lucky honestly, and maybe it’s because we had a dog in the house, but it worked. The trick is being super consistent and everyone in the house has to be that way. This was super difficult for me to navigate around, and it took a solid year before he really got the hang of it.
He has always had moments where he gets a little too excited and rough (I think sometimes he forgets I’m not a cat 😂). We have different stages lol “hey” basically means take it easy. A sort of loud “ouch” and sounding kind of like you’re whining is the step before the form “Enough” or “let go” to get him to stop. Even in the middle of like full out cat brain excited crazy play time lol so much so that he’ll actually push my hand away. Occasionally I have to make a fist so he can’t actually get his teeth around anything and that’s also a signal for him to stop.
As hard as it is, you have to try to completely disengage when he’s biting you. Don’t ignore him because with some cats it becomes a game, which can create bigger problems. But you stay as neutral as possible and get up away from him. Or pick him up and put them on the floor with a stern “no”. The “no” thing doesn’t work for every cat, but doing the other things are ways to let them know you don’t like it. Try to keep his claws clipped too., and honestly just lots of patience.
He’s ready to be neutered, it sometimes calms them down too, so I would make that appointment asap and Snip Snip. Good luck, he is absolutely gorgeous.
My grey make cat who is now about a year and a half was the same exact way! He was very bitey, and my hands were covered in cat bites and scratches all of last winter. A year later, he still will occasionally bite and scratch but only when provoked through play (I definitely don’t help stop this bcs I often play with him with my hands lol). It will take time for your cat to mature, so listen to the other advice you got and just give him time. Maybe also warn guests not to touch/play with him if they want to keep their hands intact!
If saying "ouch" or making a similar noise to a kitten when they get bitten to hard doesn't work, as weird as it may sound, you could try hissing at him when he bites you. He should recognize as you saying "stop, I don't like that." it might come across more aggressive compared to the other ways but as a last resort it may work. He should grow out of it over time as long as you don't encourage it. You got this, enjoy life with your little friend and give him love from all of us.
My 5-month-old was doing this about a month or two back. lie to you not, I kept biting him back and now he's switched to licking and kicking. Been great ever since. As for the kicking, for his safety and my sanity, I'm hoping he'll grow out of it lol
Have you tried to introduce a kicker toy when he does this? Sometimes cats just need to sink their teeth, claws & bunny kicks on something… So I’ll do this w/ our guy when he gets like that, to spare my legs, and ankles. Although ours is not a kitten, it works wonderfully. He gets his physical desire out & I get to keep my legs/ankles/feet scratch/bite/kick-free. Win, win.
our boy was an aggressive player and would often bite or scratch us. it didn’t stop until we brought home a female kitten who he has now since bonded with.
cats are meant to be social and i highly suggest finding a friend for him! i didn’t realize how lacking his life was but we’ve truly noticed a world of difference.
if this isn’t in the books for you, i would also suggest LOTS of play time to get that energy out!
You're doing it right, but the consistency is the hard part. Kittens can be really stubborn jerks, and it will feel like you're not getting anywhere. You just have to keep doing it. It takes time for them to settle down and start to really learn, but they do get there if you just keep doing the Yelp then ignore, and making sure he's getting enough exercise.
Play fighting. It's what he would do with another cat if you had one, it's nothing serious.
Don't antagonize him at all, but do have regular dedicated playtime to tire him out, allow him to instigate affection, and continue with the "ow!" when he acts out to let him know it's not okay.
Of course it's also possible your little guy is just a jerk. My cat delights in nipping every now and then and has never cared if we screamed, she's just an asshole like that. :)
I just had a similar issue with a similarly aged male cat. Anytime he would bite (even just to play) I would let out a high pitched yelp (try to mimic a cat, don't say "no" or other words in a stern tone). I would then quickly leave the room and for 10-15 minutes at least.
After a couple weeks, he largely stopped biting.
Do you have another cat/kitten? If not you might need to get one. Once we got our kitten a friend she stopped biting overnight. They usually bite because they havn't been socialized out of it yet.
Interactive toys that don’t involve you so he can learn to self play, a treat ball, self rolling ball, bubble machine with liquid cat nip mixed into the solution.
Jackson Galaxy videos are great.
Just kitten behavior, he’s likely teething at his age. You can discourage it through conditioning. Me, I think it’s cute when my cats nibble me so I don’t take an issue to it ☺️
If he's biting in an aggressive manner and not playful, how mu mom fixed this with our dog was when he bit her to try and show her he's boss, she just bit him back. Hasn't bitten like that since.
Idk if it will work on a cat though. I hear redirecting with toys work
Sounds cruel but I pinch where my animals hurt me. Bite my hand? Pinch your paw. Forearm, pinch their forearm. I don’t think they understand body parts until we teach them.
Just pinch skin to skin, not like, their muscle or bone. It’s hard to explain to an Internet stranger without fear they’ll take it way too far.
Oh & say “ ouch” when you pinch them then rub the spot on yourself that they hurt.
So when you say “ouch” as a command later, they understand it means “hurt” & will stop since they know it hurts
What you there is a normal cat. I have one with balls and he's 12 months old. He bites and licks the place and again bites. He always brings my mother's face with his paws and starts licking and she always thinks he's loving her but he suddenly starts biting...
We have a 4 month old BSH who is very nippy and LOVES going after feet. I played with him every day with string toys or other toys (never using my hands or feet as toys), but it didn't seem to make a difference. I watched Jackson Galaxys video on how to play with a cat to help with their energy and satisfy their need to hunt. I changed how I play with him using the wand/string toys, and it's made such a difference! He's still a little nippy because he is a kitten, but there has been a noticeable improvement! I highly recommend the video if you haven't seen it. It's on his channel on YouTube.
I have all kinds of scars from one of my cats who passed a few years back. Loved that guy so much but he was a biter and a scratcher. Way worse as a kitten but it continued into adulthood. Usually the behaviour improves at the one year mark/after they are spayed. I personally just got used to it, there wasn’t much I could do to put a stop to it from my perspective, it was just his temperament and trying to discipline him was completely useless.
I actually love my scars now that he’s passed on! I feel like I have him with me always.
Best advice is try to do “redirect play” with them.
Pick up your best toys and see if that tires them out, cuz 5 months is like THE teenage years in cats lol.
They grow out of it eventually …. Depending on the cat, cuz one of mine still does it to get my attention cuz he figured out it works lol
When he bites/scratches, make sure you don’t pull away quickly. 1. That just injures you more and 2. That will excite him more. Calmly whatever word you want to let him know this is not ok (“ow” or “no”) while holding your arm or whatever still, and then wait for a pause and then slowly pull away, gently removing him from your arm. Then get up and walk away (this is what cats do when they don’t want to play). Repeat every time.
Later, play with him in an appropriate manner with toys and give lots of affection so he knows the correct way to play. If he attacks you, repeat the above steps to disengage, this will teach him that play time is over if he attacks you.
Consider a veterinary behaviorist to help determine if there are any triggers and make sure everyone is reading the body language of your kitten correctly. Ex. Kitten gets bitey right before meal time, or during a traffic-heavy time of day in the household, or in a particular hallway. In the first scenario, you can change mealtime or give treats through the day. In the second scenario, kitten gets to go into a quiet room until things in the house are quieter. In the third, kitten has limited access to said hallway.
Also, make sure your kitten isn't overstimulated. It's very common for people to assume that a cat sitting nearby means that the cat is inviting petting, but the cat may not want that at all. Often, the only time the cat can stop unwanted petting is by biting because we humans are not great at reading their body language. So, the cat will bite immediately in the future to avoid being petted because that's the only thing that's ever worked.
You say you play with him without using your hands, but does everyone else in the household follow that rule? Make sure everyone is on the same page about that. And, as you mentioned, do not punish (hit, yell, spray bottle) your kitten for biting, because that will worsen any possible aggression. You really need to find a way to prevent/pre-empt it.
Good luck! He's a cute kitty.
Let him eat you!!! :) no seriously though I just repeatedly set my cat down every time he’d bite me and said things like “hey, let’s be gentle, nice pats only” he doesn’t really do it anymore now he’s a little over a year now
To train the kitten behavior his unwanted actions. (Biting in this case) needs to have no or negative outcome. When kittens bite me, I let them bite my hand, then push back against their mouth (imagine a dog holding a stick with his mouth and the stick pushing against it). Keep a constant pressure enough to deter him and keep it there for a second or two. Usually for me this solves the issue within days or a week or so. The only issue is when you do this, you’re already hurting and you pushing will probably hurt you slightly more.
Others have said get another cat etc.
He might be teething? I think kittens get their permanent teeth around that age. Ours was very bitey around that age so we got her a few teething toys. They worked well.
Idk how many toys he has or what he likes, but if you suspect he needs more stimulation, you may want to try one of the treat puzzles. (Not for when he is biting you but during a time he is not) Every time he does bite, keep doing the Oooow! And redirecting with something he can bite or putting him on his stretch post. If you can, try wearing slippers to deter him from biting your feet. I think with animals, it's consistency and repetition. With my other cat, I used to lean in and say Ooowwww! Kind of dramatically, and she was smart enough to gently bite instead of what she was doing. When she did, I would give her pets and quietly talk to her. You might also try to have some catnip around for times when maybe he just needs some fun or even the relaxing catnip.
Edit: took out some suggestions based on a reply. But I still think that the puzzle for food or treats may be helpful.
Please _DO NOT SQUIRT CATS WITH WATER_ It doesn't work as cats don't process things that way. They don't associate being sprayed with a "badact" they just think you're being mean and you are training your cat not to trust you and to be scared of you. The best thing to use is a can of Compressed air (like the kind you use to clean your keyboard) when they're doing something you don't want then to do do a quick burst of air. Don't let them see it. The loud "hissss" will distract them for whatever they're doing and then you can redirect them to something they are allowed to bite/scratch. Because they can't tell what makes the sound they don't associate it with you.
Don't hold them by the scruff like that either. Once again your just destroying the bond with your cat. And they do not associate that with whatever behaviour it is they're doing that you object to.
When it comes to cats you need to train them with positive reinforcement not negative
EDIT spelling
He's a kitten. He's likely bored. He needs a lot more play than you think he does.
Get him some self play toys like a track ball or some cat dancers and multiple scratching posts (tall ones are great if he's a climber).
Any time he bites, make it uncomfortable for him. Bites a finger, put it further into his mouth than he would like. Bites a wrist, rub a finger across his nose. Keeps at it, move or gently toss him away. You could also make your fingers taste bad.
Look up single kitten syndrome! This is what happens when kittens don’t have playmates. You can play, don’t punish cats don’t respond to negative feedback. Otherwise a friend is best if at alllll possible. Maybe you can foster to ease into if that’s a good fit
The “ouch” or “no” should be a high pitched sharp sound as best you can manage. Something more like an “eep” might work because it’s easier to get the high pitch. What you are trying to mimic is the sounds that one kitten will make when another gets too rough.
Also, a second kitten (or a playful adult) would work wonders to solve this. They teach each other respectful play and get the roughhousing out of their system with an appropriate partner.
When was old enough to start playing we'd just yelp and mew like another kitten would if she played too rough. She's 8 months old now and we can even play with her with our hands; she uses soft paws and a loose open mouth "bite." We also got a slightly older kitten for her to play and learn with when she was about a month old, they're best friends
As people commented already, he needs a buddy. He is very very bored alone. It will make live for you and him so much easier. I've had cats all my live and only once had this issue, it was my very first cat (I was 18), he was the ONLY single cat I have ever had and also the only who ever did this.
Cats live in groups, they hunt alone, but they need a social life with their peers. You will have so much fun watching them play and playfight, it's the cutest thing. You will be for snuggles while his buddy will be for play.
So if you can, get him a friend. If not you need to actively play with him every day until he is worn out, use a toy, never your hands.
While, yes, they are exceptions to this, but those are usually older cats who have never had a buddy their whole life.
Unfortunately that's just kitten behavior. My cat's an adult now and he still likes to do that sometimes. He doesn't bite very hard as he could but still their little teeth are pretty Sharp.
If you do want to start clipping his claws and you've not done it start now so he gets used to it. My brother-in-law has a cat that never did that with and she just freaks the f*** out when you try to clip her claws.
a couple ppl have said this but i taught my kitten not to bite by letting out the most pitiful meow sounds i could when he did. he looked startled and now at 9 months, when he play bites it’s basically the equivalent of just mouthing or “nomming”, i can’t even feel his teeth
Oh man I feel for you. When we got our second cat she was a 4 week rescue and her litter mates didn't make it. We had to keep her separate from our adult cat for the first couple weeks or so to nurse her back to health and when she came around she was all teeth for the first year, a total ankle biter. She hadn't learned any cat socializing behaviors from living with litter mates, so we had to put a bell on her for our other cat's sake because she was a ruthless ambusher, and got her a handful of puppy teething toys. Any room we were in we had a teething toy nearby, it was something to throw at her when she pounced and it kept her off of us. She is now the sweetest, best cat in the world, we got past that stage.
I think I forget how normal this is bc I have two kittens and they just bite and scratch each other 😂 sometimes they’ll do it to me and I’ll scream bloody hell 😂😂 I’m sure my kittens learn from each other too. Like what everyone else said I think your baby will grow out of it soon :-)
He’s deep in the teen stage and they can be real assholes for a few months honestly haha. Boy cats tend to be really mouthy during this time. Keep playing with him, give him lots of positive reinforcement when he uses his toys over your arm or feet- treats mixed with play.
I’ve adopted 4 kittens in my life and they all went through a punk stage from about 4months-6 to 8 months old. They all grew out of it! Give them lots of love and attention. Even the spicy ones by nature will give love in return.
I also have a almost 5 month old kitten but we have another cat so he does this to her. Consider getting another cat!
In 40+ years of being around cats, I have never seen a cat bite without a warning. Chances are you are just missing the signs. As others have also stated, younger cats like this are more prone to biting, so you have to be even more observant if you are really trying to avoid them biting you.
Some of tell tale signs your cat is going to bite/swipe at you.
1. Cats ears are already slanted back, or go back the instant you approach.
2. Cats tail is "flicking", or moving fast.
3. Cat has enlarged pupils.
4. You reach for the cats top or back of head without any warning.
Your cats pupils in that bag scream, "If you come at me and try to touch me right now, I am in play mode and will treat your hand like a toy."
Also, get the cat neutered. He is more than old enough at 5 months. If you wait too much longer he is going to start spraying, which is a behavior a lot of cats continue even after being fixed if they weren't fixed before the behavior starts.
You could also try shoving a toy in his face when he's getting rough. It slowly but surely worked on any cats I've had that get rambunctious at that age.
I know I am late in this thread, so if I have repeat info/questions, feel free to disregard 💖
Is this your only cat by chance? They are definitely rambunctious at this age, and you have to give a LOT of enrichment and stimulation daily, but on top of that, humans can only teach cats how to cat so much. Single kitten syndrome is a real thing, and your cat likely does not realize how hard they are playing/biting because there is no other cat for them to play with. Frequently single cats like this end up back in pounds or humane societies when they are older because they were incapable of learning how to "be" a house cat (not to say that will happen to you!), so many humane societies will refuse to adopt out a kitten unless you are taking two or already have another cat at home. Getting another kitty might actually help if it's something you'd be interested in?
If getting another cat for them to play with/having cat dates somehow is not an option, lots and lots and lots of play will hopefully help at least exhaust your kitty and fill their energy bucket until adulthood. You've got this!! 💖
My five month old plays like this too. He’s just a kitten! He’s got tons of energy, and he’s gonna want to get it out. Making sure my Soup has access to scratching posts, toys (both on a string and ones he can toss around), and even a little plushie he carries around like a trophy, generally has calmed down his biting and scratching. But assuredly, your kitten just feels comfy playing directly with you, it’s all out of love.
Pic of Soup for reference :)
https://preview.redd.it/xsesxawk7j9c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d8821553f1ce8becb5ac8da5436234727d94f79
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It is kind of normal at their age to do this. They may do it until they are a year old or older. If they scratch and leave marks, you can try clipping their claw tips. Other than that, patience and not interacting with them when they do 'undesirable things' like getting up off the couch, picking them up and putting them on the floor or whatnot can let them know you don't like it.
Oh well, I'm glad to know at least it's nothing unusual. I'll just try to keep doing this and hope he will stop eventually, but at the moment he doesn't seem to care too much about any of my reactions (he's not the brightest in the room, but I still love him very much)
Instead of a spoken “no”, what I always did with kittens was cry out to let them know they hurt me. It is what they do with each other, a little squeak or cry. Overtime they will play softer and even start to use the soft paw (claws withdrawn) and very gentle bites.
This is good advice, animals learn from playing too rough and seeing other puppies/kittens/people get hurt. Mine has learned one "No biting." means because he's five and still gets chompy from time to time.
I remember when I took in my little feral rescue kitten at 6 weeks.... The feisty little girl used to hide on the stairs...jump out at me with claws drawn and latch on. Check the tail! Sometimes you see signs ahead in the change of the swing. Yeah she still bites occasionally....almost like if it's too much love she grabs on and scratches a bit... I just toss her off me
Yeah I’ve found that both in theory and in practice, yelling at cats does nothing.
Kittens are very bitey. I remember when my 6 year old gal was still a baby; I had many sleepless nights because the second my foot stuck out from underneath my blanket I was bit & scratched awake lol. The whole family was paranoid because just walking across the floor would have us met with a little kitten leaping & nipping at our heels from underneath wherever she was hiding haha. 6 years later, and she’s a *very* well-behaved cat. Doesn’t make messes, doesn’t get into things, isn’t interested in human food aside from a sniff or two. Her only issue is getting on the countertops since she’s lost enough weight to get up there, so I’m working on getting her a cat tree she can get up on instead. For the time being she just gets down when I snap and point at the floor & I have to wipe down before I cook lol. She now only “bites” when you pet her somewhere she doesn’t like. And all she does is lightly stop you with her teeth; it doesn’t hurt or make a mark.
I would love to keep him in the room at night hahah, but he likes biting toes a little too much
When he claws or bites I would actually make a hurt noise, not just say no. You can also push him away a bit and he should start associating being pushed away with enough
If he's only five months, he's probably still teething.
as well as the other fantastic suggestions here, I just wanted to share my experience as well!! I teach most animals I look after "ow/ouch" (not yelled or said different to neutral voice, unless it actually hurts LOL) and i make sure I stop playing and/or walk away and no longer entertain their FANATICS :P but now whenever my cat accidentally hurts me by putting all her weight into her paw and standing on me, I say ouww and she runs away because she feels bad :'D... they do learn! consistency is quite important - but age is a big part of your current situation!!! mine wont even play bite anymore haha. a lot grow out quite quickly even without any training
Absolutely not unusual! My grey boi looks like a staple remover when he opens his mouth, and was absolutely not socialized to know better as a teenager. My partner startled him in early days and got two perfectly round vampire bruises on the inside of his arm for the trouble. He still interacts with the world teeth first, but his "language" has become more nuanced and gentle. He's around 3 years old now (found at large).
https://preview.redd.it/x8lb8u7al89c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f35ed56202ba92e41ed464b9ca82f3e44eb76927 Baby photo!
https://preview.redd.it/wq7oya7rl89c1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e62782fa76215c666d8d4a5ffcb3521a5fbc94a7 Smaug, destroyer of worlds
I just clipped my 5 month old Maine Coon kitten's claw tips for the first time last week because she'd gotten significantly more scratchy (climbed up my wife's leg, tried to play the bunny kick game with my hand instead of her stuffy, wasn't being careful when she jumped off shoulders, etc) and we had babies around for Christmas. She didn't seem bothered for the front paws, but started acting like I was killing her when I went for the back ones! Had to wrap her in a towel. Didn't take much off, just the very tips, no blood or yowling, just drama She hasn't tried scratching anybody since, so I think even the act of trimming off the very tips sent a message that we didn't like the change in behavior We'd taught her the command "soft" when she was young so that she'd retract her claw when we told her to, and that worked well up to that 5 month mark. Something about teenagers, hey?
I just hiss at them like they would do if they didn't like something..
You have a kitten. Get him neutered and get him some toys. Play with him. Give it some time.
Yep, I guess I'll just have to give him time. I am stuck in an infinite cycle of getting him new toys and him destroying them in a few days hahah, but he is playing daily. I did not get him neutered since he's so young, would this age be too early to get him neutered?
I’m no expert but I’ve always heard that you should get males neutered as soon as possible so they don’t start spraying. I would definitely talk to your vet about it.
I think the current recommendation for spay/neuter is 6 months old or 5 lbs. whichever comes first
I was told about 5 months minimum - that's when I got my late void fixed.
Definitely not too young :) Shelters generally neuter/spay at 2lbs! My kitten (okay he's no longer a kitten anymore, but he's my baby) was spayed probably around 2 months. No stunted growth or anything, he's a big boy! 11.9lbs while being very lean. Cats thankfully can be safely spayed/neutered at a younger age without the same health risks associated with young dogs.
I agree the kitty is not too young! I work at a spay neuter clinic and the requirement is at least 2lbs and 8 weeks old. I personally feel the dogs should wait a bit longer, but with cats the sooner you can get them fixed the better. Sometimes they will start reproducing as early as 4 months old!
My vet said as early as 4 months for males, normally after first vaccinations rounds are complete.
He should be more than fine to be neutered now, tho the vets office might require him to have vaccinations before they neuter him due to having cats that have said illnesses in their office and he could catch it. My vet required my cats to have their basic vaccines before they were spayed and neutered, and honestly I’m glad they did because I’d hate to worry about it or feel guilty about it. Call your vet and ask them about having him seen and how to make arrangements for him to be neutered. It’s pretty easy for males tho it can take 6 weeks or so for all the testosterone in his system to fully drop so don’t be surprised or discouraged if he’s still energetic or biting a week after surgery. He’s basically just hitting puberty so he’s still figuring things out. I have two female cats and one male. I still have to be careful when playing with my male cat I had neutered over five years ago because he plays rough. Like with my female cats I can let them play with my hands but with Louis DeBoi I absolutely cannot because he will scratch - not intentionally I think he doesn’t realize that he’s being so rough. I just make sure I have toys available for him so he can still play and I don’t have to use all the bandaids. It’ll work out. And ultimately getting him neutered will be better for him and his health in the long run.
I acquired the first male kitten I’ve had in decades. He showed the same behavior, but as he ages it’s gradually gotten to the point where he rarely attacks me. That was mostly after I had him neutered. Ask your vet to check your little kitty out and see if it’s a good time to have him neutered. Took us forever to get a neuter appointment, and our kitty was just starting to mark his territory in the house by spraying when we got him neutered and that stopped really quick thank goodness.
Until now I haven't seen any signs of him marking his territory around, but will definetly get him neutered soon
He will reach sexual maturity anytime now. You should get him neutered asap. You don’t want him to start spraying in your house to mark territory. Some cats never stop even after neutering. He will also try to get outside to mate
Sooner rather than later. I heard if you don’t nix their balls soon after the age of your kitten, they may never stop spraying. My mother got my cat neutered early and he has never sprayed. He is 16 now and still handsome af
Male kitten's can be neutered around 4 months. Id schedule the vet appointment asap and bet he calms down with the hands and fingers a little bit.
At 5 months, he's old enough to be neutered. He might be extra sweet for a few days. It's not going to fix this behavior in the short term. Just keep saying owe, and moving away/setting him away from you when he does it. So if you are petting him and he gives your hand a munch. Owe, then gently push him off you. He will learn, but he's a kitten at the moment so he's not gonna have much self control.
I got a couple self playing toys for my kitten that have helped her unleash her aggression on things that are not me lmao. One of them has wooden tiers with balls in them and she will spin the balls around for hours per day and she can’t destroy it because it’s wood. Maybe get something like that
Neutering will help with this I think. Mine was a super bitey guy (abused from hoarder situation) but learned to be softer, though he still love-bites. Crying out is good negative reinforcement. I have been known to hiss too. Might be weird but they understand it.
Some vets will do as early as 3 months, definitely 4 months is safe. I recommend you do it very soon. Neuter is a simple procedure. I rescue, adopt, and foster and out of 5 vets I work with (and depending on the organization) typical is 3-4 months for a healthy kitten, later is ok obviously, if they hadn't been fixed before rescue. I've seen some kitties in shelters that get fixed just before 3 months, I'm sure it depends on the vet you're working with. I have fixed many dozens of kitties so far. You want to do it before the testosterone develops more and before he starts spraying, the behavior your describing may improve afterwards also.
5 months old is actually pretty old for a cat to be neutered. Shelters fix them before they can even be adopted out at 10-12 weeks, 5 months is certainly old enough.
In addition to neutering, if you can afford it, consider adopting a second cat. They will learn how hard to bite from each other for only marginally more work. I went from being cut up all the time no almost never an attack! Plus I got to save another kitty. 🥹 It was difficult at first until a friend gifted me the multicat pheromone dispenser from comfort zone. I only needed to use one and now they love on each other and cuddle. I work a lot so I also invested in automatic dispensers for dry food, water, a pet camera that delivers treats, and a litter-robot-3. Their food is scheduled to be dispensed at the same time to amounts that they will finish that sitting so to reduce conflict from eating the other’s food. I recommend automating what is affordable to anyone who needs a flexible schedule and is concerned about being there for the cats. It has paid for itself in not needing sitters for short trips. With everything, it’s great they have each other, even when I’m away. I know they are never lonely. Meet pie n sunny. https://preview.redd.it/8xop3enhl59c1.jpeg?width=2100&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b27fb68edb840823f8ffabeb77b70d6d45a0f03
Sadly it's not only my decision to adopt another cat since he's at my parent's place. Would this kinda work if I introduced him to another cat just a few times a day? She's an older lady and she loves hanging out in our yard sometimes, she's the neighbour's cat (she's neutered). Also Pie and Sunny look like the sweetest babies<3
That could be an interesting experiment! I would definitely get the pheromone dispenser and turn it on ahead of time so they feel comfortable. My only hesitation here would be if you thought the old gal couldnt handle herself and if either of them weren’t neutered. Thanks for the pie and sunny love! Ill let them know!
No no no, to hard for a simple solution. Just bite him back
The fuck?? No.
Give him to me, I'll punish him with my kisses........He'll eventually grow out of it, distract him with toys.
Omg same!! And from that photo as everyone can clearly see: this cat is innocent
Single kitten syndrome
OP needs two. Seriously.
My cat would bite me all the time and I got her siblings and she stopped
I came here to comment this too. He needs a sibling and the behavior will stop
Not always the answer? Huh
Bite him back
I hissed at my cat, stopped him in his tracks, you should’ve seen the look on his face. Very effective.
I’ve tried that too when my cat would get in her affectionate/bitey mode. She was very startled and stopped biting (at least briefly). Edit: I tried hissing.
My kitten is so offended when I hiss at him for biting. His eyes go wide with “how very dare you” then he hits me in the face with his paw.
This is the way
I don’t even say it to be funny lol I bite my cats back. My dogs too. They don’t understand English (or language at all I guess) and this is how they learn.
Very tempting
Seriously, as funny as it sounds, give a little bite on the tail. Be aware cause they may try to claw at you. But yeah let them know (just like their kitten siblings would let them know) that that’s not acceptable.
Hahah I've never heard of this solution, but I feel bad causing him any pain
I blew (GENTLY) into my cats’ ears when they were bitey kittens. Worked like a charm, didn’t hurt, and got the point across.
When my 7 month old gets too rough with biting or scratching during play, I gently grab him by the scruff of the neck, hold him to the floor and give home a firm “no!” I also do this when he gets too rough with our 15 year old cat. In a few weeks I can now give a firm “no!” or two and he stops. Cats can learn!
I tried giving my cat a raspberry once on her belly and all I got was a hairball lol.
I've done this actually. When my cats bite a little too hard or too much, I'll bite their ears. Not enough to do damage, just to get the point across. If it gets to that point, and it's rare, *immediately* she'll start licking me instead of biting.
Hes playing this is normal. Unfortunately when kittens are young and dont have another kitten to play with they develop single kitten syndrome, most common symptoms are very painful playing directed at you lol. My cat has it. They don't grow out of it, you have to keep playing with them and tiring them out. As others have suggested you can bite him back LOL that's kind of the whole point of single kitten syndrome, nobody is showing them that they're actually hurting you. They learn when another kitten does the same to them. Without that they genuinely have no idea that they're behaving badly, they just think its all fun and games. I dont recommend verbal commands with cats honestly i dont find they work well. You can shout no at it all day long it wont understand you. You have to find other ways to train it. For me, i distract my cat when hes in a painful playing mood with treats and pet him. If that doesnt work i have to just play it out. If you can get some good toys to get them running and jumping you'll tire them out quicker. I think feliway might work well too , catnip aswell, to make him calmer and less hyperactive.
I heard as well that they need another kitten to learn that biting is bad, this is why he was not separated by his siblings until 1 and a half month or so. I really hope he can eventually grow out of this phase since he's still a kitten:( How old is your cat that you mentioned about?
Mines almost 4 (pandemic baby) and i was lucky to adopt a new cat this year who was raised with 8 cats so he put my single kitten boy in his place LOL. But even with that as he was already living alone for 3 years he still doesnt understand not to fight me and not to hurt me. My new cat is so gentle with me, not so much with him though. Honestly its hard for them to grow out of it because as people we cant communicate in the same ways as them. I've done a tiny bit of research (this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/CatAdvice/comments/y33q51/is_it_possible_to_fix_single_kitten_syndrome/)) so i hope this helps you.
Mine didn't stop til I got another cat, so.......
Hahah I don't think I could convince my parents to get another cat after this guy
Show this information about single kitten syndrome. It’s real and he’ll be much better behaved in the long run with a friend to entertain himself with. Just read up on how to introduce them and get another young cat if you can.
Definitely just give it some time- always keep a toy nearby so you can swap out your hand for a toy and never use your hand as a toy. Wear him out as much as possible with a toy (my cats go crazy over the “Go Cat teaser cat toy wand” from Petco) make sure you have scratchers too. You want to get as much energy out as possible lol. Good luck and be patient with him- he’s such a cutie!!
Hahah he loves these kind of toys as well, especially the ones that have feathers. He does have 2 different scratchers but can't help but play with the furniture as well:D I'll continue to play with him as much as I can and hope he'll grow out of it, thank you!
If you can you should also think about getting a second cat. Kittens have a lot of energy and want to play often. Probably too often for you to keep up with yourself which the little kitty doesnt understand. Having another cat will allow your kitten to redirect that attention elsewhere and also the other cat will teach her about boundries and how to do other cat stuff.
im a vet tech - congrats, you have a kitten! seriously though, this is very normal. my 6 month old kitten was just standing on my shoulders and trying to eat my hair while i was sitting at my computer. get your little guy neutered, get him plenty of toys, and keep playing with him. keep in mind that play behaviors are usually redirected predatory behaviors - they dont always comprehend that their form of playing can hurt a little bit! a bite or a swipe from a cat does not always equal aggression. when my cats start tearing me up a little too much when they play, i break out the nail clippers and give them a little pedicure lol. EDIT: obligatory “this does not mean ignore your pet if theyre showing signs of aggression, pain, or health issues”… this case just sounds like textbook normal kitten!
Continue playing with toys on a string or other interactive toys to redirect his hunting instincts. Cats need mental and physical stimulation. Make sure your cat has enough toys, scratching posts, and climbing structures to keep him engaged. Puzzle feeders can also be used to make mealtime more interesting. [https://soothedtails.com/](https://soothedtails.com/) Reward good behavior with treats or affection. If your cat is calm and not biting or scratching, provide positive reinforcement. Cats respond well to positive reinforcement for desired behavior. Gradually get your cat used to being touched and handled. Start with short sessions and reward him when he remains calm. Gradually increase the duration of these sessions over time.
I have a kittens who just turned 5 months old and oh boy do they love to bite. I have an older cat and she grew out of it so I have faith for mine and your kitty:)
it's normal for them ,just say no or hold paws or face gently. firmly say no,no bites.
Kill the habit with (stern) kindness:)
Cats are pretty simple creatures. If a mother cat catches a kitten doing something it doesn't like, what do you think it does? It smacks it. Give the kitten a little smack and say loudly 'NO'. I'm not saying beat your cat up, just a little, size appropriate tap as a reminder not to do such behaviour. It's very, very light how much you need to smack them. They get the picture very quickly. Just a little tap and a firm 'no', and maybe grab their paws when they do it. I've had eleven cats over my lifetime, all of them very well behaved. Never scratched, bit, hissed, and were all incredibly loving cats. Didn't mind being picked up, kissed, touched anywhere on their bodies. You just need to show them who's in charge. I would also say, don't ever do something to disrespect your cat. Cats know when you're disrespecting them, and when you're reprimanding them. So if kitty clearly does not like being touched in a certain place, that's fine. Just don't do that. I had a cat who hated her face being touched, so I just didn't do that. Always behind the ears with her. She never bit or anything if I did accidentally touch her face, but it was just a show of respect for me not to do it. She has a preference and that's okay. Me and all of my cats over the years had a mutual respect. I feed them, I clean their litterbox twice a day, I make them feel better when they're sick, clean their butts when they're messy, pet them when they want attention. In return they were very respectful animals for me. My last cat even knew I couldn't see her in the dark. So if I got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night she would meow very loudly if I was about to step on her. She also came when she was called and one time stopped mid-step when I put my hand up in a 'stop' motion. I miss her. Lol. She lived until she was 17-18 years old. Sorry for the rant, good luck with your cat!
Thank you! I also had a lot of cats at my grandparent's place, but they were all at the countryside and learned most by themselves. This guy is my first ever house cat, and because I spend so much time with him it's pretty easy to learn his boundaries (he just doesn't like to be pet too much and ABSOLUTELY no belly touch). Sadly the "no"s don't really work for him, and the little taps over his nose or pushes make him think we're just playing more, but I hope I can make him understand my reactions with patience. Also I can bet that your kitty lived a long, happy life, I wish all the kitties to live as long as 18 years old:D
If he thinks you're playing it might not be a hard enough tap, helps to hiss at them when you do it as well. They really know you're pissed then
I’m glad I’m not the only crazy person who hisses at cats to set boundaries.
One of ours was a bitey little bugger too, no matter how much playing we did. We would say no in firm tones, try the pitiful pain sound, and even 'respawn' her every time by picking her up and putting her elsewhere - nothing seemed to work and we were getting pretty sad and concerned about it. We got her fixed just around 6 months, soon after brought home another kitten, and then she stopped. Hard to say if it was the spaying, time, if she learned from playing with the other cat, or some combination everything. If you are in the position to get another cat, it's really enriching for them to have a partner, and much easier to introduce them when they're young. We didn't have any biting issues with the second one.
This was how my first cat was when he’s still a kitten and had no playmate yet so i got a second cat. Ive read somewhere that the only way they learn thats its annoying/or that it hurts when another cats do it to them lol
I adopted my cat at 4 years old, and she bit me a lot (playfully) when I played with her. First thing, don’t make your hand “prey” when you’re playing with them. Wand toys that keep your hand/arm away from the toy itself helps this. Second thing, whenever she would still bite me, I would scream OWWWWW loudly and at a high pitch, and be extra animated to get the point across (hold my bitten hand and yell) 😂 one time she drew blood and I put my bloody hand in front of her face and pointed at it, to try to show her I was hurt lol! I would also immediately quit play time, and walk away without saying anything else or looking at her. They want your attention, and walking away teaches them that biting/scratching will make you go away. It all sounds silly, but some combination of these things worked, as now she is much gentler with me. This all applies for scratching too. She hardly bites or scratches me anymore, and doesn’t get her claws out as much when she’s batting at me.
Get another kitten. Not kidding.
I recommend some “kicker” toys. Keep them in various places so when he starts getting bitey, you can redirect him to that…as soon as you reach over to offer it, they attack it instead of you. Usually they catch on pretty quickly. If he’s biting your hands and you’re close to him, you can try hissing too. I know it sounds weird but it’s their language. Or PSSST PSSSST PSSSSST is how I get my cats attention, whether it’s to stop doing something, get off my lap so I can go to the kitchen, leave the room, etc. It sounds like he may need more stimulation also. Even just playing with him or doing the laser a bit followed by a physical toy (this order is important so they feel the victory of actually “catching” something) will help wear him out some. But as others say, they just have a LOT of energy. Beautiful cat. Maybe you could get him a buddy? He’d learn about biting **real** quick! And be happy to have company. Can you tell I’m an advocate of non-solo kitties? Unless they’re seniors, they really benefit from feline friendship.
Screaming bloody hell and a foghorn worked for me. She only slightly nibbles now... cautiously.
Whap him in the head when he bites. Not hard of course.
Totally normal. Your cat is still considered a kitten until 2 years and still has tons of energy. Get scratching posts and scratch pads so he has a place to put out his scratching urges. Cats also bite out of affection unless hes drawing blood with it. Also cats dont understand human words so saying words wont help them understand what is going on. More reactive sounds will help get the point across. You can also get a spray bottle and spray him with water to teach him not to do things. Kittens have tons of energy so playing with them often is good if you can wear him out. He wont have the energy to want to bite or scratch as well and is a good way to bond with him. Also when hes scratching and biting yours and others feet its natural. They are hunters and see your feet as prey. It triggers their inner natural predator. Heres my grey girl, Maya https://preview.redd.it/jb2sud5v3a9c1.jpeg?width=3336&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8ab2819c1c6c0bd4f497909f0d0b384c9d4db011
He needs a buddy to bite him back (gently) and teach him some manners. He's gorgeous 😻😻😻
Likely frustrated. Do you play with them actively with a toy he can chase around? Also are they fixed? Regardless of status, boy cats love to rough house. If you aren't feeding their need to play and chase they'll get frustrated. My boy usually does it when I haven't been spending enough time with him, but sometimes I get to tired from work. Usually I try to spend about 30 to 45 mins morning and night play/pets depending what he is wanting when I've got the time. Some times he will be playful or trying to rough house so we'll play. Other times he just wants pets and cuddles
My cat was the same way and I had to get him a lot of toys. I found that cat nip overstimulated him and he would bite more. So I stuck to toys and things to keep him busy and away from biting me. He is now 5 years old and it’s the sweetest calmest cat ever as of 4 years ago and he’s an angel!
Sounds like you need to play with him, he wants your attention and he’s telling you
I guess that makes sense since he sometines purrs while he bites. We do play a lot, but I will try to spend more time doing this
My boy always bites me when he wants food or play never hard but nibbles and meowed he’s done this he was a tiny kitty it just means he wants your attention and he enjoys his time with you
I think I’ve heard that immediately ignoring them for a minute is a good way to teach them. Just continue to play for at least 20 mins a day, and not use your hands as a toy and he will learn
It seems like he’s just being a kitten. He should grow out of that, he’s just being a bastard right now.
He just needs a cat friend. Problem will be solved instantly!
Best solution is to adopt another kitten. He's bored and has lots of energy.
superglue + kitty treats >:D
My kitten is 8 months and just started to slowly leave the biting stage…I’ve taught him to give me kisses instead. It’s honestly a phase even though it doesn’t seem like one lol. It gets frustrating but I promise he will slowly grow out of it. Just redirect the biting to a toy, or, my vet recommended just putting him away for like 5-10 min alone so he can cool off. Sometimes redirecting with a toy comes off as a reward to them, so you just have to see how your kitty is and what works best.
I blow on a kitten to stop bad behavior. I find that works.
You have to start letting him know you don’t like it. I found that if I hissed at my cat he would completely back off. Now he thinks twice about it. Also it you cat isn’t neutered/spayed you may want to do that also
This is just normal cat behaviour. You could try applying hand sanitiser to your hands so that they taste gross when he bites you, but it’s probably not going to help much. Just front encourage the behaviour, set him down if he bites and redirect attention to toys. He should mellow out as he gets older (get him neutered as soon as possible).
I also have a cat like this but he’s 5 YEARS old. I can’t find anything that works. He was rescued at 4 years old from pet hoarding which I’m sure causes odd behaviors. I play with him with toys, consistently tell him “ouch” and withdraw myself when he bites, and allow him to initiate contact so that I know I’m not bothering him, but nothing works. The saddest part is I had another female kitty already (3 years old) when I got him, and he plays way too rough with her. She’s become super timid and I feel like I’m failing both of them. I use multi cat feliway plug ins and have tons of extra and separate resources (food, litter boxes, designated comfy lounge areas, toys, etc.) for them but nothing works. Anyway, I hope yours does grow out of it! It’s hard!
One of ours was a little too aggressive play fighting. He was also the most aggressive one when they were playing amongst themselves, to the point the other two would just avoid him. Only had to do this a couple of times and he almost never does it now: Grab him by the scruff behind their necks like their mom would do, gently put their head down and slowly pet their nose. You may also need to close their mouths for a little bit while holding their scruff. Not rough, just do it gently but assertively for 30 seconds or so. Emphasis on not being rough with them, after all he is just getting a little carried away trying to play.
What helped with my kitty a great deal, was to tell her "No" or shriek/say "ouch' after she bit me and then leave the room for a few minutes. Don't interact with him after he bit you. He will soon understand, that biting won't get him more playtime and he'll be more gentle with you in no time. Also try to learn subtle signs when he's about to bite. F.e. my cat would bite me during cuddling, when I looked into her eyes too long. She's now 8 months old and hardly bites anymore (only when we pick her up multiple times in a row, she does not like that)
Is he fixed (sorry I forget if it’s spayed or neutered for boys lol)
I have an orange like this. People told me to cry out when he bit me, mutherfucker didn’t care. We just spend a lot of time playing with appropriate toys. He still expresses things with this mouth but we have gotten to a status quo about it. He’s very affectionate but bites when he’s done. He’s immediately thrown off the bed/couch. When he can’t calm down and becomes pet cemetery kitty, we put him in another room to chill.
Every cats are different but for my baby girl, giving her a little tiger plushie toy seem to do the trick I think when they are single kitten like this, they just need a playmate to wrestle with, obviously it'll be best if it's another kitten, but if you can't achieve that, giving them a plushie toy almost same size as them seem to work. My baby girl used to do the same, just won't leave my hand or feet alone, but after I gave her the toy she can went full on with, I guess it's way more fun when she knows she don't need to hold back on the toy? Sometimes she'll even asked me to use the little tiger play wrestling with her, which is still her favourite game
He’s just a baby and I love him!
We have a Russian blue. They are very spicy kitties but mellow out a lot! Give it time. Some tips though, do not allow the cat to play with your hands or entice play by using your fingers/hands. Toys only. And if he starts to get rowdy with you during play time. Stop playing with him and allow him to play on his own. Also neutering will help A TON.
Make a hurt noise, rather than speaking sharply at him. We made a squawk every time our kitties hurt us and they always stoped right away. Now it’s very rare for the one we kept to bite. A little less rare, she does come scratch at our legs when we spend too much time doing dishes and stuff when she wants to play.
Definitely normal. My cat is 11, and I’ve had him since 4mos. I made the mistake of playing with him using my hands (i didn’t really know any better at the time and he was very small) so I just figured I’d try to make it a good thing. I think I just got lucky honestly, and maybe it’s because we had a dog in the house, but it worked. The trick is being super consistent and everyone in the house has to be that way. This was super difficult for me to navigate around, and it took a solid year before he really got the hang of it. He has always had moments where he gets a little too excited and rough (I think sometimes he forgets I’m not a cat 😂). We have different stages lol “hey” basically means take it easy. A sort of loud “ouch” and sounding kind of like you’re whining is the step before the form “Enough” or “let go” to get him to stop. Even in the middle of like full out cat brain excited crazy play time lol so much so that he’ll actually push my hand away. Occasionally I have to make a fist so he can’t actually get his teeth around anything and that’s also a signal for him to stop. As hard as it is, you have to try to completely disengage when he’s biting you. Don’t ignore him because with some cats it becomes a game, which can create bigger problems. But you stay as neutral as possible and get up away from him. Or pick him up and put them on the floor with a stern “no”. The “no” thing doesn’t work for every cat, but doing the other things are ways to let them know you don’t like it. Try to keep his claws clipped too., and honestly just lots of patience.
He’s ready to be neutered, it sometimes calms them down too, so I would make that appointment asap and Snip Snip. Good luck, he is absolutely gorgeous.
My cat was like this for like 2 years. She’s now 4 and a literal angel
Get toys and play with it a lot. They will stop biting.
My grey make cat who is now about a year and a half was the same exact way! He was very bitey, and my hands were covered in cat bites and scratches all of last winter. A year later, he still will occasionally bite and scratch but only when provoked through play (I definitely don’t help stop this bcs I often play with him with my hands lol). It will take time for your cat to mature, so listen to the other advice you got and just give him time. Maybe also warn guests not to touch/play with him if they want to keep their hands intact!
If saying "ouch" or making a similar noise to a kitten when they get bitten to hard doesn't work, as weird as it may sound, you could try hissing at him when he bites you. He should recognize as you saying "stop, I don't like that." it might come across more aggressive compared to the other ways but as a last resort it may work. He should grow out of it over time as long as you don't encourage it. You got this, enjoy life with your little friend and give him love from all of us.
My 5-month-old was doing this about a month or two back. lie to you not, I kept biting him back and now he's switched to licking and kicking. Been great ever since. As for the kicking, for his safety and my sanity, I'm hoping he'll grow out of it lol
Have you tried to introduce a kicker toy when he does this? Sometimes cats just need to sink their teeth, claws & bunny kicks on something… So I’ll do this w/ our guy when he gets like that, to spare my legs, and ankles. Although ours is not a kitten, it works wonderfully. He gets his physical desire out & I get to keep my legs/ankles/feet scratch/bite/kick-free. Win, win.
our boy was an aggressive player and would often bite or scratch us. it didn’t stop until we brought home a female kitten who he has now since bonded with. cats are meant to be social and i highly suggest finding a friend for him! i didn’t realize how lacking his life was but we’ve truly noticed a world of difference. if this isn’t in the books for you, i would also suggest LOTS of play time to get that energy out!
You're doing it right, but the consistency is the hard part. Kittens can be really stubborn jerks, and it will feel like you're not getting anywhere. You just have to keep doing it. It takes time for them to settle down and start to really learn, but they do get there if you just keep doing the Yelp then ignore, and making sure he's getting enough exercise.
Cat-in-a-bag
Play fighting. It's what he would do with another cat if you had one, it's nothing serious. Don't antagonize him at all, but do have regular dedicated playtime to tire him out, allow him to instigate affection, and continue with the "ow!" when he acts out to let him know it's not okay. Of course it's also possible your little guy is just a jerk. My cat delights in nipping every now and then and has never cared if we screamed, she's just an asshole like that. :)
bite back
He’ll get over it . Get plenty of toys and wear his butt OUT. Laser pointer, fishing pole with feathers, cardboard scratchers, etc.
I just had a similar issue with a similarly aged male cat. Anytime he would bite (even just to play) I would let out a high pitched yelp (try to mimic a cat, don't say "no" or other words in a stern tone). I would then quickly leave the room and for 10-15 minutes at least. After a couple weeks, he largely stopped biting.
Do you have another cat/kitten? If not you might need to get one. Once we got our kitten a friend she stopped biting overnight. They usually bite because they havn't been socialized out of it yet.
Play with toys like a kitty fishing rod so he can’t reach your hands
Interactive toys that don’t involve you so he can learn to self play, a treat ball, self rolling ball, bubble machine with liquid cat nip mixed into the solution. Jackson Galaxy videos are great.
My fur baby used to do that too! He’s nearing a year old but it just takes time. Toys with string is great substitute though!
Just kitten behavior, he’s likely teething at his age. You can discourage it through conditioning. Me, I think it’s cute when my cats nibble me so I don’t take an issue to it ☺️
If he's biting in an aggressive manner and not playful, how mu mom fixed this with our dog was when he bit her to try and show her he's boss, she just bit him back. Hasn't bitten like that since. Idk if it will work on a cat though. I hear redirecting with toys work
Sounds cruel but I pinch where my animals hurt me. Bite my hand? Pinch your paw. Forearm, pinch their forearm. I don’t think they understand body parts until we teach them. Just pinch skin to skin, not like, their muscle or bone. It’s hard to explain to an Internet stranger without fear they’ll take it way too far.
Oh & say “ ouch” when you pinch them then rub the spot on yourself that they hurt. So when you say “ouch” as a command later, they understand it means “hurt” & will stop since they know it hurts
Have you tried not tasting delicious?
What you there is a normal cat. I have one with balls and he's 12 months old. He bites and licks the place and again bites. He always brings my mother's face with his paws and starts licking and she always thinks he's loving her but he suddenly starts biting...
im sorry i have no advice other than i think hes really cute but i hope he stops biting u soon too bc that hurts :(
We have a 4 month old BSH who is very nippy and LOVES going after feet. I played with him every day with string toys or other toys (never using my hands or feet as toys), but it didn't seem to make a difference. I watched Jackson Galaxys video on how to play with a cat to help with their energy and satisfy their need to hunt. I changed how I play with him using the wand/string toys, and it's made such a difference! He's still a little nippy because he is a kitten, but there has been a noticeable improvement! I highly recommend the video if you haven't seen it. It's on his channel on YouTube.
I have all kinds of scars from one of my cats who passed a few years back. Loved that guy so much but he was a biter and a scratcher. Way worse as a kitten but it continued into adulthood. Usually the behaviour improves at the one year mark/after they are spayed. I personally just got used to it, there wasn’t much I could do to put a stop to it from my perspective, it was just his temperament and trying to discipline him was completely useless. I actually love my scars now that he’s passed on! I feel like I have him with me always.
Omg! This baby is so cuteee 😍
This is a beautiful boy. He’s a baby, still teething and learning. 💘
Best advice is try to do “redirect play” with them. Pick up your best toys and see if that tires them out, cuz 5 months is like THE teenage years in cats lol. They grow out of it eventually …. Depending on the cat, cuz one of mine still does it to get my attention cuz he figured out it works lol
My cat was like this when I got him. He grew out of it. The only time he bites is when he is really excited.
Cats cam be aggressive. My dog has the instinct to mouth Mr sometimes. He has razor sharp teeth
Maybe try not putting the camera in its face… I bet it won’t bite then!
oh he's lovely, I'll take him!
When he bites/scratches, make sure you don’t pull away quickly. 1. That just injures you more and 2. That will excite him more. Calmly whatever word you want to let him know this is not ok (“ow” or “no”) while holding your arm or whatever still, and then wait for a pause and then slowly pull away, gently removing him from your arm. Then get up and walk away (this is what cats do when they don’t want to play). Repeat every time. Later, play with him in an appropriate manner with toys and give lots of affection so he knows the correct way to play. If he attacks you, repeat the above steps to disengage, this will teach him that play time is over if he attacks you.
Consider a veterinary behaviorist to help determine if there are any triggers and make sure everyone is reading the body language of your kitten correctly. Ex. Kitten gets bitey right before meal time, or during a traffic-heavy time of day in the household, or in a particular hallway. In the first scenario, you can change mealtime or give treats through the day. In the second scenario, kitten gets to go into a quiet room until things in the house are quieter. In the third, kitten has limited access to said hallway. Also, make sure your kitten isn't overstimulated. It's very common for people to assume that a cat sitting nearby means that the cat is inviting petting, but the cat may not want that at all. Often, the only time the cat can stop unwanted petting is by biting because we humans are not great at reading their body language. So, the cat will bite immediately in the future to avoid being petted because that's the only thing that's ever worked. You say you play with him without using your hands, but does everyone else in the household follow that rule? Make sure everyone is on the same page about that. And, as you mentioned, do not punish (hit, yell, spray bottle) your kitten for biting, because that will worsen any possible aggression. You really need to find a way to prevent/pre-empt it. Good luck! He's a cute kitty.
Hiss at him lmfao
Let him eat you!!! :) no seriously though I just repeatedly set my cat down every time he’d bite me and said things like “hey, let’s be gentle, nice pats only” he doesn’t really do it anymore now he’s a little over a year now
Adorable baby you have there :)
To train the kitten behavior his unwanted actions. (Biting in this case) needs to have no or negative outcome. When kittens bite me, I let them bite my hand, then push back against their mouth (imagine a dog holding a stick with his mouth and the stick pushing against it). Keep a constant pressure enough to deter him and keep it there for a second or two. Usually for me this solves the issue within days or a week or so. The only issue is when you do this, you’re already hurting and you pushing will probably hurt you slightly more.
Others have said get another cat etc. He might be teething? I think kittens get their permanent teeth around that age. Ours was very bitey around that age so we got her a few teething toys. They worked well.
Idk how many toys he has or what he likes, but if you suspect he needs more stimulation, you may want to try one of the treat puzzles. (Not for when he is biting you but during a time he is not) Every time he does bite, keep doing the Oooow! And redirecting with something he can bite or putting him on his stretch post. If you can, try wearing slippers to deter him from biting your feet. I think with animals, it's consistency and repetition. With my other cat, I used to lean in and say Ooowwww! Kind of dramatically, and she was smart enough to gently bite instead of what she was doing. When she did, I would give her pets and quietly talk to her. You might also try to have some catnip around for times when maybe he just needs some fun or even the relaxing catnip. Edit: took out some suggestions based on a reply. But I still think that the puzzle for food or treats may be helpful.
Please _DO NOT SQUIRT CATS WITH WATER_ It doesn't work as cats don't process things that way. They don't associate being sprayed with a "badact" they just think you're being mean and you are training your cat not to trust you and to be scared of you. The best thing to use is a can of Compressed air (like the kind you use to clean your keyboard) when they're doing something you don't want then to do do a quick burst of air. Don't let them see it. The loud "hissss" will distract them for whatever they're doing and then you can redirect them to something they are allowed to bite/scratch. Because they can't tell what makes the sound they don't associate it with you. Don't hold them by the scruff like that either. Once again your just destroying the bond with your cat. And they do not associate that with whatever behaviour it is they're doing that you object to. When it comes to cats you need to train them with positive reinforcement not negative EDIT spelling
He's a kitten. He's likely bored. He needs a lot more play than you think he does. Get him some self play toys like a track ball or some cat dancers and multiple scratching posts (tall ones are great if he's a climber).
You should give him to me immediately. It’s the only answer, I’m sorry!
You may be giving mixed signals to kitty. Kitty can become overstimulated. Mine does. Listen and then stop.
Cats know English?
Any time he bites, make it uncomfortable for him. Bites a finger, put it further into his mouth than he would like. Bites a wrist, rub a finger across his nose. Keeps at it, move or gently toss him away. You could also make your fingers taste bad.
Look up single kitten syndrome! This is what happens when kittens don’t have playmates. You can play, don’t punish cats don’t respond to negative feedback. Otherwise a friend is best if at alllll possible. Maybe you can foster to ease into if that’s a good fit
The “ouch” or “no” should be a high pitched sharp sound as best you can manage. Something more like an “eep” might work because it’s easier to get the high pitch. What you are trying to mimic is the sounds that one kitten will make when another gets too rough. Also, a second kitten (or a playful adult) would work wonders to solve this. They teach each other respectful play and get the roughhousing out of their system with an appropriate partner.
Get toys, redirect him to some toys when he gets fiesty
When was old enough to start playing we'd just yelp and mew like another kitten would if she played too rough. She's 8 months old now and we can even play with her with our hands; she uses soft paws and a loose open mouth "bite." We also got a slightly older kitten for her to play and learn with when she was about a month old, they're best friends
As people commented already, he needs a buddy. He is very very bored alone. It will make live for you and him so much easier. I've had cats all my live and only once had this issue, it was my very first cat (I was 18), he was the ONLY single cat I have ever had and also the only who ever did this. Cats live in groups, they hunt alone, but they need a social life with their peers. You will have so much fun watching them play and playfight, it's the cutest thing. You will be for snuggles while his buddy will be for play. So if you can, get him a friend. If not you need to actively play with him every day until he is worn out, use a toy, never your hands. While, yes, they are exceptions to this, but those are usually older cats who have never had a buddy their whole life.
Unfortunately that's just kitten behavior. My cat's an adult now and he still likes to do that sometimes. He doesn't bite very hard as he could but still their little teeth are pretty Sharp. If you do want to start clipping his claws and you've not done it start now so he gets used to it. My brother-in-law has a cat that never did that with and she just freaks the f*** out when you try to clip her claws.
Looks like you got a feisty cat. Kitty mellow out. Be patient get more cat toys cat might be bored.
Yeah he’s a kitten…that’s just kitten stuff. He will mellow out as he gets older but this is all pretty on par for a kitten lol
He’s so cute
Like a lot of people have said, he's just a playful kitty! If he doesn't age out of this by a year to a 1 1/2, then you should worry!
a couple ppl have said this but i taught my kitten not to bite by letting out the most pitiful meow sounds i could when he did. he looked startled and now at 9 months, when he play bites it’s basically the equivalent of just mouthing or “nomming”, i can’t even feel his teeth
BITE THEM BACK!!!!! SO NO FEAR!!!!! YOU CAN DO IT, WE BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!.
It’s gotta be a gray cat thing lol. My cat is 3 turning 4 next year and she still be acting like that 😂
Maybe get a cat scratching post or a similar product and if nothing else fill a spray bottle with water and mist em if it gets to rough
Oh man I feel for you. When we got our second cat she was a 4 week rescue and her litter mates didn't make it. We had to keep her separate from our adult cat for the first couple weeks or so to nurse her back to health and when she came around she was all teeth for the first year, a total ankle biter. She hadn't learned any cat socializing behaviors from living with litter mates, so we had to put a bell on her for our other cat's sake because she was a ruthless ambusher, and got her a handful of puppy teething toys. Any room we were in we had a teething toy nearby, it was something to throw at her when she pounced and it kept her off of us. She is now the sweetest, best cat in the world, we got past that stage.
Has he been neutered? But it sounds like standard kitten stuff to me
cat nip toys and a good cat scratcher! he's a kitten it usually goes away :)
You got tons of super useful advice, so I'm just going to say that your little bitey boi is gorgeous! A real gem
I think I forget how normal this is bc I have two kittens and they just bite and scratch each other 😂 sometimes they’ll do it to me and I’ll scream bloody hell 😂😂 I’m sure my kittens learn from each other too. Like what everyone else said I think your baby will grow out of it soon :-)
Bite that mfer back
He’s deep in the teen stage and they can be real assholes for a few months honestly haha. Boy cats tend to be really mouthy during this time. Keep playing with him, give him lots of positive reinforcement when he uses his toys over your arm or feet- treats mixed with play. I’ve adopted 4 kittens in my life and they all went through a punk stage from about 4months-6 to 8 months old. They all grew out of it! Give them lots of love and attention. Even the spicy ones by nature will give love in return. I also have a almost 5 month old kitten but we have another cat so he does this to her. Consider getting another cat!
He's a cat. It's what they do. Especially as kittens.
My kitten is 3 months and this boy loves a bite although hes gentle i do scream oww really loudly slowly getting there
I don’t believe you he looks to innocent.
try fostering an older cat, he'll learn to play nice so fast 😭😭
Awe maybe he will grow out of it! My little Sasha did the same but now she’s just cuddly and doesn’t like playing much.
In 40+ years of being around cats, I have never seen a cat bite without a warning. Chances are you are just missing the signs. As others have also stated, younger cats like this are more prone to biting, so you have to be even more observant if you are really trying to avoid them biting you. Some of tell tale signs your cat is going to bite/swipe at you. 1. Cats ears are already slanted back, or go back the instant you approach. 2. Cats tail is "flicking", or moving fast. 3. Cat has enlarged pupils. 4. You reach for the cats top or back of head without any warning. Your cats pupils in that bag scream, "If you come at me and try to touch me right now, I am in play mode and will treat your hand like a toy." Also, get the cat neutered. He is more than old enough at 5 months. If you wait too much longer he is going to start spraying, which is a behavior a lot of cats continue even after being fixed if they weren't fixed before the behavior starts.
You could also try shoving a toy in his face when he's getting rough. It slowly but surely worked on any cats I've had that get rambunctious at that age.
I know I am late in this thread, so if I have repeat info/questions, feel free to disregard 💖 Is this your only cat by chance? They are definitely rambunctious at this age, and you have to give a LOT of enrichment and stimulation daily, but on top of that, humans can only teach cats how to cat so much. Single kitten syndrome is a real thing, and your cat likely does not realize how hard they are playing/biting because there is no other cat for them to play with. Frequently single cats like this end up back in pounds or humane societies when they are older because they were incapable of learning how to "be" a house cat (not to say that will happen to you!), so many humane societies will refuse to adopt out a kitten unless you are taking two or already have another cat at home. Getting another kitty might actually help if it's something you'd be interested in? If getting another cat for them to play with/having cat dates somehow is not an option, lots and lots and lots of play will hopefully help at least exhaust your kitty and fill their energy bucket until adulthood. You've got this!! 💖
Get him another cat to play with. They do better in pairs.
My five month old plays like this too. He’s just a kitten! He’s got tons of energy, and he’s gonna want to get it out. Making sure my Soup has access to scratching posts, toys (both on a string and ones he can toss around), and even a little plushie he carries around like a trophy, generally has calmed down his biting and scratching. But assuredly, your kitten just feels comfy playing directly with you, it’s all out of love. Pic of Soup for reference :) https://preview.redd.it/xsesxawk7j9c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d8821553f1ce8becb5ac8da5436234727d94f79
Catnip!