Teddy plays too rough

teddybaby

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I need some help.
My 7 m/o Teddy always gets to carried away when playing with us. He often gets too rough and bites and scratches. We always tell him "no" or smack him on the bum. Someone even said to flick him in the ear. Nothing works! I have tried rewarding him when he plays nice, but these are very rare occasions. What should I do?
 

yayi

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Actually, a lot of 7 mos. kittens are like Teddy.

Immediately stop playing the moment he begins overdoing it. Then leave him. If he chases after you, stop, look at him and hiss. Then walk away. Hopefully after a while he will realize that the biting during playtime means the end of the fun and you do not like it.
My Go will grab my hand with claws out sometimes and then it looks like he will proceed to bite. I stop moving, stare at him and make a small hiss. He then proceeds to lick my hand, holding it with no claws. It's very cute!
But then he leaves and will not play anymore.
 
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teddybaby

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OH thank god Teddys not the only one! lol. Thanks for your help I will try it.
 

kittycurledup

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Mine does too and he is also 7 months! He'll wrap himself around your ankle, claw and bite. I say: "Hey!!" and snap my fingers or clap my hand. That distracts him but sometimes, like a shark, he'll circle and attack repeatedly.

So um.....do they grow out of this?! I am scared for when we introduce him to my other cat.
 

cc12

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Yes they do. My boys used to wrestle my slippers. They wrestled everything as kittens. They are learning boundaries.
I still use a gentle hiss and it works. MIne stop in their tracks when I do it. they know they are in some trouble then.
 

althekitty

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My cat still plays a little rough at times but he's a boy and I would think in some way it could be common! I would suggest not using your hands to play too much if he is seeing your hands as a toy. Use a toy that he can grab and grapple because he is learning all his hunting skills and fine tuning them, his instincts, he doesn't mean to hurt you! Also I would suggest not smacking him on the bottom or clipping his ear as you would just be doing the same as him! He won't understand that. Just stop as soon as he gets his claws out and use a toy.
 

missymotus

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Originally Posted by Althekitty

Also I would suggest not smacking him on the bottom or clipping his ear
Also keep his nails trimmed, so when he does grab it won't hurt as much.
 
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