vicious henry

Yes, it's normal, he's just wanting to play that's all What you want is a fishing pole toy from Pets at Home. It's a toy that dangles, and that's just what Henry needs to distract him from your hands

When he bites, pick him up and put him in the bathroom. Shut the door and leave him there 5 minutes. He'll associate biting you with an unpleasant consequence. If you play with him when he bites you, he'll learn that biting you is a good way to get your attention--not a good thing.

Just by the by, you may remember several people mentioned that cats taken from the mother too young develop problems that are usually handled by mom and the siblings. Biting too hard is one thing that she would punish promptly, and he would have learned the effects of biting from his siblings.

You can break him of it, as others have said. One important thing is to avoid letting him regard your hand as a toy.

Kittens bite etc. because it is something natural that they do as they are playing. When they are older it is also their way of saying "I love you, and you are mine!"

Personally what I recommend is when the kitten bites you, scream loudly in pain. "Ow! Ow!" it will come to realize it is hurting you. It may take a couple of times but it will eventually understand, oops I'm biting too hard.

Trust me, when Rascal is giving me his love bites, and he bites me too hard, he knows it by my scream of pain and he backs down and bites me much more gently, but I'm one of those crazy cat lovers that actually l-o-v-e-s when my cat gives me love bites -- *gentle* -- love bites just because it's also one of their ways to say, I love you .

In my opinion, placing the cat in a room to give them a "time-out" to try to make them understand they did something wrong does not work. It doesn't work because it's not a human child that understands it did something wrong. In the cat's mind, it didn't do anything wrong, it was just playing, why is it being punished for playing, so it may get confused. But again, this is just my opinion.

Scream loudly in pain when your kitty bites you and it will stop.

Originally Posted by Shanynne

Personally what I recommend is when the kitten bites you, scream loudly in pain. "Ow! Ow!" it will come to realize it is hurting you. It may take a couple of times but it will eventually understand, oops I'm biting too hard.

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i completely agree with this advice. milo was biter and he responded well to my cries of pain! tabby will occasionally still do this and i squeak at her and she stops. 'talking' to them in their language is the way to do it.

Just never hit, not that you would ever. Lots of play is usually the best and sometimes the only answer - the fishing pole is the best from my own experience and it can take awhile to form good behaviors!

After loudly saying "OW", you might want to also hiss at your kitty. That worked for us. Also, don't play with your kitty with your bare hands. Use a wand toy and then they won't associate your hands as toys.

A stern "hiss" works when my cats would get too rough. That and if they started to swat or bite at our hands we'd immediately put them down from where they were and put a toy near them so they knew that toys were for playing and hands were for getting petted

Originally Posted by mrblanche

Just by the by, you may remember several people mentioned that cats taken from the mother too young develop problems that are usually handled by mom and the siblings. Biting too hard is one thing that she would punish promptly, and he would have learned the effects of biting from his siblings.

You can break him of it, as others have said. One important thing is to avoid letting him regard your hand as a toy.

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I do remeber that well! But we had no choice but to take him early! Which is in some ways frustrating,
we are wondering about getting a second cat, Henry will always be an indoors cat, we will eventually get a pen or something for the garden so he can experiance the out doors but not freely?

Anyway, DH and I were discussing it last night, and we are thinkin of getting another kitty but am unsure as to whether this will help or make him worse?
What do you lot think?

Thanks for all the advice I really appreciate it, will defo try some of the tips, he is at mo curled up by my feet looking like butter wouldnt melt, but I know if I go to stroke him my hand will be attacked!!

Getting another kitten would distract him from other things. I know it was when i got Sophie as company for Rosie

Two kittens make a big difference! Although both Bamf and Pixel love biting (on EVERYTHING ), it is very rare for them to bite hard enough to hurt. If they do, a simple "OW!" makes them stop quickly. The two of them bite each other when they tussle, and they have taught each other how hard they can bite without hurting. They fight all the time, but they have never hurt each other!

They both have the most adorable love bites, or "noms" as we call them. When Pixel wants to show her love, she goes "Licka, licka, licka, nom, nom, nom!" It's very cute. Except when she wants to do it at five in the morning.

Anyway, if you can afford another kitten, it might really help Henry! I would suggest getting a slightly older kitten that has learned a few more manners from its mom, and the other kitten should help teach Henry! Kittens are great!