Kitten age and biting.

My kitten Beans is currently about 12-13 weeks old. She is in the "mini predator stage" in which she wants to bite everything that moves. She's all claws and teeth

I've heard different schools of thought w/ regards to kitten rearing and I wanted to ask what your opinions are.

W/ regards to the biting scratching at this age, I know it's best to always have something to buffer the kitten & your skin to keep them from thinking your hands are toys. I also move my hands slowly around her to keep her from thinking they are prey.

It's worked pretty well but at least two or three times a day she acts out, and comes over and bites either me or attacks the couch. I'm pretty sure she just wants attention and doesn't care how she gets it.

When she does bite me or try and tear up the furniture (both behaviors I obviously want to stop when she's little) I give her a firm NO and then ignore her. This hasn't worked as of yet as she still continues.

I'm starting to think she may still be too young and that I should redirect her instead. For instance, shining the laser pointer near her and then moving her away from me or my furniture. My apprehension to this has to do with thinking she will not learn what is acceptable and what is not. I know you have to teach kittens not to bite when they are young and I don't want to miss my opportunity to do so.

She's a very sweet kitten to be so young; very docile until she goes into "claws and fangs mode". I have been pretty consistent in putting her back in her safe room when she gets destructive. I guess I see this as somewhat of a time out and protecting my furniture at the same time. I have also tried to. E really consistent about "the rules". I just wonder if she's too young to understand. Let me know what you all think.

Ms. Beans:

I guess I do a combination of both with my fosters. When they start getting crazy and attacking my hands I do a firm "NO" and slowly shake my head for a visual cue while putting my hands behind my back. That is usually enough to get their attention and I quickly grab a toy and redirect the energy with a lot of praise. I always have a toy in my pocket for this purpose. 

I also am very deliberate in having playtime vs. snuggle time. For play sessions I sit on the floor and really engage (using the above method if they go for my hands). The couch and bed is a strict "no play area" and if they come up there rambunctious I move them to a more appropriate location. If they keep it up then they go to their playroom. By having timed, consistent play sessions they tend to learn pretty quick what is acceptable and what is not. Of course, even my two year old forgets the rules now and then and has to be reminded! 

Part of it is just those fits of kitten energy. You may have to stop what your doing when she has one and work the crazy out of her until she mellows a bit! I would for sure put protectant on the couch and other areas to deter her as well. 

The only way I could protect the couch, her primary target, is to get one of those plastic covers my Grandma used to use

She doesn't have a particular spot she goes after. She mostly dives in between the cushions and tries to burrow her way in.

bigperm20 said:

She doesn't have a particular spot she goes after. She mostly dives in between the cushions and tries to burrow her way in.

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Haha that's a funny visual! I was thinking she was scratching the outside, in which case I buy a big roll of the plastic wrap that movers use to protect furniture and go around the base. But, with what she's doing I see how that's not an option. I think re-directing is your best bet at this point! 

Maybe invest in a toy tunnel or covered bed so she can burrow into those and re-direct her away from the couch. Or, maybe find some old couch cushions and build her a fort (I don't care how old you are, human or feline, forts are just the bomb). 

Claws and fangs are a normal part of being a kitten.  She will get bored easily, and being a pretty lap doll all day long will be dull, dull, dull.  Cats and kittens don't understand no.  If she hurts you, squeal and stop the game.  If she does something you don't want distract her - for example take her from what she is clawing and put her on the scratching area.  You need a good scratching area, unfortunately some cats prefer horizontal and some vertical so you need to work out what suits her.  Scratching is also about scenting from glands in her paws.

I have

I have 3 different types of scratchers. She is drawn to the curled one the most. She uses it quite often.

I have tried hissing at her when she bites and although she'll stop, she starts right back. I will try yelling Ow! As far as stopping the game, she rarely bites me when we are playing, it's always either random or when I have to pick her up and move her. Man is she stubborn...

I know handling her needs to be kept to a minimum, but if she's flipping out and being destructive, I have to pick her up and put her back in her room. She'll usually bite me the whole way there

I absolutely adore this kitten as she's just a total sweetie when she wants to be. I sometimes feel like I'm being too strict but I cannot let her get in the habit of popping me in the face when I pick her up. I guess the solution to that is to,not hold her as close, but will that stop the behavior? I don't want a grown cat smacking me upside the head later.

It will take time.  She's not going to change overnight, and i suspect you are underestimating just how much energy a kitten of that age has.  Not sure why you have to pick her up and move her?  Would you like being shut away from everything exciting in a room on your own?  She needs plenty of handling of all kinds - not just picking her up to move her.  She needs stroking and petting, she needs to come to associate being handled with nice things happening.

OrientalSlave said:

It will take time.  She's not going to change overnight, and i suspect you are underestimating just how much energy a kitten of that age has.  Not sure why you have to pick her up and move her?  Would you like being shut away from everything exciting in a room on your own?  She needs plenty of handling of all kinds - not just picking her up to move her.  She needs stroking and petting, she needs to come to associate being handled with nice things happening.

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She gets petted almost constantly when she'll let me. I'd say 50% of the time she's awake she's in my lap getting pets. I bet she slept on me for at least 3 hours yesterday. She loves her daddy very much.

As far as putting her in her room, I'm still introducing her to my other cat. Things are going well, but Oksana is still getting used to her.
When I am sleeping, I have to put her in her room. I had hoped she would sleep next to me, but as of yet she just gets attacks when the lights go out.

She is actually ok with being in her room as she associates it with food, sleep, and her litter.

For some reason I can't edit posts anymore. I surely hope it will just take some time. That's something I have plenty of right now.

I didn't underestimate how much energy she has. As you know I adopted a kitten a few months ago who passed away. I play with her all day long to help her expell some of that energy. She has many string toys and a couple of laser pointers for that.

If hissing distracts her, thats good. That means she's learning. If she reattacks before you have time to put your hands behind your back, then instead make your hands boring. As much as it might hurt, if she attacks, don't move them. If your hands dont move, they aren't any fun. If your hands are consistently boring, she'll eventually stop trying to play with them.

Im sorry about your other kitten. Ive been gone for a while and didnt hear about it. Im sorry for your loss.

I just wanted to give an update. Beans is doing a lot better. She is beginning to grasp the difference between right from wrong. She still has her moments as anyone would expect froma 13 week old kitten, but now she will show remorse. Definite progress.thanx

Yay! :-)