Two month old aggressive kitten

I adopted a one month old kitten who had been abandoned, so she didn't spend the amount of time she was supposed to spend with mom and littermates.
At first she was very very sweet all the time and seemed to adjust very well to my small apartment and me. About three weeks after getting her, I had to take a one week trip (including a round-trip airplane ride) and due to her young age I decided to take her with me.

Normally I'm absent from home for about 8 hours, but that week I stayed permanently with her. She was also exposed to lots of new people and different environments. I also introduced her to a dog and a cat (who do the live with us) and I think her level of anxiousness went absolutely off the ground.

After the week trip things just got worst and she started to get a bit aggressive.

Even though we came back to our normal routine and I tried to make the transition slowly from staying with her the entire day to leaving her alone during work, she seems agitated when I come back. At the moment she's not spending more than 6 hours alone by herself. We have play sessions during morning, midday and night and she was starting to sleep with me as well.

She's been acting weird and hostile, does that horrible side walk with her tale all puffed, her energy levels went crazy up, she's biting a lot and it's basically impossible to pet her because it ends in bitting and her teeth are getting stronger everyday. Sometimes when I walk in and she suddenly notices, she jumps and hisses at me.

While she was a teeny tiny kitten, I used to pet her with my hands and it usually lead to play. Huge error. She quickly got used to the idea of my hands being her toys as well.
Now she bites me everywhere. My toes, my ankles, legs and arms. She's even tried biting my nose. She sees me walking and literally attacks me. She's biting fabric and soft furniture as well.

I made sure to provide enough toys and a scratching post but she seems to enjoy my extremities a lot more.

I've tried to discipline her in every way. I've tried the strong NO, spraying water on her, isolating her while she's having her crazy biting moments, tapping on her head (bad, bad idea), and even hissing at her. Last night I had to scruff her because she was biting, growling and had her ears and whiskers all flattened. It was pretty scary for such a small animal.

I really don't know what to do to train her not to bite humans and I think she's growing far from me ever since I started the "discipline" techniques. I don't want her to fear me.

I'd really appreciate your thoughts on this!

This is a really difficult situation. You're absolutely right that the discipline methods you're using will lead to her being frightened of you - its exactly why these methods are not recommended. As it's impossible for us to 'discipline' in the split second of the misbehaviour, the cat or kitten won't connect the 'punishment with the behaviour. Instead, they simply connect it to the person.

You say she has lots of toys, but does she have any toys that you can use to play with her? Wand toys are ideal, as they keep your body well away from the action . Particularly in this case, I'd recommend Da Bird. Most cats go wild for it, and the pole is nice and long so you can stay safe.

I'd also provide way more than one scratching post. Give her plenty of scratching surfaces - anything from scratch pads and cardboard scratchers to cat trees that she can climb on as well as scratch. The more things she has to 'own' the more comfortable she'll become. Consider opening up more vertical space for her - climbing will use up some energy as well as allowing her to exhibit natural behaviour.

She's clearly very stressed at the moment. Feliway diffusers would be a good idea, and she might benefit from Spirit Essences too. I'd normally suggest Composure as well, but I'm not sure if that's appropriate for such a young kitten (though I'm sure your vet can advise you on that point).

Hang in there. There will be a way through this - it'll just take some time.[article="22328"][/article][article="29678"][/article][article="32493"][/article][article="30274"][/article][article="30316"][/article][article="0"][/article][article="0"][/article][thread="297074"][/thread]

Hi i had the same issue with 2 month old kitten almost constantly biting and seeing humans or any moving object as prey. I tried the withdrawing attention if she was biting me, not sure if that worked. But i had lots of small soft toys and rolled up balls of paper to hand which i would present to her when she was bitey and she would bite and kick the toys instead. I think for my kitten using toys was most effective. Don't give up it does take a while. Also the pouncy thing at your feet is mostly playful and natural, again we used toys to toss to her when we were walking round or roll a soft ball on the ground before you walk across a room where she might be in hiding.

She is now 4 months old and she doesn't really bite anymore, hasn't for a while now. Good luck.

@alecca99 I am not sure how old your kitten is now?   I am thinking still fairly young, maybe around 10 weeks?  It would be useful to know.

You have some good tips already, and useful articles for reading.    I agree with Columbine, it sounds to me as if your little girl is very anxious following all the recent changes and experiences she had while away traveling with you.   She is also a little older and her energy levels will have picked up along with her physical skills developing and she is doing what all kittens do which is to test everything out and practice hunting.   When a cat or kitten is anxious what often happens is similar to people, their reflexes and reactions become heightened and instead of something seeming like play it will seem frightening and they will look to protect them self.  For cats this means that even the slightest movement becomes a possible threat.   

With your little one not having spent a lot of time with her mother of siblings she will also not have learned some very important lessons about play, the biggest one for you being her bite pressure.  Usually kittens will play with each other and their squeals and other communications will convey when one of them has bitten or clawed too hard and has to withdraw.   Your baby has to learn this from you which is where the idea of withdrawing attention that alic23 mentions comes in.   It has to be very consistent and the main thing you need to do is to hold very still as soon as she bites or claws too hard, try to relax and be calm, and then push in very gently and very slightly in towards her.  This might seem strange but it is calming not threatening and is also about you not being afraid of her.  You continue to hold still, and make a sound which can be an ouch, or a light hiss, or blow in to her face lightly but sharply.   What you are trying to do is mimic what another cat would do.   Do not shout of move quickly as these are frightening, will threaten her and result in her attack continuing.

If she is very small and is persisting with her attack to the point she is drawing blood you might need to carefully try to peel her off which ever part of you she had latched on to, hold her firmly but not squeezing her, and put her down in a way that you can separate yourself from her by a door or large barrier she can not cross.   Leave her to calm for maybe one or two minutes and then carefully look to see how she is.   If she is calm then let her be but open up the barrier and allow her to share space again, if not then repeat the separation but just use a couple of minutes at a time so she does not get more anxious.    (With an older cat you might use longer times like 4 or 5 minutes).

The best means of defense is avoidance, and to do that you want your kitten to feel safe, and you want her to learn that toys are for attack and humans are not - the toy interactions like wand or DaBird are great for building up a relationship with your kitten, and also to watch her body language and expressions so you can start to predict when she is going to move in for attack.   That way you can time your introduction  of toy diversion with larger toys like the kickeroo, throwing toys she likes for her to chase, or to remove yourself from her path.     

Any response to a cat is a reinforcement of a behaviour, so you only want to respond and interact with her if it is a behaviour you want repeated.   If she bites you stay still and ignore, if she is quiet and cute you offer play and treats.  

Lastly, if she is anywhere between 9 or 10 weeks and a year the chances are you have one tireless play machine who will need more play time than you have energy or hours in the day, and if her energy isn't run off it ends up building up like a coiled spring and no matter how safe and reassured she feels, she will not be able to hold back her instincts to hunt you down if you don't offer her a few alternatives - esp before you have any hope of sleep over night.

Felliway, calming chews, herbal essences or what ever you find helps her to feel calm and secure together with the above followed consistently should bring rich rewards pretty quickly and I look forward to hearing how she settles.

Wow! I'm so pleased to have all your insight on this  

@Columbine  following your advice I've tried to stop the "punishment" methods and she seems a bit less frightened. Yes, I have Da Bird and balls and stuffed mice which I use to make her run and play as if she were hunting. Absolutely love the Feliway difusers and Spirit Essences idea, never considered that one and yeah, I'll try everything to avoid Composure or anything she'd have to take, she's too young.

Funny but I found me singing to her kinda calms her down, so I'm gonna give that a shot as well.

@alic23  that's relieving! Only two months left of biting then! I'm trying to withdraw her excessive energy with toys as well, hope it works as it did with your kitty. 

@MServant  yeah she's a baby! The vet says she's about 9-10 weeks. 

After reading your advise, I tried the stillness thing and even though I'm not quite good at it I think I handled it pretty well! She's giving me the impression of getting it. And already had to isolate her behind the door as you suggest. 

Kickeroo and calming chews noted on the shopping list!

Huge thanks to you guys, I will update this thread soon! 

The earlier you start with any behaviour plan with a cat (or other animal or human) the easier and faster it is likely to be, so you have a great opportunity here to see both of you learn new ways to communicate and change the way you interact nice and fast.   Your kitten is still very young and you have had just a matter of weeks together and are still in the early stages of getting to know each other.    9 - 10 weeks is serious energy and bouncing off the walls stage   (which I adore     )  , and she is just little to be away from her mama / fur family so it isn't much of a surprise that now she has a little more energy she is showing signs of stress.   The Feliway and Spirit Essences can help a lot but you might not notice their effects quickly - it is often a gradual and longer term calming effect you sense when they are used.   Coupled with cutting out punishment and using other ways where you should both learn to communicate more effectively with each other will probably have the biggest impact for both of you, and if you already felt she was understanding more about what you were trying to tell her over the last 24 hours this sounds really positive.   Well done you.  

Just like human babies in a way, kittens need a consistent and calm environment to feel safe and relaxed, and once you and your little one start to feel more comfortable and trusting with each other hopefully it will feel easier for you to watch how she is behaving, what her postures and movements are like, and begin to predict how she is feeling and what she is likely to want or to do next.   That way you can use this information to either encourage that behaviour (if it is one you want - e.g. play with one of her toys or come up on to your lap and snuggle in), or divert her to something else before she starts to act / move if she is going to do something you don't want / naughty (e.g. leap across the floor and bite your leg, jump up at your hand, climb up your favourite plant).   Run off her endless energy and give her a little snack in good time for her to need a little nap when you are going to want to get some work done at home or get some sleep your self.   Oh, and also before you go out and she is going to be left on her own at home.    That way you can subtly and kindly adjust her behaviours more to suit you -  or at least that's the plan.  

Staying calm, still and not shouting or screaming when a needle-toothed needle-clawed kitten launches at you but it is something well worth practicing and perfecting.   It sounds like you have made a good start.   I look forward to hearing how things progress for the two of you, and hopefully that you achieve some play and rest time without feeling you need to resort to time out - keeping that to a minimum is best if there is any risk of separation anxiety which I suspect there is for your little kitten.   

     For a fun loving, dabird chasing relaxed kitten home very soon.    Oh, and btw - what is your kitten's name?

Thanks for all your advice @MServant   

Her name is Mila 

awww, Mila is so so gorgeous!! 

aleca99 said:

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• aleca99
• Oct 11, 2015

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• aleca99
• Oct 11, 2015

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Just look at that little Mila huntress prepare to pounce!  What a cutie.   And that foofed up tale in the last picture is hilarious.    She is so tiny, and will be so full of energy, I really do think that once she feels safe and secure and you both understand each other a little more she will be a little love bug.   Thank you for posting her photographs.

What a cutie! :love: As MServant says, I'm sure Mila will settle down as she feels more secure with you. Enjoy the baby stage. It won't last long!

She's gorgeous, isn't she!

Curious to see what the next stages come along with Hopefully not so much biting and scratching!!