Help with biting!

I adopted a 4 month old kitten from the animal shelter. He's been there since he was 1 week old, they never let him down to really play. When I saw him, I fell in love with him! I don't know why, but I did! But he was a bitey one! This is my second cat and I thought him being in a new environment would help him. He is doing wonderful, he plays and eats and my resident cat gets along with him... Well some days... But I cannot get him to stop biting! He bites when he plays, he bites my feet when I get ready in the AM, it's all the time! I have done what my vet recommended which is putting a toy in front of him while he bites, but it's not working as well as I hoped. I need advice on how to stop it! I will never give him back to the shelter, but I don't want him to keep this habit through adulthood. Any help?! I'm desperate !

Yeah it's hard to get them to stop doing that. Especially at that age. They're so full of energy. My cat did that too.  For me what worked the best was when he would bite really hard I would just stop playing and walk away. Just kind of ignore him for awhile. Eventually he seemed to figure out that biting beyond a certain point would mean no more playing for awhile. Be prepared for a major guilt trip the first time you do that though. lol I felt so bad the first time I walked away and ignored my cat Bodhi. He gave the sad eyes and I felt so guilty...even though I was trying to do something good.....

Yes, walking away is cat language for "I don't like that."  My cat did the same thing for a long time. Usually I just played dead, and he would stop. I've also said loudly, "Ouch!" VERY loudly. He got the message, and now play-bites without hurting me or breaking the skin. Kittens play like this with each other, and when one of them cries out, the other realizes it's too much. It works with people, too.

I can't stop wrestling with him as so many people recommend. He thinks I don't love him when I push him away. He avoids me until I play/wrestle again.

Yes it is very hard to walk away! I have mildly tried that, especially in the mornings getting ready for work and I am clearly not playing he just attacks my feet. I know it's because he sees the movement and thinks TOYS lol I do say ouch loudly but I don't know if he quite gets it.. He still doesn't quite know his name! I have heard from a few people to do the "water bottle training" while he bites but I feel too mean to start that! Hopefully it will just get better!

We actually talk to our cats a lot, as well as taking preventative measures.

Dorian used to not be able to resist feet. I put on shoes, kept my feet covered when not in shoes, and encouraged my partner to do the same. It was too tempting for him. Occasionally he still gets us behind a curtain, but mostly it's been curbed.

He has a habit of getting too worked up with the other cats, too. We thank him when we can see him resisting the urge (running up and stopping mid-track, etc), and try to separate him when he can't.

Our house is pretty cold, but we've got one room that's warm and that helps calm just about any animal down.

I do two things and they work differently for all cats:

-Jump back and/or pull my hands back like I'm hurt (similar to the way a cat does) and tell them no. It's pretty easy to emulate if you've seen a cat do it. It's a sudden disengage action and it's pretty effective.

-For less aggressive, kitten-like biting such as on the feet when you're getting ready: full, flat palm, push their face back with a no. You don't even have to do it hard or swiftly, but just quickly enough that they can't bite your hand. You'll know it's effected if the cat goes limp and kind of falls back like "what the heck was that?!" You have to do it really awkwardly like you're in a cartoon, and it will look like you just shoved them really hard when they fall back because they are that taken aback by it. I'm not kidding, it's weird but it works.

I'm just trying to offer different advice from what I see here, and I'm weird enough that my suggestions and ideas are pretty different! [emoji]128514[/emoji]

I have no idea how to edit posts in mobile, so I'm just going to double post, sorry!

I also use the phrase "no bite" in exchange for the usual "no", and that seems to hold up better in these situations. Try that?

Lots of kittens bite at that age. I have a 4 month old and a 6 month old who are both in their bitey phases right now! 3 things are most likely contributing to your problem: 1. He didn't learn to play gently when he was younger, because the shelter didn't let him. 2. He's probably teething, and his adult teeth coming in is painful and biting helps relieve some of the pain. 3. He's tried biting to get your attention and it worked, so he's learned that that's how to get your attention.

All 3 of them have easy solutions, you just have to stay consistent with them.

1. Whenever he bites, especially during play, make a yelp/squeal sound (try to imitate that hurt cat squeal) and stop playing/petting/whatever inmediately. Get up and walk away and ignore him for a few minutes, then go back. If he does it again, same thing. This can take a while but if you're consistent about it he'll learn to be gentle with his teeth. Littermates normally teach each other this kind of control over thier teeth (called bite inhibition) through play by doing exactly that, but he never got the chance to learn so you're standing in for his littermates.

Note - This process can work with scratching too

2. There's not a ton you can do other than wait for his teeth to fully come in but there's a few things you can do to make him a little more comfortable. What I do with my teethers is give them either an ice cube or a small piece of frozen waffle to chew on. They love it and it gets their chewing energy out while also helping the pain of their teeth coming in. My 4 month old just started teething badly and this has been a lifesaver for both of us.

3. The only real way to fix the attention problem is to stop giving him any kind of attention for biting. Don't tell him no, don't pick him up and move him, don't play with him, nothing. Do what I outlined in 1 and ignore him for a few minutes every time he bites. If he keeps biting as you're walking away or ignoring him squeal again and keep going, don't cave in and give him any kind of attention, even negative. This could take weeks or even months but it will work as long as you keep it up. I've taught 6 cats of my own not to bite with this method and helped several other people with their own cats and I know it's hard sometimes to ignore your baby and it's frustrating when you've been doing it for weeks and they still aren't stopping but I promise you it does work.

Hecate is six months old and still a biter. Long story short, I expect she'll grow out of it. Besides, her biting isn't hard. I do wish that she'd get better control of those claws, though! Rune and i both have scratched incurred while play fighting. Maybe it's time I actually learn to trim claws... I'm so scared I'll hurt her, though.

Hatchytt said:

Hecate is six months old and still a biter. Long story short, I expect she'll grow out of it. Besides, her biting isn't hard. I do wish that she'd get better control of those claws, though! Rune and i both have scratched incurred while play fighting. Maybe it's time I actually learn to trim claws... I'm so scared I'll hurt her, though.

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I was so scared of trimming Tybalt's claws too! I had always had someone do it for me, but his grow so much faster than any other cat I've known. I actually asked a friend if I could borrow some clippers, and when she said she used normal fingernail clippers, I was shocked! She demonstrated that if you turn the clippers sideways instead of strait down, you can get a solid clip, and that if I was nervous, to just trim just the tiny, pointy tip as often as I needed until I got more comfortable to clip further. Tybalt sleeps like a ragdoll, and actually loves his feet played with so it worked easy! I'm sure you can Google diagrams and precise instructions. Taking time to line up the clippers and then when it's aligned, snap it swiftly, is the key! I'm also sure you can find videos. That's why I love the internet. [emoji]128151[/emoji]

All of my cats went through this. What stopped the non love bites was getting them some type of semi large toy that they can hug around and kick and bite at. As well as a few other toys like a nice scratching post and a toy that makes the cat think. My only two cats that still bite only love bite. I'll sometimes be working on something then I'll have one of them rub against me and then nip me on the elbow or something. Not hard or anything but more like a hey. Just look for body signs of the cat not being happy or over stimulated http://www.humanesociety.org/animal...ication.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/ 

sparkymema said:

All of my cats went through this. What stopped the non love bites was getting them some type of semi large toy that they can hug around and kick and bite at. As well as a few other toys like a nice scratching post and a toy that makes the cat think. My only two cats that still bite only love bite. I'll sometimes be working on something then I'll have one of them rub against me and then nip me on the elbow or something. Not hard or anything but more like a hey. Just look for body signs of the cat not being happy or over stimulated http://www.humanesociety.org/animal...ication.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/ 

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Love bites are the best. I've only had a rare few cats do it, Tybalt, my current cat included. He also sometimes gently tugs my hand with his teeth to guide me into petting him or to wake me up. I was nervous about this at first, but he's never been anything but gentle. How can you punish something so sweet and communicative? [emoji]128571[/emoji]

Thank you all so much for your advice! I really appreciate! I am going to try all these tips and tricks and I will provide an update on my Binx! I'm sure he will grow it out of it. I wish the poor guy was more played with at the shelter. I think that's why I had to take him home! He's an adorable little Panther!!

I adopted my 10-year-old maybe a month ago, and she's never bitten hard (she also only bites me) but I can't seem to figure out why she does it. I think sometimes it may be love bites but sometimes I think it's a warning. Usually I'll pull away from her quickly and stop playing for a while.
Often, if I'm petting her sides or tummy she'll bite, which I thought was because either she was overstimulated or she wanted me to scratch her head. Today, though, I was petting her and she bit me; I scratched her head and she bit me, then I pulled away immediately and she bit again!
Are these love bites? I don't mind it but I don't want to overstimulate her and I can never tell if she's about to bite again. She's my first cat so I'm pretty much lost. She never seems aggressive but I don't know what's a warning and what isn't.

kaatex8 said:

Thank you all so much for your advice! I really appreciate! I am going to try all these tips and tricks and I will provide an update on my Binx! I'm sure he will grow it out of it. I wish the poor guy was more played with at the shelter. I think that's why I had to take him home! He's an adorable little Panther!!

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So happy you rescued him! I'm sure he'll grow out of it. All kitties I've owned went through that stage. I usually have scratch and bite marks on me for the first 6 months!

kaatex8 said:

Thank you all so much for your advice! I really appreciate! I am going to try all these tips and tricks and I will provide an update on my Binx! I'm sure he will grow it out of it. I wish the poor guy was more played with at the shelter. I think that's why I had to take him home! He's an adorable little Panther!!

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Just think, the biting may be annoying now, but it sure sounds like Binx loves you! I just know he'll be a blessing and a joy in your life. Whatever you try, as long as it comes from a place of love, something is bound to work eventually if you keep at it. [emoji]128151[/emoji]

OMG what a beautiful little face!!! I know someone that would pull the hand back and hiss really loudly. She said it was very effective in stopping his biting 

My almost 10 month old still bites...I have tried everything since he was a kitten to stop him!  I am not trying to scare you with that though, haha.  I think he is a special case!  I do find that when he gets in bite/attack mode it means he has pent up energy.  So I bring out a feather toy or something to play with him until he is tired and wants to rest.  Tired kitty = non biting kitty!

My husband and I rescued a 5 week old kitten from a grocery store. Yes that's right. She was inside the store! Crawled up into one of those scooter thingys. She is the feistiest cat I've ever had. And the biting is relentless! She is now 6 months old,and still bites!!! It's all the time too like you mentioned. Our ankles,feet ,hands,fingers and arms. And she's rough with her two,16 lb. brothers! I've noticed that she's doing it a little less now. From what I've read,when they get between 5-6 weeks,they get their toofers. They do not know what they're for let alone how to use them. These are things that they're taught from their mama. When we have youngins that weren't with their mothers like they should've been,they're even more clueless. Be patient. As I'm trying to be too. It can get very frustrating,I know! I'm assuming that some learn faster than others. And that can be said with about anything. She's the hardest cat I've ever had to potty train,as well. I'm trying to teach her that biting is ok with certain things,like playing with her mice or with her brothers,but to a certain extent,of course. But absolutely not with flesh!!! It certainly does hurt when a body part is sunk into by some sharp chompers!!! Just remember why you fell in love with her. And that she's your child,she needs rearing. And when it comes to rearing an animal,we're all continuously learning. I'll be praying for you and I both,as a matter of fact,for all of us,that it stops soon and that we all have some fingers left!

God bless you!,Glory

GLORY JASMINE said:

She is now 6 months old,and still bites!!! ... From what I've read,when they get between 5-6 weeks,they get their toofers.

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Yes, this could always be a tooth related problem. Tybalt and his nearly identical brother, Bow-Tie/Pete, both had their adult canines come in late- about 6 months. He chewed on things like a dog and was very nippy (he still hates it when I wear socks and tries to bite them off of my feet). Now he talks with his mouth, much like a dog, because I couldn't untrained him to bite, but was able to repurposed the biting and convince him to be more gentle. I'm actually thankful for it though, because he managed to wake me from a night terror by lifting my hand, one finger in his mouth, until it got on his back. I woke up petting him, and he was nervous purring very loudly in my face. That's the thing about cats though. It seems it's so much easier to repurposed a bad habit than to try to cut it out completely. [emoji]128576[/emoji]