Kitty won't stop

I posted a couple of weeks ago about my cat bites. well, it hasn't stopped! I've tried everything except the squirt bottle. I don't even think that would work, because she doesn't listen. I know she understands, because there are times, I would say it... she would stop and start licking my fingers.

I'm not sure if she's going to stick with this habit, but her 10 1/2 weeks teeth are getting sharper. I don't know what to do with her.

I'm not sure if someone else is encouraging the behavior. My husband and his friends usually play very aggressive with her.. with their hands and fingers. Although, I tell them to stop they continue doing it, and she chases after hands/fingers anyways.

Anymore suggestion?

She is very young still, so I wouldn't panic.

I think I would encourage other types of play, like the feathers on a pole, for one thing. Also, maybe distraction would help. When she starts biting, throw a cat toy for her to chase, maybe?

My kittens did the same thing when they were younger and I just would push them away, saying a firm 'no' when they became too rough and would just try to get them involved in paying with other toys. I think the trick is consistency...always saying no and putting a stop to the rough play immediately. If your husband and friends continue the rough play, she will just think that is how she is supposed to behave with them. But, you can make it clear tha YOU will not play that way.

Good luck to you.

This is the time to make an official rule of no hands and fingers allowed to be used as objects of play. This is simply encourages the behavior indicating to her that's it's not only ok, but fun. Try redirecting her with appropriate toys for playing and biting.

Aggressive play with a kitten is definitely not acceptable.

This is what worked for me,but I know there will be some that won't approve of the method.....When my babies were little and got into the chewing on the fingers phase,I would catch their bottom jaw between my thumb(inside their mouth under their tongue) and index finger(underneath their lower jaw),very gently of course,and hold their jaw for just a few seconds. It didn't hurt them,but it sure surprised them! It works for gnawing puppies,too. Of course,there may be better options,but this worked better than anything else I tried.

If your kitten starts biting, you could stay a stern NO and pull your hand away, and stop playing until he calms down. You could also give him a toy in the meantime.

Another technique is to pull your hand away somewhat slowly (don't yank or he'll think you're playing more), then take him gently by the scruff of the neck and push his head down gently, saying NO, BAD KITTY firmly. Then let go immediately and play with him with another toy to deflect the energy. That's something like how the mother disciplines them.

As far as the others...sounds like they need training too.

Every time they play roughly with the kitten using their fingers or hands, I'd go over, sternly say NO and take the kitten away.

They'll get the message LOL

Thank you everyone. I tried the water squirt today, and she took that as if I was playing her... I gave up on that.
I also did the grabbing her by the neck and saying "bad kitty" she would just cry, then when I let her go she immediately try to attach my hands.

I'm beginning to think there's is not hope for her. She doesn't listen, and acts as if she rules me.

Jade, sort of reminds me of Stewie from Family guy. No matter how good I treat her, she still thinks I'm the enemy and want to get revenge while trying to take over the world. lol.

I'm going to try everything else as well, and if those doesn't work... It's official. I adopted Satan's kitten.

Stop offering your hands to her in whatever ways you can for now (she'll grow up while she's learning). Just keep your hands away. She DOESN'T understand at all - all she knows is that something fluttery (to her) is out there and her brain says 'pounce', so she does - sometimes with a 'good' result (she catches it), and sometime a bad one - she gets sprayed and yelled at, but it still won't stop the instinct kicking in... she doesn't make a connection yet and might not for weeks, or even months, so 'Help' her by not having such attractive hands!

Don't grab her by the scruff of the neck until she cries. If she's crying you're doiing it too hard.

You just gently take her by the scruff of the neck and gently push her head down just for a second as you say no. Then you let go and play with her with a TOY. So he learns the proiper thing to go.

If you do anything that makes him cry, yoiu're doing it too hard.

Also, you said in your first post that sometimes she'll stop and lick your fingers. That means you're sticking yours fingers there and not taking them away after she bites you. How is she supposed to understand?

The idea is to keep your hands and fingers away. Period.

One of the difficulties I had with Rocky when he was young was he would attack any toy as I picked it up, and my hands would catch the brunt of it. I began to hold him back with one hand as I picked up the toy, and then dangled or threw it, or whatever. It didn't take him long to catch on.

But don't test him by leaving your fingers there.