8 Month Old Kitten Biting Me Hard

[downton ali]

Hello All,

Advise requested please.

I adopted my bottle fed kitten when he was just shy of 3 months old, and I love him. He's social in terms of frequently following me/other family members around the house, playing with me (wand toys, mice, bringing me toys, etc.), is buddies with another cat in the house, and sleeps on my bed much of the time. He is fearful and aggressive though. He rarely likes to be held or pet and will growl to be put down. If he isn't put down, he will scratch and bite you. On the other hand, he likes to be picked up to look out the window/ reach bugs.

I apparently surprised him the other day by picking him up, and he completely freaked out and attacked my hand scratching and biting it. So hard that he drew blood this time. This morning he bit my hand and left marks. I raised my voice and said "Ouch!", then put him down and walked away.

I'm frustrated and not sure what to do. I don't want to raise a cat who will attack and bite people when they surprise him/do something he doesn't like, especially because they're not hurting him. I also want to respect his space without him becoming averse to being held/picked up sometimes as there are children and frequent visitors in my home. My extended family thinks he's a brat, the vet has called him tough, and I'm at my wits end with a kitten who is growls and bites daily. I am the only one he bites this hard.

Please offer your bits of wisdom. I'm not sure how to handle this.

Thanks!

 

[rubysmama]

I think that's very common with bottle fed cats. Here's an article from the Humane Society on Teach your kitten how to play nice that might be helpful.

Plus a couple TCS articles:
How To Stop Playtime Aggression In Cats
Cat Aggression Toward People
Why Do Cats Attack?

One thing I'd seen suggested, is instead of saying "ouch", try hissing at him when he bites. Or if you say "ouch" say it in a high pitched tone, more like a cat's meow. Both responses are more like how another cat would respond, so might work.

Also, please keep an eye on any bites or scratches that draw blood, as they can quickly become infected.

Cat Bites - What Every Cat Owner Needs To Know
Ouch! More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About Cat Bites

 

[susanm9006]

Most cats if they are startled or want to get a way badly enough will scratch and bite. The best way to prevent this is not to pick them up when don’t want to be held and let them go when they want to go. Of course there are times when you must do things like take them to the vet or remove them from a room. In these cases you want to talk soothingly, move slowly and if they are very unhappy, use a towel to wrap them in. With little ones you can slip one hand under their belly to pick them and put your other hand on the nape of their neck to stop them from reaching down and biting you.

He may outgrown his fearfulness as he gets older but for now I would respect it and make sure he has plenty of places to hide when you have visitors.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

The thing with bottle-reared kittens is that they don't have anyone to teach them how to "cat," which includes proper manners, and what is "too hard." The high-pitched "OUCH" is good, I like hissing. A hiss is Universal Cattish for "STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!" and they are born knowing it. Never hurts to speak the language when we can.

 

[danteshuman]

The good news is you have another cat from him to learn from. Your resident cat can help teach him to be gentle and will teach him how inter act with you/train the humans.

I would give him a safe room where kids/guests are not allowed. That way he can retreat to safety. At this age you can not play with him enough..... just use wand toys or play fetch

It sounds like he is overstimulated and bored. I would get him a cat tree perch by a window with a screen and a bird feeder in a tree near the window. He may even benefit from daily walks on the harness. My punk was a terror at this age! He needed play every freakin hour I was awake, plus play with his brother plus outside time.

Lastly I would add that if you can not hiss well a nice hard psssssstttttt will do. Though I will always go for a very over dramatic loud wailing ow at the slightest hint of teeth or claw. These little babies I'm raising I'm very careful to only play with using toys and even at 7 weeks I am teaching them to be gentle .... why? I want them to find forever homes. That said the best teacher is each other and your poor baby may have been an orphan raised alone. It takes time and patience but he will get there.

 

[downton ali]

I appreciate all of your feedback. Thank you so much for the practical suggestions and encouragement!
rubysmama - Thanks for the links! My finger is healing well, but I'll keep an eye on it and get reading.
susanm9006 - I've already employed your method of picking him up last night! I'm also going to follow his lead best I can- even though I'd love to hold and pet him much more than he likes. I'm going to make my room the place he can safely retreat to.
Mamanyt1953 - Thanks for that. My vet warned me of the negative traits of bottle fed babies, and I spent 4 months worrying something was going to be wrong with him medically until I got his blood work done. Btw, the foster mom said his mama ignored him when he was born, and that she birthed and cared for the rest of her litter on the other side of the house. Poor little guy. They didn't know whether he'd make it.
danteshuman - "Dante" was a contender for my little Luigi. I'm still learning when he's bored vs. overstimulated. Sometimes it's hard to tell. He does perch himself on a chair and look outdoors in my sunroom. He also stands in front of the door which has full length glass to peek out of it. If he sees a bug/moth on the ceiling though, he will want it! I'm at work all day so I play with him for 5-10 mins before I leave and then again when I'm home at night once or twice. I'm going to check out a birdfeeder. I'm so glad he has the other cat, and I have definitely heard them tumbling around. The cat ignored him for the first two months so I'm so glad they're like brothers now!

The living situation proves to be a challenge at times because my family (whom I share a home with) get on me about my special rules with the cat. They have one set of rules for their 2 cats while I have another, and how are their kids supposed to know the difference. They think cats need to get used to being picked up because cats live in our world whereas I'm more of a handle the cat the way it wants to be handled/let him come to you/if he growls it doesn't mean his claws need to be clipped. It means you need to read his signals and put him down so he learns to trust you.

 

[susanm9006]

The best time to hold and cuddle a hyperactive half grown kitten is when they are sleepy or sleeping. He will love it and settle in for a snooze and you will get bite free cuddle time in. I always used this time to trim claws and get them used to having their paws touched and claws extended so there isn’t a battle when they are adults.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

SIGH...well, depending on the ages of the kids, they'll understand perfectly well. Especially if you simply explain about babies, and how they have special rules to keep them safe. Even children as young as 4-5 years old can grasp that with a little patience.

 

[downton ali]

The best time to hold and cuddle a hyperactive half grown kitten is when they are sleepy or sleeping. He will love it and settle in for a snooze and you will get bite free cuddle time in. I always used this time to trim claws and get them used to having their paws touched and claws extended so there isn’t a battle when they are adults.

That's such a good idea. Thanks! (Right now, it's a royal battle to trim his claws. Bribing him with treats is ineffective.) Having a kitten is such a learning experience.

 

[downton ali]

SIGH...well, depending on the ages of the kids, they'll understand perfectly well. Especially if you simply explain about babies, and how they have special rules to keep them safe. Even children as young as 4-5 years old can grasp that with a little patience.

I'm sighing right along with you. It's not that children cannot learn (and they are old enough for it), but rather that the adults don't agree with me and I'm on the short end of it. I'm going to take advantage of the teachable moments with the kids (individually) and as they present themselves and go about it gently. And, I'll make my room a quiet, safe zone 100% of the time as no one can argue about that .

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Sometimes that's all you can manage, especially when they are NOT your kids.