Help With A Nippy Kitten

[UrbanSidhe]

A little over a month ago I walked into Petsmart for dog treats and cat toys and ended up walking out with a 2.5 week old kitten. After some bumps, bruises and tears she's a healthy 8 week old kitten. I haven't had a very young kitten in a very long time (my last kitten was nearly 6 months old, he'll be 8 on Friday), and never a bottle baby.

So she's a good kitty and all but she doesn't really respond to petting or scratching unless she's sleepy . I hold her and play with her a lot but when I try to she bites and grabs my fingers. I try to give her toys instead (feather wand and kick pillow mostly). It rarely hurts so I know she's just playing but I admit I want a little cuddling and purring. I've never had a cat that didn't respond to petting.

Will she grow out of this? I've been told she sounds normal and should grow into it eventually but I am worried that she will be a nippy cat and not affectionate. I'm a worrier by nature and would like to hear it from folks who raise bottle babies more often. Getting another kitten is not really ideal since that would bring the pet total to 5.

Is there anything I can do to get her to like petting? I pet her when she's sleepy, pet her when she's eating and I put her in my lap and feed her treats. I read that this will reinforce that petting is a good thing.

 

[StefanZ]

some kittens arent very fond in petting. They DO like you, but its perhaps enough with one or two strokes, after it they go away. They grow fond of petting and cuddles later on, as adults.

You can use a wooden spoon for petting, if she grabs your hand. Why wooden? because it feels warm and almost soft. And why spoon? Because its nicely curved, adds to this comfortable feeling.

 

[StefanZ]

You will perhaps find some ideas from this tread, where the situation is somewhat similiar to yours:

Need Help With Very Aggressive Kitten - we had it up several days ago, its still visible on the screen.