Kitten blues...

[iluvlucy15]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the site. Looking for some insight on my little girl Lucy. Lucy was rescued as a feral kitten and brought to a local animal hospital, and I fell in love with her so I adopted her. They estimated she was 3-4 months. I've now had her for 2 weeks and she has adjusted well to feeding and litter. I seem to be having a lot of issues with biting/scratching. This is the first time I've had a kitten (had an adult cat prior to her) and I was warned kittens were a lot of work, but, I've been very consistent with putting an end to the biting and scratching and I'm seeing no end in sight. Perhaps, she's got worst. Lucy has toys available to her - balls, wands, cat tree, stuffed mice, larger stuffy and yet I can't get her to stop attacking. I was getting about 1-2hrs of play time in with her an evening as I know she has energy to burn off. I've now limited that to an hour, as I thought maybe it was too much play, making her think it's playtime all the time. I don't even need to move and she eyes me up, wiggles her bum and guns for me. I've been consistent with using the stern 'no' and removing her from my hands, as well as giving her a little tap on the nose. Also, she doesn't respond to a dose of water bottle, cause she LOVES it... haha when she does something bad or out of line I ignore her, or put her in a room for a few moment to try and calm her down. It does help but not for long. I'm so scared these acts will follow her into adulthood and I'm scared to own a cat that randomly attacks so I am trying to kill these habits now. And fast - In case she is slightly older than predicted. Also, I am not able to get a second cat, I rent and 2 cats would not be allowed. Anyone have any other ideas that could help? Am I over thinking it cause she is just a kitten and it's a phase? Please help. I want to ensure I'm doing everything I can... And I'm sad and worried

 

[iluvlucy15]

I should mention...
-she is indoor now (was feral)
-she does wool suck, which probably means she was away from Mum too early

I've attached a pic...

20150802_161800.jpg

• iluvlucy15
• Aug 4, 2015

 

[Sarthur2]

No need to be sad and worried .

She's a young kitten and when kittens have litter mates they run, jump, chase each other, and ... attack!

She's using you as a litter mate, but she does need to learn not to bite and to use soft paws. It is a phase that all kittens go through, and it lasts for awhile. Most kittens grow up to be very nice adult cats however.

Have you tried hissing at her when she tries to attack you? This should show her that you have dominance and that you mean business.

Additionally, you can try gently scruffing her and holding her immobile for a few seconds. Mama kitty normally does this to let her kittens know that the biting and scratching is unacceptable.

It may take a little time, but she WILL learn. Raising a kitten requires time and patience, and it appears you've been doing a good job overall with yours. The behavior you describe is probably at its peak right now, so nipping it in the bud is the way to go.

I think it's great that you engage in interactive play sessions with her. Breaking them into shorter sessions throughout the day may help. She can become over-stimulated if it goes on too long. Most kittens will play hard and then need a long nap.

Let us know how it's going, and enjoy your furry friend!

 

[Sarthur2]

She's precious!

And she looks about three months old.

 

[iluvlucy15]

Thank you for your words of encouragement! I need all I can get right now. Yes, I agree breaking up play for a few shorter sessions in the evening is a better idea. She doesn't seem to tire... haha but at least I know she's getting the attention she needs. I may try the hissing. I've been so use to swing 'no' or 'ow' that I've trained myself to react that way... haha if only she could catch on. I know it definitely takes patience and sometimes I welcome leaving the house for a couple of hours... haha but it's always nice to come home to her too

 

[Sarthur2]

Do not be afraid to try the hissing or the scruffing. Neither one hurts the kitten, and neither one will cause her to be frightened of you. It just teaches manners and respect. I know you've not been around cats much, but mama kitty is much harder on her kittens than you realize. She pins them down and scruffs them and hisses at them and bats them with her paw. They learn quickly and they always love their mamas. You have to be mama.