10 Week Old Calico Biter I May Give Up On- I've Tried It All....

[35 year catdad]

I've had 35 years with many cats and eight kittens but this one.....even when sleepy, I start slow with holding her and or a gentle pet and it goes right into rough pay lets chew on Dad - dig in with needle teeth.
quick time outs, screaming ouch! putting a play toy in her needle teeth instead of my arm, nuthn works . Also.... the leg climbing just wont stop.
Removed from her Mom by a friend in a bad situation at 4 weeks was not good. Ive slept with her and spent lots of time with her, but kitten-to kitten play was not had from age 4-8 weeks so I became her bite object - do kittens bite each other this hard? She reunited with sisters at age 9 weeks currently and playing very rough for 5 days now , so I am hoping this will get it out of her?
I have a 16 yr old super healthy Tortie who is very tolerant and a great step mom!
The Tortie has lived with 11 year old Martin for 8 years and a perfect couple who fight more now. The kitten riles him up but hes a kitten at 11 still.
Another BIG problem...darting out a sliding glass door (we have coyotes who EAT cats here!)
I imagine Jackson G. flying in like Clark Kent to save the day and let my skin heal up
Thanks for any help! This is my first post here.

 

[ArtNJ]

Hmmm lets see. You mention "even when sleepy" so may understand that you can't really touch a riled up kitten, so its probably not that. You don't really mention the "play to tire out" strat but that is only a very partial solution. What is left? Could try a squirt bottle. Very effective with some but not all cats. There was also recently a big thread about a seriously painful older biter that would not respond to anything. Poster finally had success with disciplining cat "like a momma cat would" which I gather involves holding it down for a bit until it calms down. Do a search, it was within the last week for sure and biting (or biter or bite) was in the title.

Beyond that, keep being consistent and...wait. You know that it isn't fair to talk about giving up a 10 week old kitten for biting, and I assume you were mostly joking.

 

[Kieka]

Squirt bottles are actually not recommended for behavior modification. In most cases they will do more harm than good 5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat.

The best way to eliminate biting is consistent responses to even the slightest bite or scratch. Doesn't matter if it enough to hurt, the moment you feel that Pimentel offhand physically move away from the kitten for a ten count before returning. Every time and every one in the home. Usually, after two weeks of consistent response your kitten will understand. It does have to be every single time though. No hand play and no tolerance. I did it with all three cats in my home and they know that teeth and claw are not part of human interaction (and two were under 5 weeks when they lost their Moms). You are trying to mimic the response a sibling would give it the kitten played too hard.

As to the climbing, there isn't much but time and, again, consistent response. I know kittens who climb are persistent and it is challenging. Try to stay low around the kitten to be less enticing and get cat trees for the kitten to climb. Most kittens will grow out of the habit.

 

[danteshuman]

I howl OW OW OW every time I got the slightest hint of claw, ignored the cat (usually Dante) and quit playtime for 10-30 minutes... just flat out ignored my punk. Just today my 10 year old cat got me with a hint of claw and it ended with an OW and no more playtime. The other thing you can do that worked pretty well on our semi feral is give your kitten a light two finger tap to the side of their head when they bite you ... or scruff them. This works best when followed by ignoring them for a bit. Sadly the leg climbing is an age thing... just say "NO!" or "OW!" and pry your tiny ninja off your leg, set them on the ground and ignore your kitten. Some interactive toys will help drain your hyper kittens energy. My punk had EVERY toy attached to a long string or a wand until he was 5 or so & I slowly started to trust him around my hands. About chewing on your fingers, your kitten is teething. Those mini raw hide bones cut in 1/3s work great! With kittens that young if they chomp on my finger I shove my finger a bit in their mouth to make them uncomfortable... they usually get the idea very quickly. Also toys not hands. Give it time, she will out grow the tiny ninja phase I swear Take lots of pictures they grow up fast! Yep those avatars sum up kitten hood

 

[danteshuman]

Petstages Dental Health Chews Cat Toy, Color Varies
Petstages Fresh Breath Mint Stick Cat Toy
Dingo Dental Twists for Total Care Chicken Dog Treats, 35 count

 

[35 year catdad]

Thanks you guys! sadly I've done everything you mention and shes just a SUPER punk I guess. She has her two sisters who she plays way too rough with, and I separate her from them for a time out but it just happens again.
Maybe its part of being a calico but my 16 year old tortie was never like this. Her Mom is semi feral and maybe thats part of it. Wild genes at work she has tons of chew toys and play toys and cat towers and luckily....a patient catDad.
A spritz of sprayed water in her face was just a game to her.

 

[Max's Human]

Thanks you guys! sadly I've done everything you mention and shes just a SUPER punk I guess. She has her two sisters who she plays way too rough with, and I separate her from them for a time out but it just happens again.
Maybe its part of being a calico but my 16 year old tortie was never like this. Her Mom is semi feral and maybe thats part of it. Wild genes at work she has tons of chew toys and play toys and cat towers and luckily....a patient catDad.
A spritz of sprayed water in her face was just a game to her.

 

[Max's Human]

Absolutely positively adorable little Terror!