3 mo Continues Bad Behaivor

Dannyboi19

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
3
Purraise
6
Hello! I am a cat mom who has gotten my first kitten in years. I've had several cats before I moved out of my parents place and am very comfortable caring for them.
However, ever since getting a 2 month old kitten named Danny from a rescue last month ago, I've run into a few problems I just can't solve.

He has been biting ankles and noses (when laying down in bed or on the sofa) since we got him. My partner and I have tried everything. He is on a regular play and feeding schedule, we do not play with hands or feet. He has lots of rope toys, balls wresting toys etc. We also change his environment up everyonce and a while by putting in and taking out toys to keep things new (we do keep his favs out). Also, we leave the room and lock him out of the one we move into when he does this until his cries stop.

But he still hunts our ankles and bites. I really don't know how to stop this.. i feel like he was taken from his littermates and mother very early and now he is lacking some skills and isn't learning them from us. We've thought about bringing in another cat to have someone to hangout and play with. But I know that probably won't solve our problems.

Does anyone have any advice? I'm willing to try anything at this point. Thank you!
 

ArtNJ

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
5,485
Purraise
6,957
You have tried "everything". What is "everything"? Kind of hard to recommend trying other things unless we know what you tried.
 

rubysmama

Forum Helper
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
Messages
25,278
Purraise
62,764
Location
Canada
Hello and welcome to TCS. And congrats on the new kitten! These days the recommended age to adopt out kittens is at least 12 weeks, so that they have time to learn cat manners from their mom and siblings. Obviously that isn't always possible, but when a kitten is adopted younger than that, it becomes the human parents job to teach them kitty etiquette. Things like letting them know their biting or playing too hard hurts their human parent. As Furballsmom Furballsmom mentioned, hissing might help, as that's what their mom would have done.

A 2nd kitten could help, as like a sibling, it would let your kitten know if it was playing too rough. If you are considering getting a 2nd kitten, now would be the time, as kittens generally don't need a long separation and introduction period.

Here's an article from the Humane Society on how to Teach your kitten how to play nice. Do disregard their mention of a squirt bottle, as that is not recommended and can cause the cat to become fearful of the human. TCS, in fact, has this article with 5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat | TheCatSite.

Also the TCS article How To Stop Playtime Aggression In Cats – Cat Articles
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

Dannyboi19

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
3
Purraise
6
Thank you for the replies! Have read that article and no dice so far.
As for the hissing I will try and keep doing it. I've tried it a few times but he doesn't even react to me making the noise at all. Not even his ears move. Maybe my pitch isn't quite right...
The only sounds that get him to notice me are very loud claps or lots of snaps in a row.

If we did get another cat we were thinking of an older cat. Someone to help teach him some cat things as I can't speak cat, they are hard for me to convey.

The 'everything' I mentioned was described in my post. I've watched several behavioral videos on YouTube and have tried to implement them with my partner of course. We've been trying to stop this behavior for just over a month now and even after the constant repetition he is not adjusting.
 

lucicat

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Sep 9, 2019
Messages
312
Purraise
370
personally I recommend a second kitten!! We got a kitten this summer and she turned out to be super high energy and it just seemed like no matter how much we played with her she would still bite and be crazy. we adopted a second kitten and the difference has been amazing!!! She's still high energy, but she has literally not bit us once since having a playmate! She has someone who can play the way she needs (I mean we still play with her, but we aren't going to be full contact wrestling or running down the hall at 6am!) and it burns up that particular energy, so with us she can be a more mellow kitten. I mean she's still high curiousity, high energy kitten, but now she has the right outlet for her needs.
 

lucicat

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Sep 9, 2019
Messages
312
Purraise
370
Thank you for the replies! Have read that article and no dice so far.
As for the hissing I will try and keep doing it. I've tried it a few times but he doesn't even react to me making the noise at all. Not even his ears move. Maybe my pitch isn't quite right...
The only sounds that get him to notice me are very loud claps or lots of snaps in a row.

If we did get another cat we were thinking of an older cat. Someone to help teach him some cat things as I can't speak cat, they are hard for me to convey.

The 'everything' I mentioned was described in my post. I've watched several behavioral videos on YouTube and have tried to implement them with my partner of course. We've been trying to stop this behavior for just over a month now and even after the constant repetition he is not adjusting.
I would advise against an older cat personally. They have a harder time integrating and also may be just annoyed by the kitten energy. Having two kittens sounds like a lot of work, but I've found it easier since they have the perfect playmate. And introductions between two kittens are way easier.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

Dannyboi19

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
3
Purraise
6
I would advise against an older cat personally. They have a harder time integrating and also may be just annoyed by the kitten energy. Having two kittens sounds like a lot of work, but I've found it easier since they have the perfect playmate. And introductions between two kittens are way easier.
Really? Another kitten over an older cat? We were looking at a cat that had had a littler of kittens not more than a year ago. Even in that situation you'd recommend a young cat/kitten?

Just curious and thank you all sososo much again!
 

Furballsmom

Cat Devotee
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
39,271
Purraise
53,931
Location
Colorado US
We were looking at a cat that had had a littler of kittens not more than a year ago
Hmmmm, she's since been spayed? It depends, she could be a nice cat based purely on her natural attitude, or she could have little to no interest in this kitten.
However, I think I'd still suggest another kitten, but in any case try and maybe do a foster type of situation in case things don't work out.
 

ArtNJ

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
5,485
Purraise
6,957
Thank you for the replies! Have read that article and no dice so far.
As for the hissing I will try and keep doing it. I've tried it a few times but he doesn't even react to me making the noise at all. Not even his ears move. Maybe my pitch isn't quite right...
The only sounds that get him to notice me are very loud claps or lots of snaps in a row.
Personally, I doubt anyone's hissing sounds much like cat hissing to super sensitive cat ears. I think any sound that is loud enough to be mildly startling/off putting and is consistently used should work. Your hiss probably just isn't loud enough to be mildly startling. I use a loud "no!" or a clap myself -- lot easier than trying to get a hiss loud enough. Sometimes for the kitchen table, I smack that with my hand. The only tricky thing is being loud enough to be a tad startling without terrifying the cat -- its a balance.
 
Top