6 month old cat biting me, not sure if it's playful or aggressive. How do I make him stop?

[auroraei]

I got a 6 month old male kitten a little over a month ago and at first he was nice and sweet and cuddly but lately he's been having some aggression. I don't know if he's just being playful or what because I've never had a cat of my own, but he's been biting me and IT HURTS. I'll be petting him and he will grab my hand and literally gnaw on it, not just a cute little nip, but gnaw on it. Not breaking skin but his teeth are really sharp and it hurts. He does it with strength too, he really holds on tight with his paws. Also in bed he will be laying near my face all sweet then the next he tries to bite my face or he bites my hands. He goes from being really sweet to just BITING me HARD. Another thing he does is sometimes when I'm just walking in the room, he will literally launch at my leg and latch on like a tree trunk and just gnaw away at it until I kick him off. He's never hissed at me, so I like I said I'm not sure if this is aggression or playfulness. 

Nothing I do to try to make him stop works. I have yelled OUCH, said a firm NO, tried scuffing (NOT LIFTING HIM), he doesn't care. Only thing that works is if I get up and walk away, but that doesn't seem like a solution because I don't want company to come over and have him launching at them or biting them and the only solution is telling my company to leave the room or push the cat off.

He isn't fixed yet but will be within the next 2 weeks. Also he recently lost a baby tooth but I don't know if that's why he's biting me now. I give him plenty of toys to chew on.

 

[smitten4kittens]

That sounds like pretty standard behaviour for an un-fixed kitten of that age. After he is fixed he will most likely calm down a bit. His hormones are really kicking in right about now.

When he plays rough immediately give him a toy (like a Kong kickeroo) to wrestle with instead. After a while hopefully he will learn that hands are for petting and toys are for biting. Try to tire him out with a couple vigorous play sessions everyday with a toy like Da Bird. If he is tired he won't have as much energy for attacking your ankles.

Having said all that, the best thing I ever did for my very frisky 6 month old kitten was get him a kitten to play with. They are best buds and that was litterally the last time he flung himself around my ankles and dug in. Just a thought...

 

[auroraei]

That sounds like pretty standard behaviour for an un-fixed kitten of that age. After he is fixed he will most likely calm down a bit. His hormones are really kicking in right about now.

When he plays rough immediately give him a toy (like a Kong kickeroo) to wrestle with instead. After a while hopefully he will learn that hands are for petting and toys are for biting. Try to tire him out with a couple vigorous play sessions everyday with a toy like Da Bird. If he is tired he won't have as much energy for attacking your ankles.

Having said all that, the best thing I ever did for my very frisky 6 month old kitten was get him a kitten to play with. They are best buds and that was litterally the last time he flung himself around my ankles and dug in. Just a thought...

So you think this is just playfulness? I mean sometimes it seems like it, but I thought that cats just playfully nipped, not actually tried to eat your hands. Sometimes even his ears go back while he's biting my hands, or he gives me a "look" and pounces on my leg or something. I'm not sure. This isn't all the time though, usually just when he's hyper.

I know another cat would probably be ideal, but I can't afford one right now and this one I have is a handful XD

I'll try the toy idea, that means I'll always have to have a toy around me though LOL.

 

[smitten4kittens]

I do think it's playful, not aggression. If a cat wanted to really hurt you he COULD and would. If you don't have bloody scratches and bites I think it is just rough play. As a kitten mine would get big pupils, ears back, and launch himself onto my ankles. It seemed aggressive but he never drew blood and would be sleeping next to me and purring as soon as he was tired out. Was he taken from his mother before 10-12 weeks? Sometimes these kitties are a lot rougher because they never learned how to play gentle because they left mom and siblings too soon. You could try hissing at him when he plays too rough. He knows what that means for sure and it's what his mom would do.

I understand it might not work for everybody to have 2 kitties. But when you said the one you have is already a handful, I just wanted to say with his new buddy mine was no longer a handful at all. He got all his wigglies out playing/wrestling with the other kitten and only came to me for calm snuggle time.

 

[yayi]

He must learn that biting you is not acceptable. But as smitten4kittens said, it is normal behavior of a very active young cat. He is practicing his hunting skills. Have you watched a mommy cat discipline her kittens? She hisses and blows air on their faces. You can do those things too, especially if you are not holding a toy to distract him. Stare at him while you do it and then walk away.  In time your boy will stop. 

 

[auroraei]

I do think it's playful, not aggression. If a cat wanted to really hurt you he COULD and would. If you don't have bloody scratches and bites I think it is just rough play. As a kitten mine would get big pupils, ears back, and launch himself onto my ankles. It seemed aggressive but he never drew blood and would be sleeping next to me and purring as soon as he was tired out. Was he taken from his mother before 10-12 weeks? Sometimes these kitties are a lot rougher because they never learned how to play gentle because they left mom and siblings too soon. You could try hissing at him when he plays too rough. He knows what that means for sure and it's what his mom would do.

I understand it might not work for everybody to have 2 kitties. But when you said the one you have is already a handful, I just wanted to say with his new buddy mine was no longer a handful at all. He got all his wigglies out playing/wrestling with the other kitten and only came to me for calm snuggle time.

I have no idea what this kittens backstory is. January 25th he ran into my house and I decided to keep him lol. "[color= rgb(70, 70, 70)]As a kitten mine would get big pupils, ears back, and launch himself onto my ankles",[/color]  Well that's good to know! Well not good, but just good to know he isn't just being aggressive. Only time I've ever heard this cat hiss is when he saw another cat out the window. He didn't even hiss at the vets when they put a thermometer up his butt, LOL, just screeched a ton. I guess I will just try to wear him out more, cause another kitten right now is out of the question :\

 

[smitten4kittens]

And don't forget that getting him fixed could help a lot too. You mentioned this just started about a month ago. That would be about when his hormones started kicking in. Lots of playtime and getting him fixed could make a big difference. Also, as he gets older he should mellow out more and not have the energy for all the antics.

 

[stealthkitty]

I know it's already been said, but it is just playfulness. I have two that are about 10 weeks old and sometimes the look like they are engaged in a full-blown war, but since they are totally silent I know they're just goofing around. They arch their backs and puff themselves up, looking as menacing as possible, then they go for the jugular! Afterwards, they are all cuddles and purrs and groom each other.

The advice here is good. Do keep a toy handy to redirect him whenever you need. You can even physically take him off of you and put him on the toy (if it's a big one) so he gets the idea that biting you=immediate removal; biting toys=acceptable.

Whenever ours played too rough with me, I gave them a firm (but not loud or mean) NO followed by putting them on the floor and ignoring them; or, if they were on the way to playing rough but not there yet, I would immediately grab a toy and let them chew on that. If they had to be put on the floor, all was forgiven in that moment and they were allowed to jump back up as soon as they wanted, as long as they continued to behave. If not, they were put right back on the floor. They soon learned that it was too much work to have to keep jumping back up on the bed and so it's easier for them to just behave. (I used the same method to teach them not to chew or claw our couch cushions, and I'm very pleased with the results. And now sometimes a firm NO is enough to make them rethink chewing on a forbidden item.)

 

[auroraei]

And don't forget that getting him fixed could help a lot too. You mentioned this just started about a month ago. That would be about when his hormones started kicking in. Lots of playtime and getting him fixed could make a big difference. Also, as he gets older he should mellow out more and not have the energy for all the antics.

Naw I got him about a month ago, this "aggression" has been been in the past couple weeks. I should have got him fixed a long time ago! But he was sick and didn't want to put him through that yet.

 

[auroraei]

I know it's already been said, but it is just playfulness. I have two that are about 10 weeks old and sometimes the look like they are engaged in a full-blown war, but since they are totally silent I know they're just goofing around. They arch their backs and puff themselves up, looking as menacing as possible, then they go for the jugular! Afterwards, they are all cuddles and purrs and groom each other.

The advice here is good. Do keep a toy handy to redirect him whenever you need. You can even physically take him off of you and put him on the toy (if it's a big one) so he gets the idea that biting you=immediate removal; biting toys=acceptable.

Whenever ours played too rough with me, I gave them a firm (but not loud or mean) NO followed by putting them on the floor and ignoring them; or, if they were on the way to playing rough but not there yet, I would immediately grab a toy and let them chew on that. If they had to be put on the floor, all was forgiven in that moment and they were allowed to jump back up as soon as they wanted, as long as they continued to behave. If not, they were put right back on the floor. They soon learned that it was too much work to have to keep jumping back up on the bed and so it's easier for them to just behave. (I used the same method to teach them not to chew or claw our couch cushions, and I'm very pleased with the results. And now sometimes a firm NO is enough to make them rethink chewing on a forbidden item.)

Good advice! I'm going to buy him a Kong Kickeroo like someone else suggested. It looks to be the size of a kitten so maybe he can fight with that 

 

[di and bob]

Kickeroos are GREAT! I've got several in my house for my 'high spirited' boy. He often just goes wild and jumps on our old cat, but throw the kickeroo out and he's on it! I put one in a bag with cat nip and keep exchanging them to keep his interest up. I know he was way too rough too when he was a kitten, and neutering definitely helped. He drew blood, but in a 'rough' way, not a 'mad' way. I've been bitten and scratched by feral babies and there is a difference, believe me! He would hide and jump on your legs too, but we did yell NO! and gave him another toy and would leave the room until he calmed down. He still plays too rough at 5 years old, but we just make sure we initiate play with a toy and not our hands.He also takes a lot of aggression out on those corrugated cardboard scratchers you can buy for 10.00. You can turn them over for twice the use and they save your furniture.                                                                                                      

 

[kittykat718]

It's definitely playfulness. I really feel cats don't realize how sharp their teeth are. I say this because my cat has seriously hurt my husband biting him once when she was scared by something and was blind with fear. She punctured him. Playing hurts but she doesn't puncture. They can easily bite to really HURT you if they wanted to. It does sound very normal for his age and I'm sure he will calm down. I taught my cat that when I scream ouch very loudly, it's time to stop. I'm sure yours will catch on!

 

[don1945]

One thing that hasn't been discussed is that the cat might be in some pain and when you play with him or pet him it could be hurting him to where he strikes out a little to let you know.  You mentioned he has been sick, maybe a vet visit is in order.

We had one cat who was a biter, but not a mean bite, just a nip when you petted her on her back.   We always assumed it was just her funny temperment, but we began to wonder because she had been viciously attacked by a male Tom cat when she was a little kitten and she almost died, she had $ 1000 worth of stitches in her.   We came to the conclusion she might have been in pain when we touched certain parts, even though she was like that all her life (15 years).  Otherwise, she was a sweet cat and loved to snuggle and sleep with you.

Maybe you have something like that going on.

Don

 

[ebergerardo]

My cat used to do that. I thought it was adorable. He would leave alot of marks on my arms though, so I started wearing long sleeves. It stopped when he got fixed. I do have another cat, he is 6 months old and not neutered yet, and he does that pretty often, but not the the extent my other cat did.

 

[auroraei]

One thing that hasn't been discussed is that the cat might be in some pain and when you play with him or pet him it could be hurting him to where he strikes out a little to let you know.  You mentioned he has been sick, maybe a vet visit is in order.

We had one cat who was a biter, but not a mean bite, just a nip when you petted her on her back.   We always assumed it was just her funny temperment, but we began to wonder because she had been viciously attacked by a male Tom cat when she was a little kitten and she almost died, she had $ 1000 worth of stitches in her.   We came to the conclusion she might have been in pain when we touched certain parts, even though she was like that all her life (15 years).  Otherwise, she was a sweet cat and loved to snuggle and sleep with you.

Maybe you have something like that going on.

Don

At this point I think it's him being playful. Like I said it's usually only when he's hyper. I've never had a cat this young so this is all new to me, I thought he wanted to eat my hand lol. I've been directing him to his toys when he gets in that mood now.

 

[StefanZ]

Agreeing with the others, this being playfullness and that. Him not knowing it does exagerrate a trifle and it hurts, so some teaching may be in order. Proceed with these Ouch and so on, even some hissing, like a cat friend would do.

I want to add, it may also be here a measure of love when he is tugging your hands. The classical cat love bites...  One of my residents do so sometimes. Although he tries to be very gentle, so it doesnt bother me much.

I agree also with the said earlier, when a cat wants to bite for real, they bite holes without any trouble. There is a tremendous force in the cats jaws, if they want to bite for real. Your hand will hurt because the sheer brute force several days even if you do have thick gloves on.  Without gloves the wounds will be deep halfway in.

I dont even mention common drawing blood which they can make without real effort.

So if they dont draw blood, it is friendly nibbling. At worst - a friendly warning, not more.

 

[angelpeter]

I think it is just a young male cat thing. I have a one year old male cat and before he got fixed he was really wild. He still kinda is. He used to bite on my foot my hand and anything else that moved, but he has calmed down.

Sometimes, now, he gets in a really crazy mood and he starts scratching everything.

 

[dejolane]

Thunder is 8 months old and has been doing this too. I just tap her on the nose and tell her no and she stops. Hope it helps.

dejolane

 

[barbara fischer]

my kitten is doing the same . if you find out please lete me know .

 

[drbobcat]

There might be more than play involved.  Cats have short memories and need to re-own everything in their realm.  One of those things, probably one of the most important things, is you!  The cat is saying, "this belongs to me."  You may have noticed that cats will often grip and bite each other for the same reason.  The problem, as others have pointed out, is that this behavior can become habitual, not what you want.  Since the cat wants you around, anything that removes him from you should reinforce the idea that biting isn't a good plan.  I think yelling at and especially striking a cat is a bad response.  Cats don't get the point and just associate you with an unpleasant experience.  Picking him up and placing him on the floor away from you, even in a different room often will discourage him.  Also consider rewarding him when he plays "nice".  Treats, toys, catnip all work.  When he bites you, stop the playing and the treats.  Good luck.  This can be difficult behavior to change in some cats.