i have a 9 month old male and i thought that his biting was due to not being nuetered. i had him nuetered last month, maybee 4-5 weeks ago and he is still biting. he doesnt do it as much but still does, he's playing but its really getting annoying at times. will he outgrow this behavior?
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he's a little biter
- Thread starter 97guns
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Have you been playing with him with your hands, i.e. waving them in front of him so he grabs them, or rolling him over?
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I don't remember if you have other kitties, or kitties that even play with him if you do. Kittens, especially boys, are just rambunctious and like to play. Part of normal kitten behavior is tackling, biting, and kicking. I have a little male that often gets so rough with his sisters that I have to break them up - often the adult male cats will back off or hiss and smack him for being too rough with them.
Some of it could be that higher hormones levels still need to get out of his system, but mostly that he's just being a kitten.
You have to redirect that energy into toys and away from you.
Wand toys like Da Bird and laser pointers can make him run around a bunch. Get him a stuff toy to kick and bite on.
When he does bite you, put him down and tell him NO. Ignore him until he settles down. Pay attention to his body language. You can learn to tell when he's wound up and getting over stimulated so you can prevent him from biting to begin with.
Some of it could be that higher hormones levels still need to get out of his system, but mostly that he's just being a kitten.
You have to redirect that energy into toys and away from you.
When he does bite you, put him down and tell him NO. Ignore him until he settles down. Pay attention to his body language. You can learn to tell when he's wound up and getting over stimulated so you can prevent him from biting to begin with.
Many kittens are separated from their mother/siblings at an early age and don't really get the chance to learn from playing with other siblings what too rough and too hard means. So it is important for us to teach them, especially when they are still young, so they don't bring the bad habit into their adulthood.
When you get bitten too hard, as the above poster stated, give a firm "No!" or even a yelp to let the cat know he hurt you, then completely ignore him for a while. This is how a sibling would react.
If he gets too carried away, using a squirt bottle in addition to "No!" will often get the message across.
Try not to use your hands for a while. Instead, use a toy like the feathers on a stick etc.
Since he is still young, he is going to have a lot of energy. If that energy doesn't get worn out, it will turn into frustrated, pent up energy which will result in getting carried away with playing rough and biting too hard.
Use either the feather toy or a laser light to run him around and wear him out. If you do this often, you and your other kitties will much less often fall victim to such rough play.
Remember to be consistent (and patient!) when correcting him so he can easily get the message.
When you get bitten too hard, as the above poster stated, give a firm "No!" or even a yelp to let the cat know he hurt you, then completely ignore him for a while. This is how a sibling would react.
If he gets too carried away, using a squirt bottle in addition to "No!" will often get the message across.
Try not to use your hands for a while. Instead, use a toy like the feathers on a stick etc.
Since he is still young, he is going to have a lot of energy. If that energy doesn't get worn out, it will turn into frustrated, pent up energy which will result in getting carried away with playing rough and biting too hard.
Use either the feather toy or a laser light to run him around and wear him out. If you do this often, you and your other kitties will much less often fall victim to such rough play.
Remember to be consistent (and patient!) when correcting him so he can easily get the message.
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Actually that's how an adult cat would respond. Other kittens usually just get as rough back - this is why I have to listen to kittens screeching/screaming because neither one wants to let go of the other one..
No squirt bottles. Honestly they're just too much trouble to bother with - you're either going to miss and hit the cat in the wrong place, squirt something you don't want to, have to carry the stupid thing around with you, or just end up with a cat that isn't phased by it.
Again, people are assuming that the OP did something wrong. We don't know how old the kitten was when they got it.
Definitely don't use a squirt bottle. As the other member has mentioned, use dangling toys, but no hands
The problem with biting is it can become behavioural, as others have mentioned, a no and replace it with a toy will teach him that it is ok only with a toy and not people.
It can take a while for the hormones to wear down after neutering, especially when they have reached maturity before neutering, so while I would deal with it now, I wouldn't worry too much, many cats that age are little terrors.
On occasion he may just need a time out if really overstimulated, put him down if holding or just walk away to another room - they usually calm down pretty quick when ignored
It can take a while for the hormones to wear down after neutering, especially when they have reached maturity before neutering, so while I would deal with it now, I wouldn't worry too much, many cats that age are little terrors.
On occasion he may just need a time out if really overstimulated, put him down if holding or just walk away to another room - they usually calm down pretty quick when ignored
I wish i knew this when mine was a kitten. Hes 6 years now and still bites - so something you want to stop now for sure...
I know when hes going to attack - his ears go down and he hunches a little bit - and then just jumps for me - he'll go for my arm if he can - and turns his head - i hope hes not trying to hurt me.... Sometimes he'll bit my legs as i walk by
The friend I got him from has said from her 7 cats she has only one (male) that bites also - mine is from the same litter. Would this explain this behavior in any way???
thanks
I know when hes going to attack - his ears go down and he hunches a little bit - and then just jumps for me - he'll go for my arm if he can - and turns his head - i hope hes not trying to hurt me.... Sometimes he'll bit my legs as i walk by
The friend I got him from has said from her 7 cats she has only one (male) that bites also - mine is from the same litter. Would this explain this behavior in any way???
thanks
Yes, it could be, especially if they were removed from their mom too early or biting was encouraged as kittens.
You can train them out of it as adults, its much harder obviously but can be done - the training is much the same as kittens, removing them from the triggers, a firm no and ignore them - just as you would get them to stop scratching furniture by moving them to a scratch post, give them a toy to bite so they learn biting should be kept for toys
You can train them out of it as adults, its much harder obviously but can be done - the training is much the same as kittens, removing them from the triggers, a firm no and ignore them - just as you would get them to stop scratching furniture by moving them to a scratch post, give them a toy to bite so they learn biting should be kept for toys
I agree with the advice already given here. Doesn't take much at all for a kitten to get wound up but you do have to nip it in the bud - no pun intended.
Puff of air in the face, like whhhoooo.... NO. and withdraw. Or hiss at him, no, withdraw.... redirect him to a toy.
I had taken in an adult male neutered who bit me twice really hard when I first got him. Broke the skin. Either fear or overstimulation or a combo of both. It took months of working with him to get him to understand using his teeth on me was unacceptable. He has been VERY good the last few months... He even takes treats from my fingers oh so very gently.
Puff of air in the face, like whhhoooo.... NO. and withdraw. Or hiss at him, no, withdraw.... redirect him to a toy.
I had taken in an adult male neutered who bit me twice really hard when I first got him. Broke the skin. Either fear or overstimulation or a combo of both. It took months of working with him to get him to understand using his teeth on me was unacceptable. He has been VERY good the last few months... He even takes treats from my fingers oh so very gently.
That may be his nature ... more wound up than the others... but they can still be taught that it is undesirable.
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how old is she?
this little sucker is almost 10 months now, he's been nuetered for going on 2 months, i hope he settles down. he will actually stalk me when i walk around the house , pounce on my foot and really clamp down with his teeth. they are very sharp too.
this little sucker is almost 10 months now, he's been nuetered for going on 2 months, i hope he settles down. he will actually stalk me when i walk around the house , pounce on my foot and really clamp down with his teeth. they are very sharp too.
