Need a new solution for this painful problem...

[pinkdaisy226]

It's been a while since Baylee was a kitten so sorry for the obvious question... but what do I do about this?

Jordan is a biter. As in, out of nowhere, he'll come and attack your hand and no matter how much you distract him or move him, he'll come running back for more. And it's not restricted to your hand... he's bitten my arm, my cheek, my ponytail...

I've been looking through the boards and tried the suggestions: we've tried to give him socks and other stuffed animals to let him chew on those... and he will but he finds us more interesting. We've tried saying no, we've tried not reacting to the bites, we've tried moving him away, etc...

What do you do with a kitten who loves to bite, so much so that he could attack a sock (biting and bunny kicking) for hours on end, but sometimes he gets in that mindset that he finds YOU more appealing... and nothing can deter him?

 

[gailc]

Bakker is kindof this way. Not biting so much as swiping you with his paws and a bit of claw!! I have LOTS of toys boughten and home made. Did you do the puff of air thing??

 

[tuxedokitties]

I don't know if it would work in Jordan's situation, but I read in a cat book somewhere to gently take the loose skin at the back of the kitten's neck and hold him still, and at the same time to cover his face with your other hand for just a moment, then let go, and walk off and ignore him for a bit. The book said that's similar to a method used by the mother cat to discipline her kittens.

I tried it on Mr Underfoot a long time ago because he used to bite me on the ankle or elbow when he wanted attention, and on the nose sometimes when he was being petted close to my face. I needed him to stop chomping on me, but I didn't want to do anything to harm his trust in me or make him less affectionate. It worked well for him. He instantly calmed down when I put my hand over his face, and stopped biting at all after about a month.

Perhaps you could try it and see how Jordan reacts? If it calms him, that's perfect, but if it seems to upset him more then I wouldn't try it again.

 

[cyberkitten]

YY tried it when she was a baby (12 weeks) and I ignored it or divereted her attention. She does not do it now. Maybe you could try diversion - if he sees you do not like it and you can also hiss at him as his mama would have and he'll know it's NOT fun!

 

[pinkdaisy226]

I tried the puff of air thing but it just startles him... he'll go right back to doing it. And I tried what tuxedokitties suggested but it just riled him up...

 

[hissy]

Ari check out Tabbytudes in our Behavior section of the website

Biting cats

 

[pinkdaisy226]

So it's most likely that he's too young to know better, seeing as how he's supposed to stay with his mom til he's 12-16 weeks but instead he's 8 weeks old? I've tried quite a few of those suggestions but he reacts differently than Baylee ever did... I guess I'll keep trying...

 

[stlgrl5]

I have a kitten who is like 4 months old and he won't stop biting either. I think its just cause there young and they don't know better.

 

[bengalbabe]

Originally Posted by STLGRL5

I have a kitten who is like 4 months old and he won't stop biting either. I think its just cause there young and they don't know better.

Im not sure about that.
My 4 month old kitten wants to play all of the time. Sometimes when she tries to play with her mommy her mommy will growl and lash out at her and she immediately stops. I think kittens can learn what is acceptable and what is not. Momma cat sure can put her in her place quick. Maybe she needs to see you as "momma cat"!

 

[rosiemac]

I know when Rosie was a kitten she would walk up my chest if i was laying down and bite my nose!

It sounds cute when i say it but it hurt and i didn't want to scream incase i frightened her

I would have to gently open her mouth to take her teeth of me so she didn't bite any harder, but she did that until she was a good few months old then just stopped!.

 

[buzbyjlc10]

Even though Oliver's 3, he's still very much kitten at heart and will occasionally do similar things... I found having a water bottle handy was a good fix... one or two squirts at him when he's being bad and he's done... now all I have to do is reach towards the bottle and he stops.... just one more suggestion for ya

 

[rosiemac]

He looks so full of mischief as well!

 

[pinkdaisy226]

Thanks for the replies everyone..

Buzby... I don't think I want to squirt water at him, I don't like the idea of that for some reason.

Rosiemac... Silly Rosie! Lol! And yeah, he is very mischeivous... I think we have another potential alpha cat here, oy vey!

bengalbabe... I think you're right, I need to have him see me as momma cat, but I'm not sure how...

 

[berylayn]

gosh ari - i wish i could help, but Eb was never that bad as a kitten. You have some great suggestions here, and hopefully after a few mores weeks he will definitely see you as mama, and start to calm down a bit.

 

[katachtig]

You can also try hissing at him. I know our older cat will do that to the baby (whose almost two) when she doesn't like the behavior.

 

[pinkdaisy226]

Ok I have come to the conclusion that nothing will work on this cat. I have tried blowing, hissing, putting him away from me, ignoring him, distracting him with another toy... no, it only makes him want to attack me more.

My poor nose has a nice scratch across it too now when he was trying to bite my cheek.

 

[katachtig]

Originally Posted by pinkdaisy226

Ok I have come to the conclusion that nothing will work on this cat. I have tried blowing, hissing, putting him away from me, ignoring him, distracting him with another toy... no, it only makes him want to attack me more.

My poor nose has a nice scratch across it too now when he was trying to bite my cheek.

Well shoot. I know that you have had the best advice. The only things I'm coming up with are totally stupid - like wearing cowboy boots and welding gloves and hope he grows out of it. But as you live in Texas, you are probably experiencing the high temps we are and this is rather impractical.

Maybe a 2-3 minute time-out in the bathroom might help when he is getting bad.

 

[huggles]

Ari, I havent read through the responses so I apologise if I am repeating something. But Tipsy was a biter as well. I used to go to work and the people I worked with used to know how Tipsy was going by the scratches on my arms. Tipsy seriously was psycho - and it got to a point that I wondered what we were going to do with him.

Then we got him neutered - I actually used the vet if they gave me back a different cat. Seriously, he was a completely different cat, full of love and affection.

Hopefully with Jordan it will just be a kitten stage and he will grow out of it.

 

[pinkdaisy226]

Ha, I might have to start wearing gloves! However I worry that that would encourage him more, if I weren't saying "ow" as much.

Dani, I will hope that you're right, that he will calm down by the time he gets neutered. And maybe by the time he's integrated with the other two, he will wear out all his energy with them?

 

[hobbester]

Hi Ari :wave:

Hobbes was a little rascal when he was a baby too, we got him when he was 7 weeks old. Whenever he turned into biting mode (which he still does to this day

) we'll just put him on timeout. It's funny cos he only attacks Johnny, i think it's because he's away at work all day and Hobbes wants his attention. He'll do the "wigglebutt-pounce attack-rabbit kick" move on Johnny's feet and it hurts! Johnny will pick him up, look him in the eye and give him a stern 'NO!'. And if it gets out of hand, we'll lock him up in the bedroom together with a toy or two. 5 minutes later we let him out, he'll be a calm kitty.

When we used to live in the studio apartment, jail time for hobbes would be the bathroom. Yes he'd meow when he's locked up, and it hurts my heart to hear his cries, but he has got to learn not to attack people. Johnny says i spoil the kid too much, but he's more mellow now

He does have his psycho days

G'luck with Jordan, i think it's just a matter of time. Try the time-out method.