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Hi all! I have 4 orphaned foster kittens I've been looking after for a couple weeks now. They came to me around 4-5 weeks old and are now 6-7 weeks.
I'm wondering if anyone has advice about teaching them mostly about limits of play? Without a momma to tell them when to stop and be an example, it's up to me and the other kittens to help them learn. Sometimes, one of them will get overexcited or overstimulated and not seem to get the hint that one of their siblings is meowing during play/unhappy with their wrestling.
Mostly, I try to redirect them with toys but if things start to get more out of hand (hissing, ears back flat), then I will intervene because I don't want anyone to get hurt and I want them to be good playmates when they get adopted. Is this the right thing to do or should I let them duke it out with each other? Is there anything else I should or should not do in this situation?
The other challenge has been the toe and finger nibbling (and leg climbing) - again I try to redirect (though I don't always have a toy at hand to do so) and I have also tried firmly saying No but that doesn't seem to do much and I know discipline or punishment doesn't really work. To a certain degree, I do think they are kittens and kittens will be kittens and without a momma, there's only so much I can do but I also want them to adjust to their new adoptive families well.
I'm wondering if anyone has advice about teaching them mostly about limits of play? Without a momma to tell them when to stop and be an example, it's up to me and the other kittens to help them learn. Sometimes, one of them will get overexcited or overstimulated and not seem to get the hint that one of their siblings is meowing during play/unhappy with their wrestling.
Mostly, I try to redirect them with toys but if things start to get more out of hand (hissing, ears back flat), then I will intervene because I don't want anyone to get hurt and I want them to be good playmates when they get adopted. Is this the right thing to do or should I let them duke it out with each other? Is there anything else I should or should not do in this situation?
The other challenge has been the toe and finger nibbling (and leg climbing) - again I try to redirect (though I don't always have a toy at hand to do so) and I have also tried firmly saying No but that doesn't seem to do much and I know discipline or punishment doesn't really work. To a certain degree, I do think they are kittens and kittens will be kittens and without a momma, there's only so much I can do but I also want them to adjust to their new adoptive families well.