Took In 3 Week Old Abandoned Kitty

[AC1819]

A couple days ago I took in a 2-3 week old stray. She was behind the barn of a friends brother. He has a lot of ferals in the area and didn't want anymore so he wanted to get rid of them. Therefor I brought Chloe home (we think she's a girl from watching many YouTube videos on how to sex a kitten). We are having to bottle feed her but trying to have her lap her milk. The milk is kitty formula that we bought from Petco. She's learning to use a litter box by herself and she's learning quickly. She will be able to be domesticated right?!? She came home with fleas, but that was expected since she had lived outside. The thing I'm worried about, though, is shes she's always scratching and biting me. She has a few toys but she's more interested in my arms and hands. And everyday she claws and bites a little harder and plays a little more rough. What do I do? And like I said she's only about 2-3 weeks so I can't really punish her. She doesn't understand it. Even right after she wakes up she's rough. And if she's not clawing or biting she's sleeping in my arms which is the cutest thing. I've thought about declawing but I know that is very inhumane. I would feel bad if I did that to her. What do I do?!

 

[Kieka]

It really is best to make an effort to leave hands to petting and feeding only. Try not to play with your hand wrestling or fingers wiggling. Once she is older and the idea that she can't use claws or teeth is fully ingrained (talking a year plus) you have a little more liberty. My guys are all adults and the few times I play with just a hand they are excellent at not scratching or leaving marks. But it takes work and the few times I do get a scratch I react the same as described below, they look sheepish, and they are more careful.

That aside, claws and teeth are an easy solution provided you are consistent. Start with the assumption that she doesn't realize that she is hurting you. So you have to show her that she is hurting you and that claws or teeth is a problem. Any time she bites or uses claws on a human, regardless of how hard or gentle, do the following: make a loud sound to get her attention (No or Ow work, just pick one and stick with it), physically turn away, ignore any attempts by her to get you attention (place her on the floor if she climbs a leg, ignore pats or bats by her, don't acknowledge her at all), count to 10, return as if nothing happened. Repeat as needed. If you do it a few times in a row then get up and physically leave the room instead of just ignoring. You don't want to remove her from the area but remove yourself. You want her to realize that if the claws come out the play stops. You want her to link the action with reaction fully so there are no ifs ands or buts to this training. In every single instance with every single person she needs to know that claws=no play.

In my experience, if you get everyone on board and are consistent you will see a drastic change within a week. To retain and enforce the lesson you will need to continue it though all through kittenhood. Just like children, kittens will test boundaries so remember to do it every single time for best results.

By the way, I would put her at more along the lines of 4-5 weeks from what I can see in the photo. Another tip is to develop a routine where you end each play session with a treat or a meal. That way she knows that she play, she eats, then she rests. It is a great habit to get into that will allow you to dictate playtime and structure her for a quieter evening as she gets older (especially if you do a nighttime play time which leads to dinner then bedtime, my girl sleeps soundly through the night and even yells at me if I am late to bed).

 

[AC1819]

It really is best to make an effort to leave hands to petting and feeding only. Try not to play with your hand wrestling or fingers wiggling. Once she is older and the idea that she can't use claws or teeth is fully ingrained (talking a year plus) you have a little more liberty. My guys are all adults and the few times I play with just a hand they are excellent at not scratching or leaving marks. But it takes work and the few times I do get a scratch I react the same as described below, they look sheepish, and they are more careful.

That aside, claws and teeth are an easy solution provided you are consistent. Start with the assumption that she doesn't realize that she is hurting you. So you have to show her that she is hurting you and that claws or teeth is a problem. Any time she bites or uses claws on a human, regardless of how hard or gentle, do the following: make a loud sound to get her attention (No or Ow work, just pick one and stick with it), physically turn away, ignore any attempts by her to get you attention (place her on the floor if she climbs a leg, ignore pats or bats by her, don't acknowledge her at all), count to 10, return as if nothing happened. Repeat as needed. If you do it a few times in a row then get up and physically leave the room instead of just ignoring. You don't want to remove her from the area but remove yourself. You want her to realize that if the claws come out the play stops. You want her to link the action with reaction fully so there are no ifs ands or buts to this training. In every single instance with every single person she needs to know that claws=no play.

In my experience, if you get everyone on board and are consistent you will see a drastic change within a week. To retain and enforce the lesson you will need to continue it though all through kittenhood. Just like children, kittens will test boundaries so remember to do it every single time for best results.

By the way, I would put her at more along the lines of 4-5 weeks from what I can see in the photo. Another tip is to develop a routine where you end each play session with a treat or a meal. That way she knows that she play, she eats, then she rests. It is a great habit to get into that will allow you to dictate playtime and structure her for a quieter evening as she gets older (especially if you do a nighttime play time which leads to dinner then bedtime, my girl sleeps soundly through the night and even yells at me if I am late to bed).

Thank you soooo much for your help and explanation. I do think she is younger, though, because she about the size of my hand. I'm having her sleep in a crate in my room with the crate door open so she can roam around but my bedroom door closed for right now. We have a pretty big house, about 3,500 sq ft so she still doesn't know her way around and cant come down the stairs herself. She has learned how to get up onto the couch. She is super stubborn and we want to figure out how to break bad habits now. We want to get her a little cat tree but they're so dang expensive. What are your thoughts about de-clawing? Like I said I feel like it would be nice for us, but not good for her.

 

[Sarthur2]

You can trim just the tips of her claws. Then, play with her only with string toys - never with your hands or feet.

Never de-claw - it's cruel. She'll outgrow this!

She looks and sounds about 4 weeks old. She should wean to lapping her milk and soft foods in another week or two.

She'll need worming, flea treatment, vaccines, and spaying.

Thanks for taking her in!

 

[AC1819]

You can trim just the tips of her claws. Then, play with her only with string toys - never with your hands or feet.

She looks and sounds about 4 weeks old. She should wean to lapping her milk and soft foods in another week or two.

She'll need worming, flea treatment, vaccines, and spaying.

Thanks for taking her in!

Thank you for your words of advise. Do you think that clipping the nails work and about how often should we be doing that?

 

[Sarthur2]

As often as they need trimming. It won't stop her playing with your hands, but at least her nails won't be as sharp. You have to keep your hands away from her.

Never de-claw - it's cruel. She'll outgrow this.

 

[AC1819]

As often as they need trimming. It won't stop her playing with your hands, but at least her nails won't be as sharp. You have to keep your hands away from her.

Never de-claw - it's cruel. She'll outgrow this.

Great, thanks! And she will be able to be domesticated right?

 

[catsknowme]

Please do NOT ever consider declawing - it is actually cutting off the ends of her toes
It is outlawed as animal cruelty in other countries and some local jurisdictions here in the U.S. Additionally, cats who are declawed often become biters. When all else fails, there are soft tips that can be applied over the nails but I have been able to get all my cats to use "claw control".
I understand what you are dealing with, though. Kittens who grow up with their mom and littermates are more used to roughhousing at that young stage. I use a technique similar to Kieka's - I make a loud squawk/screech sound followed by saying sternly : "claw control!".
Bless you for rescuing that little cutie! I am from a rural area and unfortunately population control for cats can be cruel as TNR is still considered a waste of time, money and effort.

 

[AC1819]

Please do NOT ever consider declawing - it is actually cutting off the ends of her toes
It is outlawed as animal cruelty in other countries and some local jurisdictions here in the U.S. Additionally, cats who are declawed often become biters. When all else fails, there are soft tips that can be applied over the nails but I have been able to get all my cats to use "claw control".
I understand what you are dealing with, though. Kittens who grow up with their mom and littermates are more used to roughhousing at that young stage. I use a technique similar to Kieka's - I make a loud squawk/screech sound followed by saying sternly : "claw control!".
Bless you for rescuing that little cutie! I am from a rural area and unfortunately population control for cats can be cruel as TNR is still considered a waste of time, money and effort.[/QUOTE

Thanks, catsknowme ! I will definitely try that method of the claw control and thank you for helping me understand the importance of not de-clawing. I honestly see this little rescue as a blessing for my family. Everyone loves her! I don't think she's a hypoallergenic breed but no one that's allergic to cats seems to be allergic to her (also a blessing!!!!)

 

[Kieka]

Great, thanks! And she will be able to be domesticated right?

She is already socialized if she is living in your home. Don't worry about that aspect. Cats are very adaptable. She just doesn't have a Mom so you are having to teach her the manners her Mom normally would. I will add, declawing is not an option in any situation in my opinion. As others said, it can cause as many problems and is devastating to the cats. If you practice good training and keep the tips of her claws trimmed beginning now it should be a non-issue.

The guess of her age isn't based on size but on how active she is, how her ears are fully up, and her general appearance in the photos. My little one came to me as a feral at 4 months old (which means she had no human experience prior to that point, less social than a barn cat in most situations) and she was a smidgen over a pound and could squeeze into one hand. I knew her age though because I had seen her around and knew when her litter was born. Small size can just indicate diet deficiencies or that she will be on the smaller size as an adult. My girl ended up being a little cat who can barely see over the back of my average size male.

My girl at 4 months

IMG_5253.JPG

• Kieka
• Dec 1, 2016

My boy at 6 weeks

IMG_3933.JPG

• Kieka
• Mar 15, 2017
• 1

Allergens vary by person and by cat. I am allergic and each of the three cats in my home affect me to a different degree. I have found that kittens are easier on me than adults. Since that is a concern in your home you probably should get her used to a once a month bath (just use water for the next month or two and an extremely mild kitten soap until an adult) and weekly brushing. If you start now it will be easier to maintain as she gets older.

 

[kittychick]

I've attached a photo from the Alley Cat Allies page "How Old Is That Kitten." It shows pictures and gives descriptions to hep you age them - - - and the kitten in the hand I show here (in a hand for a sense of proportion) is just past 4 weeks and almost 5 weeks old, so I do think she's older than 2-3 weeks. (take a look at the two week old kitten - and a three week old kitten - so you can see she's probably at least 4 weeks). The specific page on their website with that info is https://www.alleycat.org/resources/kitten-progression/ . It also gives great info on when to start branching beyond as far as foods, etc.

Anyway - a big YEAH FOR YOU!!! for taking her in and caring for her!!!!!! She's 100% adorable! She should absolutely be able to be socialized/domesticated since you're starting from a very young age. The best way to think about everything she does is that you're now Mommy AND all of her siblings. She's going to be learning social behavior from YOU that she would normally be learning by wresting with siblings and pouncing on Mom. She's at the stage where she's just starting to learn how to start to stand up for herself and be a "big kitty." She'd normally be testing out "how far is too far" when it comes to biting and scratching, etc. from her siblings or her mom. Siblings would normally give a little squeaky "Yelp!" if they're bitten too hard or scratched too much - - so that's what I do when working with little ones. And while she has toys (again - yeah for you for doing all you can to make it a fun, comfy, loving home) - - your hands and toes move and wiggle alot more than a little stuffed - even with catnip - toy. Your fingers, toes and hands are constantly moving and are VERY intriguing and fun looking for her! So no - she doesn't understand without a little bit of a repercussion, which can be the little "Eeek" I do - and can also be the withdrawal of the "fun thing" (the hand, the foot, etc - - - even setting her down and walking away for a minute) and substituting in something she CAN play with. But you have to make the toy just as fun - - wiggle it around, toss it just a bit, toss it in the air, etc. You should never, ever hit or swat at her - she's so small damage can be done - and it creates cats who are afraid of people, which is the last thing you want to do. And when you do withdraw your hand/finger/toes for her not to play with - don't jerk them away - - - that still looks like play to her. Just slowly and gently pull them away, and then offer her a fun, moving toy. She'll learn! We use wand toys - like "da bird" - alot - - but she can't be left alone with them as they often have strings, and if left alone with them, she might ingest the string, which isn't good. Remember, she's just testing out her strength and learning how life as a "big kitty" works - - and now you're the one who gets to teach her It can be such a fun, rewarding process!!!!!

It's great to start claw clipping as soon as you can. There are lots of wonderful youtube sites - and articles like Expert Advice for Trimming Your Kitten's Nails can help too. Just take it slowly - - just a few toes at a time. And just after waking - when she's sleepy - is best.

You also mention how much space she has - - - while eventually that will be FANTASTIC for her --- right now while SO little, I'd limit her to a room or a few rooms. Mainly for two reasons: (1) you can keep an eye on her a bit better, but mainly because (2) people forget how teeny tiny kitten legs are. And if she gets at one end of the house and suddenly thinks "Oops! I need a litter box NOW" she may be a Loooooong way from one on the other end of the house. And you DEFINITELY don't want to start making litter box accidents a habit

A quick word on declawing. Declawing - which used to be done routinely by people (and vets) without thinking about how it affected the cat later in life - is something we all know more about now, and yes, it's very inhumane. Like removing your finger at the first knuckle. Plus it causes lots of problems later in life- as a cat ends up walking differently without that last part of their "toe." Which often causes very painful arthritis later in their life, or worse. It can often cause litterbox avoidance almost immediately, as it's painful for them to sit and squat in a box - and most litters are painful for them to walk on. So all they know is the litterbox is painful - and then they avoid it. Not a fun association to start up so early in life! She can 100% be taught not to treat your hands and toes as chew toys without declawing!!!! So it's nice to hear you don't want to do so

Hope some of that helped - so happy you're giving the precious thing a home!!!! And keep us posted on how she's doing (we love funny and sweet baby pics), and what the great collective minds of the cat site forums can do on any issues!!

 

[AC1819]

She is already socialized if she is living in your home. Don't worry about that aspect. Cats are very adaptable. She just doesn't have a Mom so you are having to teach her the manners her Mom normally would. I will add, declawing is not an option in any situation in my opinion. As others said, it can cause as many problems and is devastating to the cats. If you practice good training and keep the tips of her claws trimmed beginning now it should be a non-issue.

The guess of her age isn't based on size but on how active she is, how her ears are fully up, and her general appearance in the photos. My little one came to me as a feral at 4 months old (which means she had no human experience prior to that point, less social than a barn cat in most situations) and she was a smidgen over a pound and could squeeze into one hand. I knew her age though because I had seen her around and knew when her litter was born. Small size can just indicate diet deficiencies or that she will be on the smaller size as an adult. My girl ended up being a little cat who can barely see over the back of my average size male.

My girl at 4 months

IMG_5253.JPG

• Kieka
• Dec 1, 2016

My boy at 6 weeks

IMG_3933.JPG

• Kieka
• Mar 15, 2017
• 1

Allergens vary by person and by cat. I am allergic and each of the three cats in my home affect me to a different degree. I have found that kittens are easier on me than adults. Since that is a concern in your home you probably should get her used to a once a month bath (just use water for the next month or two and an extremely mild kitten soap until an adult) and weekly brushing. If you start now it will be easier to maintain as she gets older.

That is very good to know about the domestication. I am now your kitties are so cute! I think it is very interesting that their size doesn't associate with their age, but their socializing is how you know. So far we have had four family members come over and none of them are allergic which is a very good thing. One other question. She keeps licking, biting and scratching her fur and her ears. We only got her on Saturday but she has fleas so since Saturday she's had 7 baths. The fleas keep appearing. We were bathing her with peppermint Castile but now that I'm researching it I saw that it is not safe for cats!! What do I do? She's had about 5 of her baths with it I'm worried.

 

[Sarthur2]

No more baths for now. You'll dry her skin out. She needs some natural oils.

You need a tube of Advantage II for kittens on the back of her neck.

Do not buy Hartz or Sergeant!

Advantage II will be at pet stores or from your vet.

 

[Kieka]

That is very good to know about the domestication. I am now your kitties are so cute! I think it is very interesting that their size doesn't associate with their age, but their socializing is how you know. So far we have had four family members come over and none of them are allergic which is a very good thing. One other question. She keeps licking, biting and scratching her fur and her ears. We only got her on Saturday but she has fleas so since Saturday she's had 7 baths. The fleas keep appearing. We were bathing her with peppermint Castile but now that I'm researching it I saw that it is not safe for cats!! What do I do? She's had about 5 of her baths with it I'm worried.

Fleas are a nasty little problem and at her age there isn't a really great solution. Since you want to get her used to brushing anyways you may want to get a flea comb and start brushing her with it. Keep a small cup with some blue dawn dishsoap and water. Dip the brush in whenever you get a flea and the flea will drown in the mixture (the soap traps them in the water). Her skin needs some time to recover before she gets another bath; some of the itching may be from driness. Until then just brush with the flea comb and drown any you get off. In about 5-7 days you can give her another bath with Dawn Dish Soap. It actually is fairly decent at getting fleas off. Continue brushing her with the flea comb and a weekly bath until you don't see any more fleas. During this time you will want to change bedding, clean her bed or blankets, and vacuum the house anytime you give her a bath to try to get any fleas hiding around your home.

You can use a topical flea control medicine usually between 6-9 weeks old. I personally like to wait until 12 weeks unless the fleas are really bad (so in 8 weeks to be safe or 4 weeks if the fleas are bad and the above isn't helping). Ask your vet if Frontline or Advantage is better in your area (specifically get the kitten version). Please do not use any sort of flea collar or cheaper topical flea medicine as they can be deadly to some cats. If she is going to be indoor only after two treatments you should be good as that will kill any fleas on her and the second month will take care of any stragglers.

 

[AC1819]

I've attached a photo from the Alley Cat Allies page "How Old Is That Kitten." It shows pictures and gives descriptions to hep you age them - - - and the kitten in the hand I show here (in a hand for a sense of proportion) is just past 4 weeks and almost 5 weeks old, so I do think she's older than 2-3 weeks. (take a look at the two week old kitten - and a three week old kitten - so you can see she's probably at least 4 weeks). The specific page on their website with that info is https://www.alleycat.org/resources/kitten-progression/ . It also gives great info on when to start branching beyond as far as foods, etc.

View attachment 191359

Anyway - a big YEAH FOR YOU!!! for taking her in and caring for her!!!!!! She's 100% adorable! She should absolutely be able to be socialized/domesticated since you're starting from a very young age. The best way to think about everything she does is that you're now Mommy AND all of her siblings. She's going to be learning social behavior from YOU that she would normally be learning by wresting with siblings and pouncing on Mom. She's at the stage where she's just starting to learn how to start to stand up for herself and be a "big kitty." She'd normally be testing out "how far is too far" when it comes to biting and scratching, etc. from her siblings or her mom. Siblings would normally give a little squeaky "Yelp!" if they're bitten too hard or scratched too much - - so that's what I do when working with little ones. And while she has toys (again - yeah for you for doing all you can to make it a fun, comfy, loving home) - - your hands and toes move and wiggle alot more than a little stuffed - even with catnip - toy. Your fingers, toes and hands are constantly moving and are VERY intriguing and fun looking for her! So no - she doesn't understand without a little bit of a repercussion, which can be the little "Eeek" I do - and can also be the withdrawal of the "fun thing" (the hand, the foot, etc - - - even setting her down and walking away for a minute) and substituting in something she CAN play with. But you have to make the toy just as fun - - wiggle it around, toss it just a bit, toss it in the air, etc. You should never, ever hit or swat at her - she's so small damage can be done - and it creates cats who are afraid of people, which is the last thing you want to do. And when you do withdraw your hand/finger/toes for her not to play with - don't jerk them away - - - that still looks like play to her. Just slowly and gently pull them away, and then offer her a fun, moving toy. She'll learn! We use wand toys - like "da bird" - alot - - but she can't be left alone with them as they often have strings, and if left alone with them, she might ingest the string, which isn't good. Remember, she's just testing out her strength and learning how life as a "big kitty" works - - and now you're the one who gets to teach her It can be such a fun, rewarding process!!!!!

It's great to start claw clipping as soon as you can. There are lots of wonderful youtube sites - and articles like Expert Advice for Trimming Your Kitten's Nails can help too. Just take it slowly - - just a few toes at a time. And just after waking - when she's sleepy - is best.

You also mention how much space she has - - - while eventually that will be FANTASTIC for her --- right now while SO little, I'd limit her to a room or a few rooms. Mainly for two reasons: (1) you can keep an eye on her a bit better, but mainly because (2) people forget how teeny tiny kitten legs are. And if she gets at one end of the house and suddenly thinks "Oops! I need a litter box NOW" she may be a Loooooong way from one on the other end of the house. And you DEFINITELY don't want to start making litter box accidents a habit

A quick word on declawing. Declawing - which used to be done routinely by people (and vets) without thinking about how it affected the cat later in life - is something we all know more about now, and yes, it's very inhumane. Like removing your finger at the first knuckle. Plus it causes lots of problems later in life- as a cat ends up walking differently without that last part of their "toe." Which often causes very painful arthritis later in their life, or worse. It can often cause litterbox avoidance almost immediately, as it's painful for them to sit and squat in a box - and most litters are painful for them to walk on. So all they know is the litterbox is painful - and then they avoid it. Not a fun association to start up so early in life! She can 100% be taught not to treat your hands and toes as chew toys without declawing!!!! So it's nice to hear you don't want to do so

Hope some of that helped - so happy you're giving the precious thing a home!!!! And keep us posted on how she's doing (we love funny and sweet baby pics), and what the great collective minds of the cat site forums can do on any issues!!

For sure!! Many pics will be attached throughout her litttle kitty life and I will have lots of questions. So glad that I came across this amazing website full of great educated people. You are right. She looks more like 4 weeks. I agree that taking her in was the best idea. Thank you for the tips for the scratching and biting. And helping me understand the importance of not declawing.

 

[Sarthur2]

See my post #13. Advantage II for Kittens is recommended beginning at 5 weeks. It's very safe and effective.

Do you have a plan to get her to a vet soon?

 

[AC1819]

See my post #13. Advantage II for Kittens is recommended beginning at 5 weeks. It's very safe and effective.

Do you have a plan to get her to a vet soon?

We do. We are going to get her a check up and then after that get her vaccinated and spayed (we are pretty sure it's a girl but not sertain). Back to the peppermint Castile... is that toxic or lethal? It's ok if you do not know.

 

[AC1819]

Fleas are a nasty little problem and at her age there isn't a really great solution. Since you want to get her used to brushing anyways you may want to get a flea comb and start brushing her with it. Keep a small cup with some blue dawn dishsoap and water. Dip the brush in whenever you get a flea and the flea will drown in the mixture (the soap traps them in the water). Her skin needs some time to recover before she gets another bath; some of the itching may be from driness. Until then just brush with the flea comb and drown any you get off. In about 5-7 days you can give her another bath with Dawn Dish Soap. It actually is fairly decent at getting fleas off. Continue brushing her with the flea comb and a weekly bath until you don't see any more fleas. During this time you will want to change bedding, clean her bed or blankets, and vacuum the house anytime you give her a bath to try to get any fleas hiding around your home.

You can use a topical flea control medicine usually between 6-9 weeks old. I personally like to wait until 12 weeks unless the fleas are really bad (so in 8 weeks to be safe or 4 weeks if the fleas are bad and the above isn't helping). Ask your vet if Frontline or Advantage is better in your area (specifically get the kitten version). Please do not use any sort of flea collar or cheaper topical flea medicine as they can be deadly to some cats. If she is going to be indoor only after two treatments you should be good as that will kill any fleas on her and the second month will take care of any stragglers.

Perfect, thank for the info on how to treat the fleas. Do you know what the deal is on the peppermint Castile? A friend recommended it as she uses it to treat fleas on her dogs and it works for her so we thought we'd try it on Chloe. But I've been reading (after already giving her a couple baths with it) that it can be toxic or even lethal. Is this true? Do you know?

 

[Sarthur2]

No, peppermint is not toxic that I know of.

Definitely get and use a flea comb.

I generally recommend bathing kittens with Dawn dish soap.

The vet can safely treat her fleas also.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Thank you for bringing this kitten into your life!

There is a great Search feature for this site... I'd recommend spending time searching for anything you have questions on, including de-clawing, as there are a lot of articles and a lot of threads here on so many topics! A lot of the threads are ongoing, too, even if a few years old and you can ask extra questions to these threads and still get advice.

It really is best to make an effort to leave hands to petting and feeding only. Try not to play with your hand wrestling or fingers wiggling. Once she is older and the idea that she can't use claws or teeth is fully ingrained (talking a year plus) you have a little more liberty. ...

You want her to realize that if the claws come out the play stops. You want her to link the action with reaction fully so there are no ifs ands or buts to this training. In every single instance with every single person she needs to know that claws=no play.

In my experience, if you get everyone on board and are consistent you will see a drastic change within a week. To retain and enforce the lesson you will need to continue it though all through kittenhood. Just like children, kittens will test boundaries so remember to do it every single time for best results.

...

I want to also pitch in here with Kieka, that it is so important that everyone in the household is on board with teaching that human hands are not toys to kittens, and then the kitten will hopefully learn to do less and less biting and tussling-with-hands over time. If you have one person who really tries to consistently teach the kitten this lesson (as Kieka described so well), but another person ends up letting the kitten bite and scratch at human hands during even occasional playtimes, it almost puts you back at square one.
I've experienced this in my household.
I think my husband is finally on board, and our cat only nips at us rarely and only for things that breach her "cat boundaries", which they should be allowed to do!