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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / July 2007

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Chewing kitten

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New Mommy - 16 Jul 2007 23:45 GMT
I've just recently gotten a kitten. She was a stray abandoned by her
mother. I've never had a cat before, so I'm fairly new to taking care
of them. Simba (that's her name) likes to "chew" on my hands, instead
of playing with her toys. I've tried the wands and other feathery toys
to distract her from biting my hands, but she just passes over the
toys and goes for my already scratched up hands. What can I do? I've
done the water bottle for weeks now, and it really hasn't had any
effect. Help?!
Matthew - 17 Jul 2007 00:00 GMT
> I've just recently gotten a kitten. She was a stray abandoned by her
> mother. I've never had a cat before, so I'm fairly new to taking care
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> done the water bottle for weeks now, and it really hasn't had any
> effect. Help?!

The water bottle does not work for problems like this
A LOUD NO or OUCH is much better  even a hiss can work when she tries this.
You have let the problem go on so it will take a little while to stop it
The kitten is becoming over stimulated when you see her going for her hand
drop the toy and use the loud NO or OUCH

Worse comes to worse you can wear a glove or coat your hand with something
that taste or smells bad such as bitter apple or citrus smell

For me I use a coffee can full of marbles when one of my furballs does
something wrong.  They hate that noise and know when I reach for it they
have done something wrong  and stop immediately

Phantom my oldest used to do this I let it go on for a long time thought it
was natural for them to do it.  I used the Ouch before I learned about the
marbles.  Phantoms still nips but only enough to let me know he is there and
than he licks my hand when he nips.  The nip is only enough to put pressure
on the skin the only time he has ever drawn blood was when I pulled away to
quick.
CatNipped - 17 Jul 2007 01:32 GMT
> I've just recently gotten a kitten. She was a stray abandoned by her
> mother. I've never had a cat before, so I'm fairly new to taking care
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> done the water bottle for weeks now, and it really hasn't had any
> effect. Help?!

Kittens have their own language, so you have to "speak it" to make them
understand.  When she bites, make a *very* high-pitched "MEW" - that's
kitten talk for "uncle" (when two kittens are play fighting, and one issues
that "MEW", the other will sit back and give it a break before starting to
play again)!  That should stop her immediately - then take your hand away
and give her a "time out" by not playing with her for a few minutes.  *Then*
try to distract her with a wand toy.

Hugs,

CatNipped
New Mommy - 17 Jul 2007 08:17 GMT
> > I've just recently gotten a kitten. She was a stray abandoned by her
> > mother. I've never had a cat before, so I'm fairly new to taking care
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> CatNipped

Thanks so much for everyone's help. Tomorrow, I will give everything
you have taught me a try. If nothing works, you'll find a new post on
here about it.

:] New Mommy
Sheelagh >o< - 17 Jul 2007 14:44 GMT
> > "New Mommy" <lookitsall...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

This may sound a little mad, but, have you thought of buying her a
doggy chew?

Some of the reason that she is biting is because she is teething. We
all know what it is like when a tooth comes through. The more that you
tell yourself not to probe it with your tongue, the more often you
find your tongue doing exactly that?!!

A doggy chew will help her because it smells good, it tastes right &
they are safe for her to chew on..& it will last forever if you get a
good one. It will also help with those teeth that are still trying to
push through the gums.

The other half to this one is  that kitty is only mock fighting as she
did with her litter mates.. so please don't think this is because she
wants to hurt you. It is a natural thing that all kittens do.

With the expression of surprise and pain, she will stop straight away.

And with Matthew's advice, the surprise factor should hit home

Both Matthews & C.N's advice is brilliant too.

We look forward to hearing how you got on with it, if you have the
time to post, please?
Sheelagh >"o"<
oldhickory - 18 Jul 2007 17:32 GMT
Yes, ours was chewing too, so we got her some cute rawhide candy canes at
the pet shop.  She slid them on the floor and chased them and chewed on
them--they worked great. The mewing idea is good--I always communicate with
ours in "their own" language and it seems to help.

Ours grew up to be a wool-chewer--sucking on blankets, etc., as an
adult--probably due to not being weaned (she was rescued from the freeway as
a kitten where she'd been tossed out a window (multiple injuries but
surgeries and nursing care did the trick). Sometimes she falls asleep with
the blankie in her mouth--it's just pitiful and precious:

http://www.davidandmollie.com/kitties/woolycat/index.htm

Good luck!
Signature

ie
ride fast, take chances.

>> > "New Mommy" <lookitsall...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>
[quoted text clipped - 60 lines]
> time to post, please?
> Sheelagh >"o"<
CatNipped - 18 Jul 2007 19:05 GMT
> Yes, ours was chewing too, so we got her some cute rawhide candy canes at
> the pet shop.  She slid them on the floor and chased them and chewed on
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Good luck!

Poor baby - what a horrible way to start a life!  But, oh how cute!!!

I have one that was weaned too early, but thankfully without the trauma.
Sammy sucks her toe.  She's 18 pounds of muscle (Maine Coon ancestry I
think), but she still jumps up next to me to knead me while she sucks that
back toe for all it's worth!  ;>

http://www.possibleplaces.com/catnipped/Toe_Suck_Movie/

Hugs,

CatNipped

>>> > "New Mommy" <lookitsall...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 63 lines]
>> time to post, please?
>> Sheelagh >"o"<
New Mommy - 18 Jul 2007 22:16 GMT
On Jul 17, 8:44 am, "Sheelagh >o<" <sheelagh_mad...@hotmail.co.uk>
wrote:

> > > "New Mommy" <lookitsall...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
[quoted text clipped - 55 lines]
> time to post, please?
> Sheelagh >"o"<

Okay, I'll try that one too. I have heard that she could be teething
as well, she only has little baby teeth in right now, so I just let
her chew on my hand. But then one day I noticed that blood was
dripping from a bite on my hand. After that day, I haven't let her do
it since.
Sheelagh >o< - 19 Jul 2007 21:35 GMT
> On Jul 17, 8:44 am, "Sheelagh >o<" <sheelagh_mad...@hotmail.co.uk>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 66 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

Best of Luck & I really hope this works as well for you as it did for
us.
Be great to hear how things are going when you get time?
Thanx,
Sheelagh >"o"<
New Mommy - 20 Jul 2007 18:38 GMT
On Jul 19, 3:35 pm, "Sheelagh >o<" <sheelagh_mad...@hotmail.co.uk>
wrote:

> > On Jul 17, 8:44 am, "Sheelagh >o<" <sheelagh_mad...@hotmail.co.uk>
> > wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 72 lines]
> Thanx,
> Sheelagh >"o"<

I'm still working on getting her to stop biting. She still seems to do
it no matter what I do! I do the very high pitched MEW & ignore her,
yell NO and OUCH really loud right next to her, but it doesn't bother
her. As long as she can walk away and come back to pounce on my hand
or ankles, nothing bothers her. I guess I'll consider buying some
rawhide chew toys this weekend. I don't know what to do! If this
doesn't work, I think my grandma and I are going to have a fit! She
constantly attacks people's ankles when they're walking (and I know
it's normal to do this) but she'll draw blood and it scares my baby
brother to death! I just want her to stop and be a happy kitten at the
same time.
CatNipped - 21 Jul 2007 14:49 GMT
> On Jul 19, 3:35 pm, "Sheelagh >o<" <sheelagh_mad...@hotmail.co.uk>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 99 lines]
> her. As long as she can walk away and come back to pounce on my hand
> or ankles, nothing bothers her. I guess I'll consider buying some

But it's the getting her to stop that counts.  Once she starts to walk away,
make sure she has a "time out" before you allow her around you again.  This
doesn't sound like teething, teething is just them wanting to chew on
something to ease the pain of teeth breaking through their gums.  This
sounds like acts of aggression (even if it's playful) and you've *GOT* to
stop that while she's a kitten - an adult cat can savage you and send you to
the ER doing the same thing that's cute in a kitten.  Break that habit now.

Here is a video clip of the high pitched MEW in action (of course I wouldn't
normally play with a kitten with my hand as I'm doing in this vid).  Once
the kitten stops the biting, you have to remove yourself or her immediately
because, as you can see, they'll only stop for a moment before starting in
again - but that moment is your window for breaking the cycle.

http://www.possibleplaces.com/catnipped/mew.mpg  (may take a minute or two
to download according to your connection speed).

Hugs,

CatNipped

> rawhide chew toys this weekend. I don't know what to do! If this
> doesn't work, I think my grandma and I are going to have a fit! She
> constantly attacks people's ankles when they're walking (and I know
> it's normal to do this) but she'll draw blood and it scares my baby
> brother to death! I just want her to stop and be a happy kitten at the
> same time.
Sheelagh >o< - 21 Jul 2007 16:51 GMT
> > On Jul 19, 3:35 pm, "Sheelagh >o<" <sheelagh_mad...@hotmail.co.uk>
> > wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 131 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

Excellent advice.C.N ;o)
I agree with you, this is far more serious than teething.
She needs to stop this pronto!

By remove yourself, Cat Nipped  means that she wants to to totally
disengage with her, & deliberately withhold attention to any negative
behaviour. Even if it means leaving the room & shutting yourself away
from her. Of course, once she starts showing possitive behaviour, then
reward her with lengthy scratches & cuddles too (when appropriate)
She will see a pattern eventually, & you will be rewarded for your
hard work 10 fold, honestly ;o)

Good Luck again,
Sheelagh >"o"<
New Mommy - 20 Jul 2007 18:42 GMT
On Jul 19, 3:35 pm, "Sheelagh >o<" <sheelagh_mad...@hotmail.co.uk>
wrote:

> > On Jul 17, 8:44 am, "Sheelagh >o<" <sheelagh_mad...@hotmail.co.uk>
> > wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 72 lines]
> Thanx,
> Sheelagh >"o"<

Also, when is it the right age to have your kitten start wearing a
collar??

And do harnesses to take kittens on walks work well?? My grandma and I
go on walks all the time, and  sometimes I would just love to drag her
along with me. Simba loves to be outside, that's where she spent her
first 4 weeks of life. My family tells me though that cats don't
usually like going on walks. Is there a way that I could get her to
enjoy being in her harness and taking walks with me?

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