Aggressive Kitten Behaviour

[LinziMissy]

I'm back with another question as everyone was so helpful last time! Missy is 9 weeks old now. We got her at just under 7 weeks (was concerned she was too young but lady needed the kittens gone). She has got into a terrible habit of biting and attacking my hands and feet and pouncing towards my face. I have tried many techniques....started by putting her on her scratch post every time she did it or used a toy as a distraction. I then tried ignoring her and keeping as still as poss when she attacked. This morning though it got so bad I tried 'scruffing' her and hissing and all she did was hiss back and kept coming for me. It seemed to make her angrier than ever! I'm not sure if she is playing or just being plain mean. When she is sleepy she's lovely. Affectionate and will sit next to me or on my lap. When she's hyper though she is a nightmare! We have so many toys for her and play with her constantly. I have 3/4 of an hour with her in the morning, 1/2 hour at lunch and all night when we get home. She seems to be awake more than she is asleep....any advice with how to deal with this aggressive behaviour would be much appreciated! She had her first vaccination yesterday and still wanted to play and bite!

[boxtops]

She is demonstrating typical kitten behavious, linzi - this is how she would normally play with her brothers and sisters in the litter, now she only has you to scrap with. Please don't tell her off - she won't understand - she's far too tiny.

Get her toys with catnip in, that she can kick and shred, and activity toys. Perhaps don't play with her quite so much - kittens need a huge amount of sleep and maybe she'll too stimulated from time to time.

It's not agressive, please don't consider it as such - she's learning to defend herself, and only has you to practice on. It's all learning stuff, not agression at all.

[Eve]

I agree with boxtops, cats often scrap with other cats, she is just acting out her want to play.

Maybe she is over stimulated, maybe just limit the toys available at any time and things she can rough and tumble with. Catnip does seem to have different effects on different cats so beware. I was told it usually affects males more than females, my two girls were never bothered about it, the boys would go mad over it!

Word to the wise though - if it does affect her, watch where you put things. A friend bought mine some catnip drops as part of a Christmas cat stocking treat for them. They ignored them, a male cat who would come in and eat would go crazy, kicking all the stuff out of the basket they were in to get to them, I thought I was being broken into once he was making such a racket.

If the aggression gets worse then speak to her vet. There are things like Feliway which may calm her down a bit though this is more for cats who are distressed or unnaturally aggressive, not to supress their natural behaviour.

[dustypuss]

Hope this helps

http://www.royalcanin.co.uk/your-cat/living-with-your-cat/your-kitten/kitten-behaviour-and-training

[Eve]

How is it going with next door's cat?

[boxtops]

That's a good link, dusty

[LinziMissy]

Thanks again Boxtops...you were really helpful last time too. I wish I could just ignore it but it does hurt and she's already managed to scratch my eye and lip when pouncing on my face. She does like her catnip toys and teaser toy. I think you might be right, I should probably stop going home on lunch and let her play alone and sleep more often. It's hard to know what's right and wrong as every kitten is different. At least she will allow me to pet her when she's sleepy so she can't be all bad! Fingers crossed she'll grow out of it. Thank you

[dustypuss]

http://www.joy-of-cartoon-pictures.com/images/lion-taming.jpg

[nannybooby]

I was always told kittens /cats are better kept in pairs . I had my abbies in pairs and never had a too many problems ,they are a very laid back breed though.
All cats love to stalk you and jump out and play rough and tumble when young - make the most of it while you can ,just keep your face out of the way. You can always tell a kitten owner by the scratches on their hands!

[LinziMissy]

That was a good link thanks. Just read through it...bit of a prob with some areas though as we have an open plan home! Next doors cat is behaving thanks Eve. He barely comes by anymore and when I do see himI just fuss him outside. He has looked at her through the door but just turns his back on her and swishes his tail. She looks like she wants to play with him bless her

[LinziMissy]

Very true Dustypuss! Haha!

[Eve]

I had plenty of scratches from older cats too :) They just love to play and don't understand how sharp those talons of theirs are compared to our skin etc...

I always found some of the best things were incidental, mine tended to ignore bought toys but give them a Primark paper carrier bag, random box, sweet wrapper etc... and they would be in heaven! Actually, when I say give, they do like to commandeer things for themselves :)

You do have to be quite firm in training though and consistent. It may seem hard when you have that cute little butter wouldn't melt face staring up at you but it will benefit you both in the long run.

[Eve]

That's good news then as I remember you were worried about it.

[Brinjal]

Mine did that as a kitten. He also used to run up my bare legs and launch himself at me off the kitchen bench and sink his teeth into my hand. I'm pleased to say he has out grown that. He does still run up the curtains and sit on the rail tho

[LinziMissy]

There is hope! Thank you, I hope she does grow out of it! She's so well trained in every other aspect, just this rough play needs work. Hopefully with patience we'll get there.....very right with regards to kitten owners hands! Thanks Eve, I was very worried about him but he seems to spend more time at home now so good all round for everybody. Do miss cuddles with him though

[boxtops]

Black Spot still does that, Brinjal - and he's eleven. I still have a row of perforation marks round my ankle where he grabs me if I annoy him :-)

[nannybooby]

ok goodness I well remember a paper carrier bag -open it wide and tickle the end the cat is in there like a ferret down a rabbit hole ! Boy did they love it.

[boxtops]

wait 'til she starts swinging off your bare toes in bed at silly o'clock in the morning..... or, like No 1 Son, sits on your head to wake you up - nearly 6 kilos of cat is an effective alarm clock.

(Mind you, I nearly brained him the other morning, he was scrabbling around on the bedside table, and when I got up, I found he'd nicked my denture, LOL....)

[LinziMissy]

Haha! That's so funny! I hope you didn't get a mouthful of furry dentures! They do get up to lot's of mischief don't they. We have a battery powered ball in a bag which she is so funny with. Likes to belly flop herself onto it once she's plucked up the courage!

[Eve]

Duvet monsters and pokey paw through the bannister were two of my downfalls. One would occasionally leap up for cuddles which, when I didn't see her coming, would usually result in her digging her claws into my skin to hang on for dear life. I still have a few scars.

I remember being used as a springboard too occasionally when lying in bed at night when I had two of them, usually in the middle of them chasing each other about.

Try and understand her natural instincts, she is still so young and just learning. She should calm down.

[josaphine32]

We went and looked at bengal kittens last year, we wanted a female, when we got there she was the cat from hell, growling, snarling, you could not play with her as she would hang on to you and seemed really nasty, we bought her brother in the end as she seemed really messed up, 2 weeks later when I went back to see the kitten I bought, the owner said no one was intrested in her because of her aggresion through play, we paid the deposit for her as well, and they both came home 2 weeks later, she is one of the nicest cats I have ever had, I own 8 +1 from next doors, give her time, and scruff like a mum cat when she is naughty, you will get there, but keep interacting with her often so she knows right from wrong, good luck, x x