he won’t stop biting… please help!

Congrats on being a new kitty mom! It’s been a LONG time since I had a baby but I think it’s normal for him to be biting as he is teething. However, I am sure more experienced or recent mom’s will jump in soon to help you!

He’s a cutie.

If you were a cat you would stop him from biting you by holding his head down (gently – remember you’re a cat) and hissing at him. Then get up and leave the room without another word or even looking at him. You don’t have to stay out of the room very long, just a couple of minutes. Then come back in and initiate play with him again but with a toy. If he accidentally touches your hand while he is playing, don’t worry about it. But if he purposely ignores the toy and chooses your hand instead, repeat the ‘hold, hiss, leave’ process.

Glad these tips are working for you, KaitsMama. Please keep posting. We love hearing about each others’ kits.

Things are usually pretty quiet here on the weekend so keep checking back. People tend to gather on a morning cafe thread started each day and on the night shift each evening. Please join in! 🙂

My little Confucius ( Foo Foo ) started doing the same thing. I was told to give her something appropriate when she bites. So now when she starts going for my hand or any other part of me, I give her heavy duty a drinking straw. She thinks its the best toy ever and is now not biting half as much. The rescue said the straw is like a teething toy and she just needed to learn who and what is ok to chew on! Good luck !!

Leesha, please read the advice above about how to communicate to a kitten that biting is unacceptable behavior.

In addition, I cannot emphasize enough… do NOT play with a kitten directly with your hands. Use a toy that the kitten can attack; a ‘wand’ toy or a toy on a string dragged across the ground usually works well. Or crumple up a piece of paper and roll it across the floor.

Hands are for petting and treats ONLY; they are not to be used as playthings, and not for smacking the kitten. The kitten doesn’t know any better than to play with your hands (if you allow it or encourage it). So don’t let the kitten play with your hands.

yeah well thanks for the advice, im kinda new with having a kitten in all so i didn’t really know i was up till four am this morning trying to figure out how to make him stop doing the things hes doing. then i found this site. im sure if anything else comes up i will come & see how someone else handles it. i do use paper & he got a little teddy bear but then he gets over excited & comes for my hands & face, but i guess he’s gunna have to learn that he’s not allowed. im hoping he gets out of the habit soon.

well i must be doing something right because when i say no to when hes nibbling on my fingers for his poor little teeth he listens :). i’m actually getting somewhere amazingly. i’m going down in town tomorrow to get a spray bottle so then i can teach him not to scratch or bite people & things.

Just be consistant—

It’s all about the teeth for little kitties. Get him a little toy he can call his own, can mark well with his scent, and can bite away as much as he wants for some relief for his little needle toothies. Play with him, with this toy, and then just handle him when he’s calm, or sleepy, so he associates your hands with nice, soothing strokes. Make sure any toys for teeth relief are safe, with no easily bite-offable parts – then you can let him have the toy in his bed for night-time chewing.

Oh that is so cute – I love it when my kits do that. So playful, and entirely affectionate!