Bad behaviour - Help please

[sheilarose]

Mum cats continue to teach their babies "cat manners" until they are 12 weeks old, so taking one at 8 weeks means you assume the role of Mum for the first month. Cat manners is what they learn from siblings too, and includes:

It hurts me when I get bitten
It hurts me when I get scratched
It hurts someone else when they get bitten or scratched
It hurts me when my Mum ignores me
It hurts me when my mum stops playing with me
It frightens me when someone stares at me
It frightens me when someone hisses or spits at me

Basically you just need to put yourself into Mum cat mode and carry on her teachings. After a few days of withdrawing your hands whenever she bites or scratches and calmly walk away (I wouldn't even pick her up if I were you) just ignore her. Taking away her toy (your hand!) will deprive her of her fun and put you back in control.

If she hurts you, do as her Mum would do and scream or hiss sharply ay her. Then move away. She'll be shocked and instantly know what she did was wrong. It soon stops, believe me.

Fail to do this, or allow a member of your family to continue to play "rough" with her and she'll continue to see it as acceptable game, and never break the habit.

I've brought several cats into my home, most are strays with bad attitudes when the arrive, and as yet this method has worked on all of them. They now know that any form of attack, albeit in play, leads to immediate withdrawal of cuddle/play privileges.

Except for Sly who totally dominates my OH who, unwisely, decided that it was OK to play rough with Sly when he was 6 months old and now gets playfully savaged every time he goes near him.  Sly's gentle as a lamb with me though. Proof I think. 

Rolls eyes - told you so. 

However, good (or apologetic) behaviour gets rewarded with extra play, treats and of course loads of hands-on strokes and tickles.

If she's very boisterous, make sure you always have a largish cat nip toy to hand to thrust at her when she's being a madam, and wand toys are marvellous for wearing out small cats with too much energy. She can use up her energies on that instead of your poor hands.

If you have relatives who you are concerned for, buy some bitter apple spray and rub a little into their hands before they play with the cat. If she goes to bite them she'll receive a mouthful of nasty taste that will stop her from doing it again. However, I'd only use it on yourself as a last resort as you want kitty to love YOUR hands, not be wary or scared of them.

Personally, I like the "two kittens best" idea, they teach themselves cat manners and you'll be spared the hard work. 

Have a look at the Youtube articles by Jackson Galaxy he's amazing!.

[Greenlaner]

My nearly 18 year old one before billy had a male mate from a kitten. He lasted 13 years with bully. They had a wild time knocking each other about or washing each other in their shared basket. It was hard work but they were very settled and has the years past, they slowed down and lounged around together. They were great pets. 

[Mymblesdaughter]

I think having two does help. My two are better than my old cat Greycat she was terrible for attacking hands. They really love to play rough games and another cat is happy to do that with them. They can happily kick each others heads for all they're worth and they seem to come away unscathed.   

[DottyyBB]

Sorry to say CT84, it's just what kittens do. Everyone of my kittens have ran up my legs at feeding time and sat on my hip like a human baby waiting for their food, and one of my cats used to do it when he was an adult. He also used to jump on my back when I was bent over and lie down like I was a sofa....God Bless his little soul.....It was all good fun.....The other solution is to have her brother or sister then they will play together and not rough you up so much.....Hope it works out for you.....

[Stuart]

only problem Greenlaner, scratching posts and Clucking is the little butters way of sharpening
their claws 

[Greenlaner]

My Billy has never gone in for scratching posts . He has some but his favourite is the square carpet pieces from pound land. Three in a pack. In decorating section. I put them on the floor and he loves using them for his claws. They sell plenty of proper pets stuff as well. He has their pet blankets.  She will soon settle in. 

[CT84]

Thank you for your replies
I have the toys on stick for her, as well as balls, a soft toy and a scratching post with a ball hanging off.
Been using the stick toy as a distraction from me, and I'm sure I have a lot less scratches this evening!

[Liz]

You do need toys and confine Doris to one room when you are out so she has a safe place with food and a litter tray and water she is only a baby and you are a tall human and that is scarey and she has been used to rough housing with her sibling and had Mum to keep her in place so now you are Mum and she is trying to see how far she can go

I speak from many years kitten fostering and raising a fair few here at the Clan cats from feral to domestics and my current youngest hooligan the Boris would claw if he could and I hand reared him but a firm no and my last resort the water pistol usually works

[Stuart]

when I got my Misty, he was terrible, it was like he was possessed at times 
I used to go to my work, and on umpteen occasions while washing my hands, people would ask
" what on earth have you been doing with your hands?? " I'd reply " oh that, that's my cat " LOL
multiple scratch wounds over hands and up my arms, Misty was born on a farm and his mum was semi feral
well..... that's the only answer I could come up with LOL, but I have seen the same question as you asked so many times
maybe it's just the way some furbabes are?? you gotta remember, if they were in a normal envoiroment, they would have
siblings to tussle and play with, I suppose it's just a deep built in instinct........ they do grow out of it eventually 
I sometimes wore rigger gloves 
but as Gill says, get loads of toys for kitty and keeps fleshy parts clear ( just looking at kittys expression will give you a hint
that the are about to go into mad n evil mode  ears back etc

I used a plush toy of a gopher with misty, and when he was in one of his ripping shredding moods, I'd replace my hands with that
I still have it 

main point i can't express enough tho is..... Keep hands etc clear LOL

hope this helps   

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

You need toys on sticks, a toy like da bird in the purrs shop and then you get Doris chasing those instead of attacking people.

If she starts attcking then use these to dostract her attention else where.

[Greenlaner]

My cat Billy came to me at eight weeks. Nearly seven now. He was very nippy with his teeth and claws for quite a while. They rip furniture and climb into everything for many months. It might simply be because she is with new and strange people and is unsure of herself. I got him baskets, play toys, etc. They take a good two years to start to be a bit more mature. I was used to cats and had the one before him eighteen years. That was only three weeks before I got Billy. They have to feel at home in their surroundings and it does take time.  Good luck with her anyway. I think the world of my cat.      to purrs.

[CT84]

Hi everyone
I got a 8 week old kitten on Saturday who I have named Doris. I bought her privately and saw her with her mum and another kitten. They were all carm and friendly. When I got her home I left her to expolore her new surroundings and not long after she was curled up on my lap purring away.

Over the past couple of days she's been biting and scratching my hands and legs a lot. I've not used my hands as part of play with her and have triednot to react so she thinks it's a game. I firmly tell her no and place her on the floor when she does. Tonight I was sat on the floor talking to her in a soothing manner as she played. She went for my hands but I kept them tucked away. It was after a while of her playing that she lunged at my face.

Please can someone help with what I can do with her? My mum came over tonight and she bit and scratched her too. I don't want it that she may hurt a guest I have to my home or myself.

Thanks