Conference misery::feline_v1

    
    
    I have had this happen to me before.  Little kitty teeth HURT!!!
    I think it is just a phase they go through because all of ours
    stopped this behavior without any special training.  However,
    give the little one something to chew on.  We used to use a
    T shirt tied up in a knot.  
    
    Have fun,
    Michele

    
    
    Niki is always trying to bite us.  Someone in this file had given
    me the advice of never playing with him with our hands and always
    holding toys for him to chew on.  It has really helped a lot!!
    (Thanks whoever told us that).  He still prefers to bite people
    though-It just takes a lot of training, patience and toys to help
    kittens get through this period.  When the kitten bites you,
    try saying NO! and them giving him a toy to play with.  It takes
    a number of times before he will get the point, but if you are
    consistant it should help a lot.
    
    
     ,                           Donna
    

    You didn't mention how old your kitten is, but around teething times,
    you will notice an increase in biting behavior.  Teething generally
    comes between 5 and 6 months (adult teeth).  It is important to
    always discipline the kitten every time it bites.  You must be
    consistent if you want to avoid having a kitten that bites later
    on.  
    
    Another suggestion, don't roughhouse with the kitten with your hands.
    If you want to play rough, always use a toy, not your hands.  This
    will help convey the message that teeth on skin is not acceptable
    behavior.
    
    I find that the spray bottle works best for me, but I also sometimes
    use another method to discourage biting.  If the kitten has my finger
    in his mouth, I either push down gently on his tongue, or the roof
    of the mouth, this will trigger him to let go of my finger.  Also,
    don't pull away when the kitten does bite, instead "play dead" by
    not moving, and say NO firmly.  This will cause less damage to your
    skin, and if you do pull away, the kitten may think you are playing
    and not being serious.
    
    It is best to nip this behavior in the bud, before it becomes a
    habit.
    
    Jo

     
                               End the ouch!!
    
    When my girls were babys and theythought that it would be fun to bite
    mom, I would push what ever they had bitten further into the little
    culprits mouth.  That forces the mouth open and becomes uncomfortable
    for the cat and they get the idea very fast.  
    
    It also has the added bonus of avoiding the pinch and scrape of those
    sharp little teeth.  Because pushing in keeps the teeth off of your
    skin!!! 
    
    Hope it works.
    
    Feline Helpful,
    
    Sue & Panther & Spot & Jerry
    

    When kitties and cats do this, to them its a sign of affection
    sometimes, called a LOVE bite (no kidding..!). But, I found that
    this early aggression which is quite normal can be redirected
    towards CATNIP booties, perhaps the most wonderful invention
    next to cat litter.
    
    Pounce was a little biter, but the catnip booty was placed in
    his mouth and now at 3 years of age, and 7 catnip booties later,
    he takes his aggression out on those things instead of hands.
    In fact, I find them scattered all over the house. Sometimes we'll
    see one go flying thru the air out of no where. We know Pounce is
    somewhere close by.
    
    When I got Nutmeg, I had her in a bedroom where she was kept
    with the door closed during work, and at night while we slept.
    Young kittens can get into trouble. I left her with all kinds of
    stuffed creatures...I mean OODLES of them. Of all the ones we
    gave her, she chose a small bear, and she viciously ripped
    the nose, ears and tail off. Just think what she would have done
    to my hands. So whenever she wanted to be aggressive, off she
    went to beat up the ole' bad bear.
    
    Now she's momma's little Angel and only bites when I deserve it,
    like when tickly her big belly... 
    
    lp

    If it makes you feel any better, my Willy bites and scratches. 
    He puts his paws around your arm or leg or anything he can grip
    and bites as hard as he can.  He also does this to his big brothers.
    I feel real bad when he does this to our 11 year old Golden Retriever
    who doesn't even seem to mind.  Willy teaths on the pads of his
    feet. 
    
    We have tried sticking our fingers in his throat, giving him a toy
    to chew on and yelling "no".
    
    Hopefully this won't be lasting until his 5 or 6 months old as he's
    only 2 months now.

    Thanks everyone. My kitty is only 7 weeks old. So I will hope that with
    some proper training and in time she will get better.
    
    thanks for the help.

    I have raised five kittens and all were biters! eek! I stumbled
    upon a method that worked very very well in handling this.
    
    Take one of those fuzzy bed socks (large size) and stuff it good
    and solid with polyeter fiber fill. This stretches it out so that
    it is long and tubelike and the kitten can wrap itself around
    it and "playfight" as it would with another kitten and thus
    work out its energy.  Just take it once you've made it and very
    gently bat the kittens chest with it so that she knows somehting
    is there to play with. My kittens would then grab it and tumble
    around with it and work off a lot of energy that otherwise went
    to biting my hands, arms of ankles.
    
    Hope this helps.
    Fran
    

    I have tried every stuffed animal and toy, sock, pillow, rag, etc.
    
    When Punzie is in the mood to bite there's no stopping her.  She
    She's 4 months old and beautiful but if I could pull her teeth out
    and get her dentures just for eating I would.  Funny, but if I go
    to pet her and she's not in the mood I get mauled.  But when she
    wants to sleep she thinks nothing of imosing on my sleep to cuddle
    up under my neck, which leaves me with a mouth full of hair.
    
    Do they ever stop this habit.  I have had feline furries in the
    past but never had this problem.  Is she teething????????
    
    
    Help
    
    Doreen
    

    Try yelling "OWWW!!!" when she starts to bite, followed with a sharp
    "NO!" and maybe a squirt of water.
    
    Coelura still has "the habit", but she nips now, rather than gouging
    flesh.  I let her experience something startling or unpleasant whenever
    she bit me, so she stopped.  Sometimes I (or a housemate) had to squirt 
    her with the water bottle, but it works.  Took awhile, but all I have 
    to say now is "NO!" and she reduces the urge to "gumming" level.
    
    I asked my vet about this habit, and what he told me was that she was
    probably teased alot and play was done with human hands.  Thinking
    about it, my housemate's boyfriend teased her a lot when I wasn't
    around.  I caught him at it and read him the riot act.  (He was
    throwing her across the linoleum like a bowling ball!!!!)
    
    It took a lot of patience to break her of the habit, and now she runs
    and hides whenever David comes around.
    
    Carol

    re; .9
    
    this is easy to fix.  when she doesn't want to be petted, don't
    pet her.  not tonight, Mom, I have a headache.
    

    She probably is teething.  I had forgotten about that and discovered
    Dundee chewing my belts and the ears of some stuffed cats!  That
    was about the 4 month old stage.  The chewing stopped after the
    teething stopped.  try to get her to chew something else.  I agree
    with using a squirt gun for discipline.
      Nancy

    re: .11 Don't pet her.   You know, I try to respect my cats' wishes.
    If I pick one up and she says that she doesn't want to be picked
    up right now, I put her down.  I've found that we've developed this
    "mutual respect" society  :-)  Because I don't push them when they
    don't want something, they tend to respect me too.  They don't like
    to displease me just as I don't like to displease them.  It works
    very much to our benefit.  Also, if I insist on doing something
    that they don't like - like giving them medicine, bathing them,
    trimming their nails - they tend to tolerate it rather well.  As
    if they understand that I wouldn't push it unless this was necessary.
    
    Maybe I'm reading too much in but I don't think so :-)
      Nancy DC
    

    The biting Punzie is doing though is more out of playing.  She'll
    jump up on me while watching tv.  If I go to pet her she immediately
    rolls over and starts.  It's like she wants to play but doesn't
    realize that she is actually hurting me.  So we take a toy a throw
    it and she plays fetch and brings it back and we do this for a while
    till she gets tired.  
    
    I wonder if she is bored and that's her way of saying she wants
    to play.  Otherwise she is an extremely affectionate kitty.
    
    What is the best age to get her a playmate?  Maybe she wants a
    roommate.
    Doreen
    

    Kittens usually start teething at about 5 months.  If you think
    she may be teething, just look in her mouth and see.  If her gums
    are red and swollen, then she probably is teething.  Also, you may
    actually be able to see the new teeth coming in.  Sometimes a cat
    will still have their baby teeth when the new ones are half way
    in.  This can be painful and they try to relieve the pain by chewing
    things.  Still, it is best to let her know that you don't want to
    be bitten.  That way it won't become a habit later on after the
    teething is complete.
    
    Jo

    If you want to add a roommate for her, now is a great time.  Kittens
    adjust better than cats and cats adjust better to new kittens. So
    two kittens would be great.  Just take care that if you get a
    male kitten that you get her spayed right at 6 mons. If you delay
    you could end up with more kittens.
      Nancy DC

    Great!
    
    I think we'll adopt a little brother for Punzi.
    
    Thanks
    Doreen
    
    p.s.
    
    When he arrives I announce him
    

    If you're in this general area (Massachusetts) there are MANY
    kittens available through this notesfile.  See note 415!
    Its like shopping at home!
      Nancy DC
    

    Every time I read the file and see all these kittens available I
    wish I were in Mass.  I'm in New York.  Anyone know of any furries
    wanting a home in NY?  If you do please let me know.
    
    Doreen
    

    Where in New York?  We'll be driving to NJ next weekend and could
    take you a new kitten if its on the way or if you wanted to meet
    us somewhere on the way.
      Nancy DC
    

    Nancy,
    
    I work in Manhattan - (NYO)
    
    I live in the Bronx,  what route will you be taking.  I'm not too
    far from the George Washington bridge.
    
    I spoke to my husband last night and he's real happy about getting
    another kitty, (provided I let him name him)   We would really love
    a male kitten. 
    
    Even if we just met to swap some pictures that would be nice.  
    
    Let me know.
    
    Doreen
    

Doreen, 

	If you and Nancy can't hook up, I might be able to help at some point.
My parents live in Manhattan (by City Hall) and I would be happy to brign a
kitty down some time. 

Kathy