How do I get my kitten to stop biting and scratching.?

Question

I understand she is playful and stuff but I am pregnant and am not supposed to be getting cat scratches. She is literally crazy, she doesn't just do it sometimes. She is ALWAYS biting and scratching even if your just sitting on the couch. It is driving me crazy, my vet told me when she bites to stick my finger in her mouth on her tongue and press down, not hard enough to hurt her but to make her get the point but it doesn't work.

Answer 1

get a spray bottle (the ones you use in the kitchen clean it well) and put water in to it ,every time you kitten trys to bite try spraying it with water...i had a kitten that thought it was going to use my leather sofa as a scratching post this soon made it change his mind

Answer 2

Kittens and young cats have to learn that human skin is more easily damaged and to restrain their teeth and claws.  The finger in the mouth trick is only useful to make them let go if they are hanging onto you with their teeth!  If you pull away they hang on harder, but if you push your finger in they let go as they feel they'll choke.  

Was she properly socialised with people when she was young?  If not, she doesn't really know how to behave around people.

In kittens and young cats, the usual cause is too much pent up energy needing an outlet.   She needs energetic interactive play such as fishing-rod type toys that let you keep your body clear of teeth and claws while helping her burn off all that energy.  Never let her rough play with your hands as that will become a habit.

Some people suggest a water squirt bottle as the answer, but  it is far better to distract the cat by tossing a small toy or scrunched ball of paper (keep a supply of these in your pockets so you always have one to toss when she tries to play rough with you).   She's a predators and needs to hunt, chase, climb and pounce and exercise her muscles, teeth and claws so you need to play with her with toys so she bites and scratches those instead of biting and scratching you.  A scratching post she can climb should also help keep her occupied.

Answer 3

Young kittens between the ages of 3 weeks old and 8 months old will be teething off and on, and will have very strong needs to bite.  Just like baby children, kittens are born without teeth, start getting their first baby teeth at about 3-4 weeks old, then they will lose their baby teeth and have their adult teeth come in up until the age of about 8 months old.  So the trick here is not to keep them from biting; but rather, to provide them appropriate items to bite.  We use heavy-duty plastic drinking straws with our kittens, (being careful to cut off any bitten ends and discard the entire straw before it becomes dangerous, as with any toy), and train them from the start that toys and straws are purr-rectly fine to bite, but human body parts are off-limits!  If a kitten learns this from the start, there is hardly ever an inappropriate biting behavior as an adult.  Some cats start biting out of frustration after they have been de-clawed.  Some cats start biting out of misplaced aggression, which usually can be countered by providing the cat a feline playmate, and/or providing them more cat toys, cat furniture, and making their environment more stimulating for them.  Any time the kitten bites you make a loud “yowling” sound. If you’ve ever witnessed a cat get hurt, you will probably know what this sounds like. After you yowl, walk away and ignore the kitten. Never yell at or hit a cat. At all times, it is critical that you be thinking and acting on the firm belief that "toys and straws are for biting; human hands are for giving and receiving love.”

Answer 4

when she misbehaves and nips or scratches, tap her lightly but firmly on the nose and say, "No."  When she looks like she's getting in a playful mood, break out a toy for her to bite and scratch.

Answer 5

She's teething, as well as playing, so it's important she chews, just like a baby.  Get her some soft toys she can chew, and get yourself a small water pistol.  When she bites you, squirt her until she gets the point....  this will not hurt her.  After a few days - weeks, she'll get the hint.