Kitten Attacks??????

Question

Ok, so, my 3 month old kitten likes too play which can be kinda cute, but she likes to attack moving things and sometimes she'll attack your feet if their under the blankets. She'll scratch your foot and then sort of hold in with her paws and bite. It's really painful. Will she eventually grow out of this or will she continue with this habit. Also, is there a way to correct a cat and tell her no without hurting her???

Answer 1

You need to set the rules for your kitten's behavior, and every person your cat comes in contact with should reinforce these rules. Your kitten can't be expected to learn that it's okay to play rough with Dad, but not with the baby.

    * Use aversives to discourage your kitten from nipping. You can use a squirt bottle filled with water and a small amount of vinegar to squirt your kitten when she starts getting too rough. To use this technique effectively, you'll need to have the spray bottle handy at all times—it's absolutely essential to use the aversive while the rough behavior is occurring. So either place a spray bottle in each room, or carry one with you as you move around the house. In some cases, you may want to apply taste aversives to your hands. If you have sensitive skin, you can wear gloves and put the aversive on the gloves. The possible disadvantage to this method is that your kitten may learn that "hands with gloves taste bad and those without gloves don't." Remember that aversives will work only if you offer your kitten acceptable alternatives.

    * Redirect the behavior after using the aversive. After you startle your kitten with the aversive, immediately offer her a toy to wrestle with or chase. This will encourage her to direct her rough play onto a toy instead of a person. We recommend keeping a stash of toys hidden in each room specifically for this purpose.

    * Withdraw attention when your kitten starts to play too roughly. If the distraction and redirection techniques don't seem to be working, the most drastic thing you can do to discourage your cat from rough play is to withdraw all attention. She wants to play with you, so if you keep this limit consistent, she'll eventually figure out how far she can go. The best way to withdraw your attention is to walk to another room and close the door long enough for her to calm down. If you pick her up to put her in another room, then you're rewarding her by touching her, so you should always be the one to leave the room.

Please Note: None of these methods will be very effective unless you also give your kitten acceptable outlets for her energy—by playing with her regularly using appropriate toys.

What Not  to Do

    * Attempts to tap, flick, or hit your kitten for rough play are almost guaranteed to backfire. Your kitten could become afraid of your hands, or she could interpret those flicks as playful moves by you and play even more roughly as a result.

    * Picking up your kitten to put her into a "timeout" may reinforce her behavior because she probably enjoys the physical contact of being picked up. By the time you get her to the timeout room and close the door, she may have already forgotten what she did to be put in that situation.

A Note About Aggression: Don't encourage your playful kitten to bite or scratch any parts of your body. Instead, provide appropriate toys for her to bite and scratch. If she continues to bite or scratch you, call your veterinarian, animal shelter, or behaviorist for humane suggestions on how to redirect her behavior to appropriate objects. Also, be sure to thoroughly clean all bites and scratches and apply an antibiotic ointment. If you receive a bad bite, you should seek medical attention immediately.

And for the reason why she likes to *eat* your hair, you are seeing it incorrectly. She is just trying to groom you and cats only groom each other when they are comfortable and trusting. So, in a way, you cat trusts you and wants to leave her scent on you. You should be very flattered. :)