Expert: Dear Tabbi - 6/23/2008

Question
My husband and I have a 5 yr old tabby, Zamboni. He's a very active and playful little beast. The problem that we're having is that he likes to hide under the kitchen table and race after my husband's leg as he is walking into the bedroom at night. If he's on the mark, he usually wraps him up with his paws and takes a nip out of my husband's thigh or upper calf. We have tried telling him "no" and trying to distract him right before we go to bed, but nothing seems to help. Also, today we had a new incident. Zamboni was at his water dish when my husband decided to pick up the newspaper and throw it away(he loves to play and sleep in the paper). Zamboni walked over and bit him on the back of his leg for no apparent reason. I'm sure most of it is all in play, but is there anything that can be done about the nipping?

Answer
Laura,

Your kitten is bored! He is playing and his instinctive hunting skills are being used to hunt and ambush you and your husband.

It would be good to get him a kitty friend that he can play kitty games with and have companionship. Single kittens get bored easily and need the stimulation of another kitten. He is trying to play with you like he would another cat. He needs another cat to wrestle with, chase, and ambush to help burn off some of his energy.

Get some stuffed furry mice that the cat can "catch" and before you get to  an abush area throw the toy mouse for him to ambush instead of a leg. Even try a stuffed animal. A tall kitty condo scratching tree with cat nip rubbed on it would help also so he can run up and down it.

Tabbi