Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/My kitten plays too rough!

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 8/11/2008


Question
My kitten Button, 9 weeks, is a cute and feisty calico kitten. I love her to death but every time I play with her I end up with puncture wounds (from teeth) and scratches. My mom says I should hit her but I can't hit an animal. How do I stop her before she chews me to pieces?

Answer
Millie,

The first thing is that you NEVER hit a kitten...for any reason. It will only make the kitten mean.

The second thing is that you never play with a kitten (or cat) with your hands. You only use your hands to pet. Use a pet laser light, pull a string, dangle a fishing type toy, roll a ball, etc. to play interactively.

The third thing is that your kitten needs a kitten friend to play rough with, play kitty games with, snuggle with, and be comfort and companionship when it is alone. A single cat is more destructive because it gets bored. All kittens should have a friend to play with and not have to depend so much on humans for companionship.

Tabbi  

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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