Expert: Dear Tabbi - 4/14/2009

Question
Hello, My name is Zoe.I have a cat called Ruby.She is 4 months old.She is black and white.When i move she tries and bites my and attacks me,she climbs the kitchen benches and goes in the sink and i feed her regularly and i give her quite a bit of food.She is quite for a while then if you move she starts to attack you even if you walking she will jump all over your legs!.I was wondering is it ok to give them Normal cat food even if their a kitten because when she was about 2 months old she was very thin so we had to switch and now she is healthy.She doesnt scratch anymore but she bites.At what age do i take her to the vet?

Thankyou

Zoe

Answer
Zoe,

Your kitten needs Kitten Chow until she is one year old because she needs the extra protein, vitamins, etc. as she is growing.

A kitten needs a kitten friend to play kitty games with and roughhouse with that a human can't do. It's always good to have 2 kittens instead of one. She is trying to play with you like she would another kitten. Do not play with her with your hands. Only use your hands to pet. Use interactive toys to play with her like a pet laser light, throw toy stuffed mice for her to catch, pull a string or rope around, use dangly type toys for her to bat, put ping pong balls in the bathtub (but plug the drain so they don't get stuck), etc.

If the cat is on your lap or next to you and she bites then say loudly "don't bite!" and dump her on the floor and ignore her for a bit. Then pick her up again and pet her. If she bites again then dump her again and say "don't bite!". She will start associating biting with not getting petted and dumped on the floor and will eventually quit doing it.

She could be teething. Give her a raw beef rib bone periodically as a treat to chew on. Go to the supermarket and have the butcher cut some beef ribs in half. Though some cats don't care for meat, most cats enjoy them. It satisfies the hunting and 'fresh kill' instinct that is strong in some cats. Plus the fibers in the meat cleans their teeth.


Your cat should be spayed and get her shots now. She is old enough.

Tabbi