About 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).
Education/Credentials ***********
Awards and Honors * One of the top 50 Experts Of 2008 *
Question Hello. I have two questions regarding a new kitten that I have recently added to my family. He's roughly ten weeks old and I obtained him from an unknown situation, so I don't necessarily know about his five weeks of life before I got him. I only know that he was owned by a young girl who probably didn't take care of him properly and that he was not raised by his mother. He's a very sweet kitten but when he's hyper and playing, he loves to bite and claw at hands, usually it's harmless but he can sometimes get very rough. I have tried everything to reprimand him into knowing that it is not okay to bite and claw hands but he doesn't seem to understand. What can I do to let him know that my hands are not his toy? My next question pertains to his food. When he is given his food, he becomes very protective and slaps his bowl or growls if your hand gets to close. I understand that it is probably from his lack of food in his previous home but is there any way to break him of this habit? Thank you very much for your time!
-Chelsea
Answer Chelsea,
A kitten that was not raised by it's mother, or taken away too early, usually does not have the 'life skills' and correct behavior that it is taught by it's mother and being with siblings. They also can have emotional issues from it that can be permanent.
With the kitten's food behavior he should grow out of it when he realizes that his food is not going to disappear and that he doesn't have to 'fight' for it. Try to keep your hands away to help reassure him that you aren't going to take it away again. Feeding him separately for awhile may help too. Leaving dry kitten chow in a bowl that is always available will also show him that if he wants he can have it.
The kitten may be biting because he is teething. Give him a thick plastic straw to chew on (exchange it if there are signs of it being damaged).
If the kitten was weaned too early it didn't get a chance to learn about acceptable (and non-acceptable ) behaviors from it's mom and littermates. A mother cat will correct a kitten if it uses sharp claws or bites too hard. When kittens play together, they learn that biting or clawing a sibling results in being grabbed and bitten in return. A kitten that didn't get that learning opportunity doesn't know how to act or react properly and what is acceptable behavior.
The first rule is NEVER to play with the kitten with your hands. It will get more painful as the kitten gets older and a harder habit to break. Only use your hands to pet. Use toys to play, like pulling a string, a pet laser light for him to chase, throw toy stuffed mice, a hand under a blanket, use dangly fishing pole type toys for him to bat, etc.
Blow in his face and say "No Biting! when the kittens tries to bite you. If he learns early that toys and straws are OK to bite, but humans aren't, then you won't have biting problems later on.
The kitten is probably missing his littermates to play with and is playing with you like he would another kitten. A 2nd kitten is preferable to a single kitten. That way they can roughhouse and play kitty games with each other and not with you. A kitten needs a friends for companionship, to learn with, to cuddle with, and to comfort him when he is alone. 2 kittens keep each other amused and take some of the need off of you to keep him amused, and to keep him from being bored and lonely.
