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Cats/Kitten Biting

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Expert: - 11/17/2009


Question
My husband and I have small kitten about 9months. We don't know for sure his actual age, but He has a major aggression toward my hands than my husbands. We picked him up just before his whole litter went into the animal shelter. So We're thinking that he was taken from his mom to soon...but we don't know for sure.
He also has had very destructive behavior toward any curtain I put up. He either hangs by or claws at it A LOT... I have a set of curtains up that he's clawed holes in already....
What can I do to make him to stop biting and messing with my curtains...?

Answer
Ada,

Cats have very, very tough skin and, even as little kittens, engage in aggressive rough play with lots  of biting and scratching.  They have to learn to be gentler with us soft skinned humans.  Many kittens and cats love to be held and cuddled and stroked and spoken to softly.  When the kitten starts the biting scratching behavior it should be scruffed and put on the floor and you just walk away. They usually get the idea pretty quickly they need to be gentle with us humans.

As to curtains, you need to supply your kitten with an adequate exercise post that is sturdy, tall enough so that the kitten can stretch from its hind tip toes to its front tip toes (take into account the adult size of the kitten). A 4 X 4 on a wide base all covered in closed loop carpet and/or sisal rope with shelves and or cubby holes would do the trick. As an added inducement, you can spray the exercise post with catnip spray or honeysuckle spray.  Also, I would position it near a window where it can perch and look out on the world.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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