Play Biting

[timber-]

I'm having trouble teaching Cheddar to stop the play biting on my hands and fingers. He doesn't bite hard at all but don't want to encourage that sort of behaviour on people. Advice, tips, suggestions?

[pamela81]

my 2 both do it and tbh, they dont do it with anyone else OH and i. If mine starts getting to rough, i say "gentle" and they back off and start licking my hand instead. They also kick their back paws off my hand too.

If you want him to stop, dont pull your hand away as he will see it as a chase and keep doing it, say "ouch" loudly or something else that will make him stop doing it but use the same word everytime.

[fecto's mum]

He is playing with you like he would with another kitten. Mother cats will either lightly cuff their offspring or if they are really naughty they will pick them up by the scruff. Two of my cats still play bite, luckily Fecto has no teeth left. I just withdraw my hand if they don't stop and tell them no. I'm afraid my solution to the problem would be get another kitten!!

[angieh]

I've always seen the advice - don't play with a kitten with your hands, always use a toy or something. If the kitten bites or scratches just stop playing with it and it will soon come to understand that biting and scratching your human isn't on. They do catch on very quickly.

[Feliss]

Myszka never really had a problem with this, but mitsu did and still doesn't seem to notice that people get hurt by claws etc. We found a signal that worked between us as a 'no', for me it's a little growl/low rumble in my throat, it just checks him and then I divert him to something else like a string toy! They do go through phases when they're kittens, and if you're consistent you'll work through it.