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My 3-month-old kitten bites aggressively. Is it play or serious?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 2 months and 30 days old | 6 lbs

My cat has been really aggressive lately. I'm just wondering if it's play aggression or if it's a serious problem. He's 3 months old and has yet to be neutered but I'm going to get it done soon. He constantly bites at people's toes and feet when walking barefoot and during play time he seems completely uninterested in his toys and attacks hands and feet terribly. Pinning his ears back, wide eyed, tailed and back puffed out, swatting with claws and attacking randomly too. as well as drawing blood

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jenny, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 8th, 2018

Playing with feet and hands is playful but attacked with ears back and hair puffed is likely aggression. You can make sure to not play with him with your hands or feet. Only use toys to get him trained to what is acceptable and what is not. You can try feliway spays to help keep him calm.
make sure when he acts out and does something wrong tell him no and stop playing with him and ignore him. This will help him do the right thing

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner
Published on July 4th, 2018
Unfortunately, some cats learn that attacking hands and feet get a significant response out of a person and it makes it into a fun game. This is especially common around Freckle's age right now. I have a few suggestions for you. First, I would recommend using a squirt bottle to squirt her when she attacks your hand and feet. Try not to scream or make any other reaction because your reaction might be part of what makes it fun for her.
Next, I would work on environmental enrichment. This website has a number of good ideas for that. https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats
If you are not already doing it, I always recommend using laser pointers and interactive cat toys like a Cat Dancer ( http://www.catdancer.com/ ) to get cats to play with you more appropriately. The goal is to have her play a distance away from you, so she does not have the opportunity to attack your hands or feed.
One of my favorite things for cats is a no bowl feeding system like Doc & Phoebe ( https://docandphoebe.com/ ) that requires them to "hunt" for their food. It is normal for cats and kittens to hunt and play for hours and hours each day, so we need to try to find a way for them to expend that energy. You could also try a feeding ball to feed her meals which will keep her busy for a longer period of time.

Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Why is my 3-month-old kitten so aggressive and destructive?

Sudden aggression and behavioral changes in cats can indicate pain or illness, so if you haven't already, a veterinary check up is best. If your cat checks out healthy, it may be there is a lot of stress causing your cat's behavioral issues. Making sure she has her own access to food, water, toys, treats, hiding spots etc from other pets or people is best. She is also still very young, and may just have a lot of energy/is still learning what appropriate behavior is. Ignoring bad behavior, increasing play and activity times, and rewarding calm, quiet behavior is best to teach her the right way to interact and to get out that excess energy. If the behavior continues even with this, speaking with a veterinary behaviorist is the best next step.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

How do I stop my kitten from biting aggressively and drawing blood?

Keeping your kitten's nails trimmed in case he does attack your hand can help reduce the scratches and bleeding, however there are a few other things you can do. One is to stop play completely when he gets too rambunctious and to simply get up and walk away. Once he has calmed down, play can resume. This can help teach him that getting too excited stops the fun. You can also start playing with toys such as a feather on a string that allow you to interact from a distance. if he focuses on and plays with those, tossing a treat and praising him can help him learn that this is a good thing to take his energy out on. At times when he is calm and sits nicely for petting, be sure to offer lots of praise and a few treats. It will take some time, but hopefully this will help teach him what you do and don't want him to do.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My 4-week-old kitten bites and jumps. How can I calm her down?

Aggression is usually associated with negative behaviors such as hissing, growling, swatting, etc. What you are describing sounds more like normal kitten playfulness, if Bella is just pouncing, nipping, or hopping around. Keeping her out of your room if she is too excitable can help keep her form hopping on you when you are trying to sleep. A pheromone diffuser such as Comfort Zone can also help her to relax and settle down some. Making sure she has plenty of toys to play with, including things you can safely play with together such as a feather on a stick or a laser pointer can help get out some of that energy without having her bite you or scratch your hands. If she becomes too excited, getting up and walking away/ignoring her until she has calmed down again can help teach her that the fun ends when she gets too excited. If she is calm and quiet, rewarding her with a treat, a play session or some attention can help teach her that's the behavior you like. If she is actually showing aggression, IE biting hard, hissing, ears pinned, low growling, swatting, etc, then I would highly recommend seeking out a trainer or behaviorist in person to address the issue and try to find the cause such as stress or fear.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my cat biting? Is it play or aggression? How do I stop it?

It's hard to know why pets develop certain behaviors. It's possible he thinks this is some sort of game. Try to identify any type of a pattern so you can predict what is going to do. You may certainly try distracting him as soon as you notice the rough behavior. Try to direct him to play in a different fashion. It's possible he is bored and so is inventing his own games. Try meeting his instinctual needs and providing some new stimulation. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play (really get him moving) and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. Try feeding him out of a food puzzle. Hide food for him to find. Provide a stand or resting place by a window so he can look outside. You may also try clicker training him for positive behavior. Here is a link about training cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-i-train-my-cat/ Most cats response best to combination therapy. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with bad behaviors. He should also be neutered because the testosterone can make pets more aggressive. Feeding meat will not cause aggression. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Help! My 2-month-old kitten is hyperactive and bites. What to do?

It sounds like you have your hands full! For better or for worse, this is typical kitten behavior. He will mellow out as he grows up, although he may always have a rambunctious personality. For right now, schedule some time every day to play with him using a laser pointer, balls, feathers on a string, or any other toys he loves. Aim for 10 minutes three times a day. Try your best not to scream and move quickly when he runs underfoot because he will think it's a game and do it more. If he's an only animal, instead of feeding him in a bowl a few times a day, hide kibble around your home for him to hunt - start really small with this to make sure he gets the idea. Try to enjoy his antics and reach out for a consultation if you need more ideas!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Is my new kitten's aggressive biting and scratching normal behavior?

This can be very normal behavior for some kittens. You should continue to stop playing when Shade begins to bite and give him an appropriate toy to play with. Make sure you are never using your hands to play. This article has some good information: https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/play-exercise/aggressive-cat-play

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Why does my 5-month-old kitten bite me when I give him attention?

This actually sounds like normal kitten behavior. Was he hand raised as an orphan or weaned too early from his mother? Those are the most common reasons that a kitten would act out in aggression. I recommend you put some Feliway diffusers in your house and do some environmental enrichment for him. Usually these two things help. ( https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser ) ( thedrakecenter.com/materials/environmental-enrichment-indoor-cats ) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AejmrLa_Cs4 ) Be sure to get him neutered as soon as you can. Hormones can also increase aggression.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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