My kitten scratches and bites me, but not my girlfriend. Why?

Hello, sorry to hear about your cat. She is very young still, so managing her scratching and biting will be crucial in this stages of life before she gets bigger and her scratching could become more damaging. Here are some tips you can follow to decrease the incidence of scratching. Hope this helps and best of luck. Why do cats scratch? Scratching is a normal behavior that aids cats in the marking of their territories in the form of scratch marks. Scent glands in their paws leave olfactory clues for other cats to alert them to their presence. Cats also find it pleasurable as a means of exercise and stretching. Scratching also allows cats to keep their claws healthy and shortened. Unlike dogs, a cats’ claws do not exfoliate evenly from the end; rather they peel off in layers like an onion. What is inappropriate scratching? Inappropriate scratching is ultimately determined by the owner, but is generally directed at furniture, screens, carpets and rugs and other items that the cats finds suitable. What can I do to prevent this? The easiest way to prevent severe damage is to trim your cats nails every 2-4 weeks. It is best to begin this process when the cat is very young, as they will become more accustomed to this procedure. However, older cats can learn to tolerate it as well. Another excellent method is to provide them with a suitable scratching substrate. As with nail trimming, this is also best started at an early age before the scratching behavior begins, but older cats will also generally accept such items as carpet or sisal fiber scratching posts or corrugated cardboard. For more options, you can visit your local pet store or make your own from their preferred scratching material and a supporting board of wood. My cat is ignoring the scratching post. How do I get him/her to use it? Place the item in the areas that your cat(s) enjoys scratching. You can entice the cat to use the item by rubbing or sprinkling with catnip. If your cat insists on using the wrong scratching surface, guide your cat to the correct site. Once at the post, you can start petting and scratching your cat while placing their feet on the surface for encouragement and stimulation of the natural kneading motion. Remember to reward your cat for its good behavior!

In reality, unless what you are describing is truly a vicious attack (obviously I am not there to see it), a young cat exhibiting this kind of behavior is simply trying to play. When Abigail attempts to engage in this type of activity, you have a couple of different choices on how to address it. You can simply get up and walk away completely disengaging from the activity. Do not try to punish or reprimand as this sort of training method simply doesn't work at all in cats. The other thing you can try is instead of walking away, you can try to play with your cat in another way. Use toys, strings, balls, whatever makes Abigail the happiest. Hopefully this takes her mind off of your arms and feet and on the item you are wielding. If you truly feel there is an actual behavior problem that is continuing as she gets older, this would be something to address with positive reinforcement training and/or assistance of a professional. Hope this helps.

I see that Missy is 2 months old now. The activities that Missy is doing sound normal, but their teeth and nails are certainly sharp at that age. First, I would make sure to learn how to trim her nails and keep them short. I normally recommend trimming kittens' nails weekly because they grow so quickly. That will help quite a bit. Next, I would work on environmental enrichment for her to keep her mentally and physically busy. This website has a number of good ideas for that. https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats 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. You could also try a feeding ball. I also 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. They key is to teach Missy new ways of playing with you that get her energy out, but do not hurt you! Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.

She is playing. Usually kittens play hunt like that with their siblings or other cats, but since there are no other cats she picks the next best moving thing....you.. Get a fishing toy (stick with a string and a feather on it) or tie a crumpled up piece of paper on a string and play with her. Set aside at least 30 minutes/day for wild playing with your kitty. I am sure this will reduce the the pounce attacks, if not stop them completely. It is all about growing up and learning to be a predator. This has to be practiced (it is an instinct, not a bad habit) and you can support that. So instead of turning yourself into the prey, let the paper or feather serve as prey.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You are likely describing teething which is basically a normal type of behavior when kittens are growing up and it is secondary to mouth discomfort as teeth are growing. I recommend that you get Callie teething type toys which you can get at your local pet store or online. Anytime that she tries to nibble at you, you say no and give her the toy. This is likely going to resolve the issue. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi, your cat is very young still so being playful it is not unexpected however if she is being aggressive too there are lots of things to consider. You can try to offer her as many occasions to display normal predatory behaviour, such as toys and feeding puzzles. If she does not have any access to outdoors, would it be possible to have a Catio arranged for her to experience some kind of sensory stimulation/observe outside etc ? Does she have places at home where she can be left undisturbed and rest ? A book I really found useful is https://www.amazon.com/Trainable-Cat-Practical-Making-Happier/dp/0465050905 And please see https://icatcare.org/advice/problem-behaviour/aggression-humans

It can be difficult to stop this behavior! Make sure you never use your hands during play - toys only. If she begins to play using her claws or biting you should try offering an appropriate toy to play with. If she still tries to bite at you play time should stop, and you may even need to remove your attention or confine her somewhere alone until she’s able to calm down. Be persistent and with time she should realize that this is not an appropriate way to play.