How to stop my 8-week-old kitten from biting and playing rough?

The best thing to do is to allow the kittens to play together but when the play is begins to turn rough immediately separate them. This way your cat will begin to understand that this particular behavior (rough play) will result in a negative outcome (not getting to play). It will probably take several times of doing this for him to understand but he should get the hang of it soon enough. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Coco is adorable! Coco is just a kitten. Puppies and kittens sadly bite a lot. I would discourage play with your hands and only use toys. Also if she is sitting on your lap and you are petting her watch for signs that she is becoming annoyed with what you are doing (tail starts to flick, ears turning, turning her head towards your hand) and stop petting her. Most cats only like to be scratched or pet on their head and not past their shoulder blades. When she allows you to pet her without biting offer her treats. Refrain from chasing her, picking her up suddenly, rough housing with her as that can agitate cats then they become anticipatory for only negative interactions with you. When she is around you and not biting offer treats. Again she is very young and will likely grow out of a significant amount of this biting behavior. I wish you all the best!

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.

First, make sure your older cat has places she can hide and get away from the kitten. High perches, a tunnel, a cat tower, make sure that there are plenty of places for both of the to scratch, climb and hide without interfering with the other. And makes sure you play with the kitten a lot, both to tire him out and give your older can some breathing room. A kitten's life is all about play, and play is all about prey. Every race down the hallway, every pounce from behind a door, every swat and nip is a display of a kitten's hunting skills, instincts that are just as strong in today’s housecat as they were in her ancestors thousands of years ago. To a kitten, everything in the house is potential prey, including you. A kitten's first playmates are his mother and littermates, and from them he learns how to inhibit his bite. A kitten separated from his family too soon may not have learned that lesson and doesn't know when to stop. Also, if people use their hands and/or feet instead of toys to play, the kitten may learn that rough play is okay. In most cases, it's not too difficult to teach your kitten or young adult cat that rough play isn't acceptable. Don't let your kitten play with your hands or feet (or any other body part). Use a toy when playing with him. Drag a toy, preferably a fishing pole-type toy that keeps your hands from kitty’s mouth and claws, along the floor to encourage your kitten to pounce on it, or throw a toy for him to chase. Some kittens will even bring the toy back to be thrown again. Give your kitten something to wrestle with, like a soft stuffed animal about his size, so he can grab it, bite it, and kick it with his back feet. This is one of the ways kittens play with each other, especially when they're young. It's also one of the ways they try to play with human feet and hands, so it's important to provide this type of alternative play target. Encourage play with a "wrestling toy" by rubbing it against your kitten's belly when he wants to play roughly—and be sure to get your hand out of the way as soon as he accepts the toy. Don't hit or yell at your kitten when she nips or pounces. This will only make her fearful of you and she may start to avoid you. The idea is to train her, not punish her. Equip yourself with the right training tools: toys, toys, toys, and a water pistol.

Hello! Thank you for posting your question! This behavior of biting or teething can be normal in puppies and kittens. Most puppies and kittens will grow out of this Behavior overtime. I would suggest getting lots of toys for your kitten to chew and play with to help deter this Behavior. When you are playing with the kitten and she starts biting you grab a toy to redirect her and see if that helps. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any other questions or concerns you may have!

Ouch! This can be tough. Try not to get him wound up during play, and check out this great behavior website for more info on how to curb his excessive play behavior: drsophiayin.com and search "cat behavior issues and aggression." Hope that helps!