Is It Normal For Kittens To Bite And Scratch A Lot

Although compulsive cat scratching licking or chewing behaviors can develop in any animal they are more commonly observed in siamese cats and other oriental breeds.

Is it normal for kittens to bite and scratch a lot. All toys should be a distance from your hands so the kitten has no opportunity to bite or scratch you even by accident. Kittens love to play but when they become overexcited they often scratch and bite. Female cats are more likely. This is the time when each kitten learns how to use an inhibited bite so as not to.

Young kittens bite and scratch their parents and littermates as part of normal play behavior. But sometimes they don t learn from their litters that this is not acceptable. The kitten is not intending to hurt anyone it is just intent on having a good time. This is generally regarded as mock aggression.

This is especially true when your kitten s playmate is a young child. Kittens are cute fluffy and irresistible it is natural to want to caress them and play with them using your hands however doing so is asking for a scratch or a bite. This behavior is natural to kittens and is not a sign of hostility or fear most of the time but if left unchecked it can become a serious problem. But kitties can learn to inhibit the force of their bites and to use soft paws without claws.

Despite this behavior it s natural for felines to act this way and isn t a sign that they re mad at you or upset with you. Because cats mouth and paw objects to explore their world it s natural for them to bite. A young kitten will pounce chase stalk wrestle bite and scratch its siblings and mother. If we re lucky their mothers or litter mates teach them to inhibit this behavior.

It s not about aggression it s about youngsters using their mouths to explore their environments. A nip or scratch from an 8 week old kitten may seem cute but the same behavior from an adult cat can be very painful. This is all normal behavior for a kitten. It turns out that kitten biting is part of the play behavior kittens learn when they are with their littermates.

Never use your hands or feet as playthings for your kitten to bite on. Biting and mouthing is a normal behavior in kittens. Usually by about four months of age play biting and scratching should subside.