That’s great you already have nail caps on her. Here are 4 signs you should stop your cat and dog from playing: One pet tries to hide or run away; Uninhibited bites with yelps or scream from the bitten pet; Canine growls that are lower in pitch and continue; Cats play silently, so take hisses or growls seriously; Always supervise play between your cats and dogs, especially when there is a great size difference. Attempts to tap, flick, or hit your cat for rough play is almost guaranteed to backfire. … When part of a litter, if a kitten is too rough, mom and the litter mates will let him know with a nip, scratch or hiss. Learn more about Jennifer, our blog author at Google+, Resource Center: Cat Behavior and Training, Resource Center: Choosing the Right Dog and Dog Breed Facts, Resource Center: Dog Behavior and Training, embed In most cases, it is possible to teach your kitten or young cat that rough play isn’t acceptable behavior. Any advice would be soooo welcome! You wrote that your cat is playing rough and biting. How to Reduce Your Cat’s Rough Play Behavior A tired cat is a happy cat! She is about a 3-4-month-old kitten. Let's try again. Mother cat … Rough-housing with bare hands is almost irresistible when kittens are small. Kitten should learn human hands touching them is soothing, not play. Some cats will even bring the toy back to be thrown again! Our rescued stray kitten wants to be the alpha male cat and is playing pretty rough with our other tabby cat named Mason. Not to scare you, but the infections they can cause, especially to hands and wrists, can be very severe and require surgery if not immediately (the same day) treated by a doctor. Playing with your cat, or interactive play, is a great way to get your kitty moving every day. In older cats, there may be other reasons for cat aggression and attacks, such as redirected aggression, or when a cat lashes out at its owner because it senses something is wrong. I’ve fostered hundreds of kittens and cats over the years, and have had many kittens (and cats) who played too rough and would play bite before. If kitten starts to rough-play with any part of your body, IMMEDIATELY stop playing & walk out of room. Q: My dog and cat like to wrestle and bite each other. In these cases it’s best to seek help from a behavior specialist to work with your young cat’s behavior. The possible disadvantage to this method is that your cat may learn that “hands with gloves taste bad and those without gloves don’t.” For more information on aversives, see our handout “Aversives for Cats.” Remember that aversives will only work if you offer your cat acceptable alternatives. The play mimics how cats will later pounce on, grab, and bite prey. Also, be sure to thoroughly clean all bites and scratches and consult your physician, as cat scratches and bites can easily become infected (see our handouts: “When the Behavior Helpline Can’t Help” and “Understanding Cat Aggression Towards People.”), Buddy Center4556 Castleton Ct.Castle Rock, CO 80109, Harmony Equine Center5540 E. Hwy. Never punish your kitten for rough play. Another good toy is one that your cat can wrestle with, like a soft stuffed toy that’s about the size of your cat, so she can grab it with both front feet, bite it, and kick it with her back feet. ; A kitten that's protecting its "territory" from a perceived threat or interloper (such as a small child or another animal) also may become aggressive. Help! Help your dog stop crying when left alone, Stop Your Dog’s Territorial Marking Inside, 6 Steps to Introduce a New Cat To Your Dog. Age. He also bites me really, really hard and he'll jump up at me and he'll attack my legs as I'm walking by. Once your cat has tasted the aversive and pulls back, IMMEDIATELY offer her a toy to wrestle with or chase. If you have tried everything and the biting persists, you may feel that rehoming her/him is the best option for you, your family, and your cat. Cats enjoy playing. Something to consider is to truly ask yourself whether you are a justifiable cause of the cat biting you. It’s normal, but it can be too much for your resident pets to handle. Examining the Nature of the Fight Look for reciprocity. Withdraw attention when your cat starts to play too roughly. Is your kitten biting you or playing too rough? My cat has not been de-clawed yet so he's still got his really sharp nails that he uses to really attack me whenever we're playing. She attacked my face even! 3. Thanks again for adopting a kitten and giving her a loving and caring home! The best way to withdraw your attention is to walk away to another room, and close the door long enough for her to calm down. I decided to share my friend’s email and my response here, with my five steps for success. Since young cats need a lot of playtime, try to set up three or four consistent times during the day to initiate play with your cat. They instinctively know not to be too rough with them. These aren’t behaviors you want her to learn. If you slap your kitten or tap her nose, she may think of this action as play and retaliate even rougher. Also, sadly, I’ve seen very sweet kitties brought to a shelter for play biting behavior, which, especially in a kitten, can frequently be fairly quickly remedied. (at least it starts out as play, then he just starts getting extremely aggressive. But sometimes, the kitten needs to learn who is boss! 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. The kitten can learn that the consequence of chasing or “bugging” the older cat is a timeout in the bathroom by herself. Older cats are usually pretty good with kittens. If you physically punish your cat, she might become afraid of you and respond by avoiding you, or worse, her play will turn into true aggression. If a kitten bites a sibling too hard, that kitten will yowl and swat or bite back, then refuse to play with the other kitten for a period of time. Can Kittens Play Too Rough With Each Other? That's natural, particularly for kittens and territorial males. Never play tug-of-war or wrestling games with your puppy if you’re having a nipping problem. So, if your two cats are not on the same page it is likely a good idea to distract the one that is in the playful mood or separate the two cats as to not let things escalate. I hope this will help anyone who is struggling with a feisty, play-biting kitten! In kittens, most aggression is caused by fear or curiosity. When your kitten is playing a little too rough, do not run from her or try to block her movements. When cats play, they incorporate a variety of behaviors into their play, such as exploratory, investigative, and predatory behaviors. But some cats can’t bear to show that they can be intimidated, and will feel forced to match what they see as aggression. Have the kittens put in a safe and cozy place...so while they are waiting for their mom, can sleep. She wants to play with you, so eventually she’ll figure out how far she can go if you keep this limit consistent. Rough Play. If you’re new at living with cats and are unfamiliar with how they interact with each other, it can be easy to misinterpret playtime exuberance for aggression. No need to speak to the cat, yell at her or use corporal punishment in any way. Cats who have long claws can cause a lot of damage to your dog. Are you too rough with playing with them? If your kitten plays with your hands or feet, make your hand or foot go limp (he’s more likely to continue attacking a moving object) and say “Ouch!” in a loud voice. Your cats, chickens, or older dogs probably long for the days when they could go about their lives without being accosted by a puppy-sized tornado. When you can, try to re-direct Scarletts attention to another toy or wand or something. Puppies play by jumping, biting, and tackling relentlessly. Here are five steps I’ve used with dozens of feisty foster kittens, to teach them not to bite or play rough with people: You should see improvement starting almost immediately, but definitely within a few days. Best of Cat Behavior and Training < Is your kitten biting you or playing too rough? If she’s “attacking” you while you are sleeping, or resting, you may need to close her out of those rooms while you are doing those activities, until these steps start helping. But as any cat owner knows, that’s simply not true. Get a laser toy and feather toy on a string, or any other super fun running around toys that you can play without being too close to kitten. So we might need to teach them how to play … With the help of some knowledgeable cat behaviorists, I’ve been able to teach them all to stop. In addition, if humans play with a kitten or young cat using their hands and/or feet instead of toys, the cat is liable to learn that rough play with people is okay. Do not play with kitten using your hands, or toys that she plays with while they are in your hand. Don’t expect your cats to wrestle and tackle each other with finesse and gentleness. If the situation is getting too intense, then it is best to remove the dog for a time-out session. He's very rough. Drag a toy along the floor to encourage your cat to pounce on it, or throw a toy away from your cat to give her even more exercise chasing the toy down. Understanding Play. Learn more about Jennifer, our blog author at Google+, Best of Cat Behavior and Training, Best of Cat Tips |. Cats benefit from consistent interactive play and activity (aka exercise) as much as dogs and people do. Play provides cats with opportunities to practice skills they would normally need for survival. Why your cat needs exercise — disguised as play — too. By “play bite” I mean bites that would hurt but happened during play, and luckily never broke the skin. Even tiny cat bites should not to be ignored. This will help her understand that she doesn’t have to be the one to initiate play by pouncing on you. This will encourage her to direct her rough play onto a toy instead of a person. Additionally, since rough play may be an indicator of a behavioral issue, it is important to address it if your cat begins exhibiting violent play behavior. If you have sensitive skin you may want to wear gloves and put the aversive on the gloves. Looks like you have entered an invalid email address. You do not need to be rough or harsh with the youngster; simply pick her up and deliver her quietly to the private room. Animal behaviorists tout play aggression as one of the most common cat behavior issues. Play/Predatory aggression in cats involves their normal hunting and killing behaviors. You are right – you may have aided this by allowing her to play too rough with you. Kittens learn how to inhibit their bite from their littermates and their mother. Patricia Chase. Use aversives to discourage your cat from nipping. A: It is okay to let your dog and cat play with one another, but it is important to make sure that their play does not get too aggressive. Cats like to explore new areas and investigate anything that moves, and may bat at, pounce on, and bite objects that resemble prey. A kitten I personally allow to chew and bite as much as it wants, but it should grow out of the behaviour. Over time, they learn not to be too rough. You can do this by taking your kitten to a kitten socialization class, offered at some local animal shelters and by doing the following things: Redirect your young cat’s aggressive behavior onto acceptable objects like toys (see our handout: “Cat Toys and How to Use Them”). a search box on your webpage. Then we have the clueless party pushing it to the point where the cat feels threatened; and the cat defends themselves. Your cat could become afraid of your hands, or she could interpret those flicks as playful moves by you and play even more roughly as a result. Like a remote control mouse!! Don't depend on whether or not your kitten is crying to tell you that you are playing too rough. Be sure to keep your cat confined until you can get professional help. Cats that play too rough can easily harm themselves, their feline friends or even their human companions. It’s so wonderful you rescued a kitten! 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