Why do baby kittens bite so much?
Updated October, 2022
Biting is a normal part of a kitten’s growing up process. There are many reasons why your baby kitten is biting. This post is all about why baby kittens bit so much.
Why Do Baby Kittens Bite So Much?
A kitten will bite in order to fulfill their natural feline urges. Just like a human baby a baby kitten might bight because he is teething. Other reasons are play biting, instinctively acting out hunting practices, socializing and lastly a baby kitten can bite if he is weening off his mother.
A few specific reasons kittens will bite are:
- Playing
- Teething
- Practicing hunting and foraging for food
- Socializing
- Weening from mother
Baby kittens are cute, cuddly, and, most of all, high energy. They love to play and will pounce on anything movers or doesn’t move with reckless abandon. This normal kitten behavior, but it also shouldn’t be left unchecked. If so, this playtime can become a severe issue for your or a family member. Luckily, kittens are easily trainable. The extra attention they get will help build a strong bond with your cat—however, baby kittens tend to bite a lot. Why do baby kittens bite so much?
Biting or playful aggression is part of your feline companion sharpening its hunting skills. It can take the form of mock fighting with its siblings, family dog, or you and your family. While your furry companions have the added thick furry coats for added protection, you and your family don’t.
What If My Kitten Bites Too Much?
All kittens love to play. This usually involves biting. It’s how they socialize with each other, push boundaries, have fun, or part of the teething process. It can also be a sign your kitten is scared or in pain. If your cat is angry, they may bite or scratch as well.
Keep in mind that kittens are tiny predators. They share some of their genetic makeup with panthers, lions, and tigers. While your cat won’t be roaming the savannah of Africa, its playful habits of gnawing on your hands or toes can get real old quick.
Things to Consider:
- Is someone complaining about your precious feline’s behavior? If so, watch the interaction between them. Some children may not comprehend how their actions can hurt the baby kitten, so play may prove too rough. This can be a cause of the biting.
- If a cat rolls over on its belly, you may be inclined to rub it. Please don’t do it; it’s a trap! While they want attention in other places, avoid the belly, face, and paws. These spots may prove sensitive to your kitten and not like it.
- Examine your baby kitten. Pet them gently all over. If they respond negatively to a regular spot, they could be in pain in that location, which may cause them to bite. A trip to the vet is probably necessary if there’s a problem that needs to be addressed.
- Make sure that your cat’s biting isn’t due to something it finds frightening. Check to see if it’s a specific location, person, or animal. If so, figuring out what’s triggering the fear will help your cat in the long run.
- Is your kitten teething? Baby kittens will chew more when they teeth. If so, there are options to help alleviate their discomfort until their adult teeth come in.
- If you’re not sure about the biting, make an appointment with the vet.
How Can You Get A Kitten To Stop Biting So Much?
Kittens love to play. While they may grow out of biting around eighteen months, you want to do what you can to avoid or reduce the biting as much as possible to you and your family member.
A few ways to keep your kitten include redirecting play aggression, preventing over stimulation during playtime, replacing your hand with a toy when your kitten bites and clicker training.
- Give them some toys. Redirecting those razor-sharp incisors from your vulnerable skin to a toy is an excellent start. This will also help tire them out. Choose lots of toys that won’t be connected to your hand or fingers.
- End any play session if they get too rowdy. Don’t fuss if they bite too hard. The best thing to do is stand up and walk away. Ignore your kitten. They’ll learn that this aggressive behavior is unacceptable.
- Get another kitten, but only if you can handle two. This will redirect its energy to its feline counterpart. It’ll also reduce its desire to play too roughly with you.
- Patience is a must. Being consistent is essential is needed when dealing with your kitten. Proper pet care and training will help reduce the biting. Don’t forget treats and praise to help your cat learn as they grow.
Will My Kitten Grow Out Of Biting?
Your kitten can absolutely grow out of biting. You will help determine your kitten grows into a cat that does not bite people, and even other animals. One of the best ways to redirect your kitten’s biting so he learns right away is providing a toy in place of your hand. Once your cat begins to chew and bite the toy, praise her and even provide a treat. Never praise biting. This will teach her the wrong thing.
Clicker training can be another great way to train your kitten. This takes more of an investment of time and patience on your part, but it will pay off tremendously.
Conclusion
At some point, your baby kitten might start biting too much. It helps to determine why they are doing it and find ways to reduce or prevent it from becoming a severe behavior issue. While your kitten will want to chew as it’s a natural thing, you want them to focus on the right things to do it. Kitten toys will work better than your fingers and toes. Knowing when to end playtime and offer rewards will make the process easier and increase your bond with your cat.
This video will also help!
Enjoy your baby kittens.
The time will be over before you know it.
Why Is Kritter Kommunity Your Trusted Pet Partner?
Lisa Illman is the Founder of Kritter Kommunity, LLC. Not only does she have one tuxedo male adult cat currently, she has had him since he was a baby kitten; so she knows well the kitten life cycle, the teenage cat life cycle and the adult cat life cycle (he is currently 11 years old). Prior to her cat Finnegan, Lisa had two FIV positive cats for over a decade. Lisa’s love for animals her entire life (she also had a poodle and parakeet growing up plus was a caretaker for her roommate’s 3 pets during college) and networking with the pet community for over a decade, enable her to find top content for her readers.
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