Why Do Kittens Bite So Hard

Kittens start losing their baby teeth around 9 weeks of age and from that time until their adult teeth are fully grown in at 5 to 6 months you can count on lots of chewing action.

Why do kittens bite so hard. It could be to assert dominance or respond to a threat. Kittens will cry all the time especially if they are very young. Cats have sharp teeth that are able to make deep punctures and cats mouths harbor a lot of bacteria that can potentially cause infection. If left untreated or not given proper first aid care cat bites can lead to infection cat scratch fever or in rare cases rabies.

For adult cats there may be a few reasons for biting. You can discourage the behaviour by praising them for gentle play during bonding sessions. It s not about aggression it s about youngsters using their mouths to explore their environments. But sometimes they don t learn from their litters that this is not acceptable.

This is the time when each kitten learns how to use an inhibited bite so as not to cause injury explains pam johnson bennett certified cat behaviorist and owner of cat behavior associates. If we re lucky their mothers or litter mates teach them to inhibit this behavior. Kittens bite primarily because they are teething and because they love to play. This is how they learn to socialize with their siblings test boundaries and just have fun.

Hard biting is often associated with older cats who have higher incidences of these conditions. In most cases kittens scratch and bite in play. Whenever your cat engages in play that uses their paws but not their claws or teeth reward them with plenty of affection and a reward or treat. Make sure to play with her at least twice a day for 10 to 15 minutes each.

Cats often bite during play because they are expressing their natural hunting instinct. Occasionally though scratching and biting can be a sign that your kitten is frightened angry or in pain. Often this sort of behavior is associated with discipline but it can also be the way she moves them around by picking them up by the neck. It is unlikely that she is biting them in an aggressive way.

Give your kitten toys to help her teeth including both hard and soft toys she can chew on. Biting in kittens is similar to biting behavior in puppies. Cats with arthritis dental disease hyperthyroidism and a variety of central nervous system conditions often bite because they re in pain or confused. To be sure this is not the case.