Is It Normal For Kittens To Bite When Playing

This is the time when each kitten learns how to use an inhibited bite so as not to.

Is it normal for kittens to bite when playing. When littermates are playing they teach each other how to use their teeth gently reigning in their bite. Consistency is key when you want to curb kitten biting. Biting and bunny kicking are normal play behaviors for kittens. Kittens love to play but when they become overexcited they often scratch and bite.

During a play session biting is often minimal and does not cause any harm. Stick to your guns. Rough play is normal in kittens and cats up to about 2 years old and that includes biting each other under the neck. But don t pet or snuggle her at this time because when a kitten is in play prey mode anything that comes her way is fair game to be pounced on and bitten if she does try to bite again simply repeat the procedure.

When you see that your kitten may start to bite stop what you are doing and withdraw your attention from your kitten. Kittens look so cute when they re cuddled up together but they can appear fierce during playtime. Age according to uc davis school of veterinary medicine kittens begin playing in earnest with their littermates when they re around 1 month old or slightly older. Consistent use of the ow and down technique will teach.

This is how they play with their littermates and their mother. However from surprise ambush attacks to biting clutching and chasing rough play is an important part of a kitten s healthy social development. However if you notice one cat biting the other in order to cause harm then your cats are probably fighting instead of playing. This is a type of social play that the cat usually does to other cat as well as people that owned them.

For cats playing consist of biting scratching punching and many other action that seems aggressive for human but actually normal in feline world. 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. The play mimics how cats will later pounce on grab and bite prey. If your kitten is on your lap gently place your cat on the floor and avoid further behavior on your part that may encourage your cat to bite.

This is especially true when your kitten s playmate is a young child. It turns out that kitten biting is part of the play behavior kittens learn when they are with their littermates.