By: Brianna

Brianna — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:09:41 +0000

Gemma
Kittens in general tend to lose their baby teeth around 4 to 6 months (earlier for females), so his RECENT biting behavior is a teething issue and will go away in a couple of weeks as his permanent teeth come in.
However, if his biting has been a prolonged concern over the past several months, chances are he’s probably just naughty.
I own a 7 month old half-Manx named Osgood, and I went through a similar bout with him. He would nibble(not bite) and swipe during play, and we would train him how to appropriately play with his claws and teeth. We would put a VERY thick and wooly sock(sometimes 2 to make it feel more like a real cat) and wrestle with him. Then we would take the sock off and play, but scold him if he bit or scratched, and would alternate between sock and no sock, until he realized (and quite quickly, I may add) that it’s okay to play rough, but not with our hands.
Since he is teething, that can be forgiven, as it can be very painful and uncomfortable. If in 2 weeks he is still having behavioral problems, I would take him to a vet to see if maybe there’s a complication with his teeth, or something else. If he’s physically fine, start training him, and be quick. Think like your cat. If he starts doing something and you can “just see him doing THIS” then prepare yourself to discipline. It doesn’t have to be hard, but a firm bop on the head or a thwack on their hind quarters will get their attention; follow up with a very stern and loud “NO” and guide him away from what he is doing wrong(without touching him, since with Ragdolls, touch = limp blackout). When he is out of that “danger zone,” reward him with praise and a toy. This has worked very well for my Osgood, he is the most balanced cat anyone could ever meet.

By: Gemma Crowther

Gemma Crowther — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:34:33 +0000

I have a 6 month old male ragdoll and ever since he was a kitten he has bitten quite hard when plays. I’ve always been firm in telling him no and doing the ‘face push’ but he still wont give it up. However in the past fortnight his mouth has bled a little while doing it and then a few days ago one of his teeth chipped in half. Do you think the biting is due to pain or that he is just being naughty?

Comments on: Is Your Ragdoll Cat Aggressive?

By: Brianna

By: Gemma Crowther