Mom: Quill!
Quill: Marph, marh, marh
Mom: Quill!!
Quill: Sorry my mouth was full...
Mom: Yes I know, it was full of my hand. What's with all the gnawing lately?
Quill: You taste good.
Mom: I appreciate the compliment but I am not a fan. So no more bites!
Quill: Yes Mom. It's just that... marph, marh...
Mom: Quill!! I said no biting!
Quill: That? That wasn't a bite. It was a snubble.
Mom: What's a snubble?
Quill: It's a snuggle nibble. It's not a bite... it's more like a cubble... a cuddle nibble.
Mom: Whatever you call it, I don't want my parts between your teeth please.
Quill: So does that mean Cankle Chase is over too?
If anyone has advice on how to stop a cranky teething kitten from chewing on his family I am open to suggestions.
ReplyDeleteMom Meg
Oh I am trying to distract with toys and if he gets too out of control he gets a time out.
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with a few bite marks?
ReplyDeleteMy mom got Leia so I could chew on her instead.
ReplyDeleteEspecially at 3 am.
ReplyDeleteHe musta got the idea from Martha Stewart...we hear she nibbles on her cats, hahameow!
ReplyDeleteWe were going to say he was probably teething but you beat us to it. It is like a baby and colic: you just have to allow time to pass. Not the answer you wanted.
ReplyDeleteA leather glove? Or lots of nip toys? Sorry, we are just guessing.
Truffle did this to Mom Paula when she was teething (Truffle, not Mom Paula). We think Brulee must have nibbled on Truffle when she (Brulee) was teething.
ReplyDeleteOh we bet Quill doesn't mean anything by this...but our mom says she remembers how sharp little kitty teefs can be!
ReplyDeleteQuill, are you teething??
ReplyDeleteProvide things that are OK to chew on. I've found that most kittens love thicker cardboard boxes to chew on, like a heavy amazon box.
I have found that saying "ow" in a high pitched meow like tone like it's sibling would cry out when bitten to hard helps the cat to understand that biting you hurts. Until you "say so" he thinks it is OK to bite you as often and as hard as he can. You'll know you have the tone right when he stops biting you and looks at you and then licks you. Praise him for stopping. Be prepared for him to bite again. it takes a while for kittens to understand that hands aren't paws and skin is much more sensitive them fur. I always let kittens bite me and learn a soft bite is fine because in the future if for any reason the cat feels the need to give a bite warning they will know just how hard they can bite as a warning.
Yeah, I get cubbles and snubbles when I try to pet Leo's tummy... little brat.
ReplyDeleteQuill may have the teething excuse, but Leo sure dont!
Haha...wait until they start doing it when you try to sleep. That's what Mini Munch likes to do. I literally have to sleep in a sweater to hide my hands...hehe. :)
ReplyDeleteRumblemum suggests making a hissing noise like a mummy cat. She read somewhere that this can be effective. (Don't tell Hammy, but she tried it on him and it worked)
ReplyDeleteOur mum used to hiss at us too if we hurt her when we were babies, and it stopped us. Then we chewed on our cardboard toy box instead. I (Eric) still nibble, mostly only knuckles and I do it gently. Sometimes I find a nose irresistible too. I tell mum it is love bites.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure it would work with Quill, but I used to hiss at the cats. Still do, from time to time. Mostly they just look at me and go, "Yeah? So?"
ReplyDeleteOr maybe a firm but not too firm tap on the nose and very forceful NO! (I've read that, actually.)
Lucy used to nip Mum's leg sometimes but Hannah wasn't a biter ever. When Quill's baby teeth are gone and his new big teeth grow through it should stop.
ReplyDeleteLuv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
Quill, I suggest that your mom get you a new kitten to chew on. They are the best and taste better than humans. Trust me.
ReplyDeleteyep -boxes are fun. Also, try taking an old washcloth, getting it damp and freezing it....if he is teething, the cold with sooth and he will have something to kill as well (fold in half, then twist). Mom has been known to gently flick kittens in the nose that are biters....
ReplyDeleteMeg, another kitten!
ReplyDeleteGive Quill a firm "No!" then leave and do something else. He will learn if he bites, he won't have his mom around.
Sounds like lots of good suggestions. The hissing sounds like a great idea. Also maybe crying out really loud to just scare him a little bit. Hope you can figure it out. Quill, you had better stop doing that. Take care.
ReplyDeleteDad says ah ah ah ah loudly and it seems to slow it down but I only play. I expect little teeth are very sharp.. Hugs GJ xx
ReplyDeleteOuch! Little kitty teefs are so sharp. We sure hope you're able to figure this out real soon.
ReplyDeleteA second kitty is my advice! Two are better than one and it gives him someone his own size to play with.
ReplyDeleteAbby is 13 and she still chomps.
ReplyDeleteI would be remiss in giving any advise.
--hahahaha--
purrs
>^,,^<
♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥
Oh we knoes just what this is too. We are now being nommed by a small grey & white furbutt. I find that just stopping all movement of my hand usually results in the cease of nomming. The cardboard box is ideal as Connie suggested. The little perforatores just love those to pieces!
ReplyDeleteGood luck. And thanks for the kind thoughts about Ms. Stella.
We totally MOL'd at 'Marph'.
xoxo
That Woman
With our new kitty on the block Mooch--she likes to chew on cardboard. She's just a year old, but Tommy says since she was out in the wilds, Mooch maybe never had much 'kitten time--even I kinda still chew on the plastic of the poo box hood..
ReplyDeleteNoir
you are a true genius with words, love it!
ReplyDeleteWell, you may not believe this but I've given both my kitties a great big, fat, plastic soda straw (in a nice color of course) to gnaw on. They can poke holes in it with their teeth but pieces don't come off and it makes a great noise. And you can bat it around and carry it places.
ReplyDeleteYou can get these for free at a coffee shop that sells smoothies. Just tell them why you need it and they always smile. My female still chews on straws and won't let her brother touch "her" straw.
Hmm, if me remembers correctly, Kozmo stole the dogs chew toys.. but he also knawed on me, and Mommy, and Daddy, and the hairy slobbery sisters Bob and Sam, and straws, and catnip toys, and toeses, and Mommy's shoes, and the blankets on the sofa, and frozen pepperonis, and doggie cookies, and me, and .....
ReplyDeleteKisses
Nellie
MOL!!!
ReplyDeleteWell you won't believe what Katie's latest toy of choice is. A small ball that looks like a river stone that I fashioned for her out of her own FUR. ...from the Furminator. She is CRAZY about it. Or maybe she's just crazy.
; ) GG
Mommies are GOOD, aren't they?! They like it too...they just pretend it hurts. Besides, it's all about what YOU want anyway!
ReplyDeleteFaRADaY: oiooooooh but humans canz be sooooo nommy...especially when they're snori-- err, SLEEPING in the middle of the night.
ReplyDelete