Dear Sparkle,
I understand you are the famous Dear Abby of the feline world. I'm a big fan, and a first time writer.I am just a kitten, and I'm still trying to figure out how the world works. I know you can guide me.
I admit I am a bit of a nibbler. Although I am willing to chew on most things, the most tastiest of things is my human Mom. For reasons I can't understand, she does not enjoy this fun game. Sometimes, she even hisses at me when she says I am worked up!
I'm told I'm teething, but frankly I just enjoy a good chew now and again. I don't know what all the fuss is about. I don't draw bluds (often) and I never damage the treat hand. Except when I'm really hungry.
How do you tell a human you're hungry, if not by chewing on them?
Sparkle if I can't bite the hand that feeds me, is it okay to nibble on the tasty cankle?
Your pal,
Nibbles in Nevada
Wow...we hope Sparkle can come up with a solution for you, Quill! Actually, it's our Mommy who wants to know. WE couldn't care less.
ReplyDeleteThe Calico Cove Chompers
Quill dear, I do not know what Sparkle would say but I says who cares what the human thinks bite them. ~Scylla
ReplyDeleteWe do not advise you to listen to Scylla. She is often called a bad word that we will not say due to your tender years. Our method is to just sit by our bowl and stare at the human when they walk by. If they do not get the message a soft meow or woof is permissible. ~Socks & Fenris
Quill, your mom must taste good to you. She should be happy that she tastes so good. Some humans don't.
ReplyDeleteTruffle was doing that to Mom Paula when she was teething, but she was also trying to chew on cords. Mom Paula read somewhere to give them a plastic straw to chew on. Truffle loved it. Of course, Mom Paula took it away when she wasn't around so Truffle wouldn't hurt herself.
ReplyDeleteWe think our Moms taste good.
As Leo is about to turn 2 next Monday, he can't use that teething excuse any more! And he HATES that I learned from Love and Hisses to blow in his face when he bites me! But it's starting to work, hee hee
ReplyDeleteHey Quill, can I answer you in my advice column? Since I am scheduling one for Thursday this week!
ReplyDeleteWe're more worried bout you tellin the whole CB that your Mom has cankles! We got sum kitten chew sticks at Petco. Princeton still chose to chew on other things, but lots of our furriends say their kittehz luv them!
ReplyDeletePee Ess - My Mommy tastes nommy, too!
OMC Quill! Sparkle in the fur was here! Whoa. I'm impressed.
ReplyDeleteNigel suggests grinding your nose into your mom. It works for him.
Ooooh....we'll have to see what Sparkle says to that!
ReplyDeleteWe think this is a sign that you need more GREENIES!! mmmm Greenies...
ReplyDeleteSparkle's sage advice will no doubt shed light on your dilemma Master Quill. If not, then I would recommend bigger bites!
ReplyDeletePurrhaps your Mom would like it better if you put the bitey on her toes instead of her cankles.
ReplyDeleteLuv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
I think your mommy should be flattered that you are willing to nibble on her. I bet you don't nibble on just anyone!
ReplyDeleteYou are very wise Quill to ask the wise Sparkle!
ReplyDeleteWe know Sparkle will have a great answer for you. We can't wait to hear it!
ReplyDeleteOh Quill, you did pick the right cat to ask about this problem and in the mean time, you have some other good advice. We didn't ever chew on our Mom, we just chew on each other. Makes life easier for the Person. We can't wait to see the answer either. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI am eager to read Sparkle's answer on Thursday, I'll be interested by the answer!
ReplyDeletePurrs
We're senior cats who have forgotten about the kitten chew phase. The plastic straw suggestion sounds interesting, as do kitten chews. Good luck to your mom. Sparkle, we await your purrs of wisdom.
ReplyDeleteI try to provide thick cardboard boxes for kittens to play in because it is a nice soft safe teething medium. Most kittens love it for both reasons.
ReplyDeleteAs for the people not liking the chewing, they need to speak to you in your own language to tell you that. I tell kittens "ow" in a high pitched meow like tone that they are biting too hard. Works wonders when you get the tone right, they start to lick instead of bite.
As to biting her when you are hungry.. well hopefully she'll learn that is why you are biting her and maybe she can work with you to "train" you to do something else. I had a kitty growing up who used to bang the kitchen cabinets when he was hungry (it was where we stored the food and he could open it enough with his paw that it made a nice bang when he let go) I taught him to sit on the chair by the hallway (more visible if he sat there) by placing him on the chair and only dishing out the food when he sat in it. If he jumped down I would stop and put him back on the chair. Quicker then I really had hoped he learned to sit on the chair when he was hungry.. it was so neat.. (and of course I was 10 or 11 at the time so I thought it was super cool)
If anyone can help its Sparkle and I hope she can help.. Hugs GJ xx
ReplyDeletethis is just great! Can't wait to read about what Sparkle comes up with! Better get your fill of the "cankles" now!
ReplyDeleteAbba and Wolfie here:
ReplyDeleteWe're coming up on two years old and Abba has long been a toe biter while Mama is sleeping in her OWN bed and a slasher if you move your (name a body part) too quickly away from her.
She also claws up the cabinets and the moldings despite being furnished with scratching stuff. Mama has had to tape all the cabinets closed to keep her from climbing in and knocking everything out to make a place to hang out.
Mama is working on the toe biting with a SQUIRT bottle :D
I, Wolfie, am a glommer and like to wake my mama up by sticking my face, which is full of ticklish whiskers, into her face at the crack of dawn along with loud squeaky meows and marching all over her sensitive parts. I weigh about 11 lbs and have huge feet with really sharp claws.
After using the blowing in the face maneuver long enough to see that it did not work, Mama has resorted to the SQUIRT bottle which ended that behavior post haste!! Proving that I am not as dumb as she thought I might be
;)
A small cosmetic Squirter from CVS or WalMart comes in quite handy!
Good luck with Quill.
Man is he a little cutie!
Wish Kizzie would bite us (gently) instead of scratching the furniture - which she does to tell us she wants to go out. The sofas cost a lot of money and were almost new when she arrived, but she showed them no mercy.
ReplyDeleteKizzie's problem is that her meiow is very quiet, so we don't know when she wants something. She has however become noisier since going to the cattery, while we were on holiday, so if you have a quiet meiow too, perhaps this might help you.
My mommy is not that tasty. Glad yours is.
ReplyDeleteLove, Scout
PS Sparkle gives the best advice and is super beautiful! Meeeooowww
Oh Quill you are getting your own column!!!!
ReplyDeletepurrs
>^,,^<
✿•*¨`*•. ♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥✿•*¨`*•.
That Sparkle is a very wise and beautiful cat, Quill. If anycat can figure this out, it's her! :)
ReplyDeleteDear Quill,
ReplyDeleteMe always prefaces my nibbles with sweet nuzzles and opurrs before me put the bitey on Mommy. Me also likes toast with lots of butter for chewing.
Kisses
Nellie
Master Quill,
ReplyDeleteAlla I can say is 'Wow'. some wordy responses for all this nonsense! We are cats, we haz teefs; claws; but not much human vocabulary (which incidentally is quite different from voCATulary) What do they expect?
Clyde tells me he would rather put the bitey and the grabby on That Woman more than Ollie! MOL I say it's coz That Woman don't bitey back!
Clyde sayz right now he's 'double' bad coz he gotz two sets of front fangs! I told him to enjoy it while he can; they will soon be gone!
That Woman sayz she sent you over somefin she hopes you will like to sink your fangs into!
xoxo
Ms. Stella O'Houligan