Why is my kitten so aggressive? How to stop biting and scratching?

Question

How can I calm my kitten. He is very aggressive for his age. Is it because he used to be abused by the previous owner. I have had him since he was less then 2 months old. I have played with him care for him and treated him as my own. Is their a type of way to train him no to bite or scratch aggressively. I have used the spray bottle it didn't help. I also left him alone besides feeding him and cleaning his liter box but he still won't come out from his mini house I made him unless it's playtime. Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | unneutered | 5 months and 8 days old | 10 lbs

Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS · Accepted Answer

I am so sorry that you are experiencing these problems with biting with Max. I am sure it is very upsetting for you. First of all rest assured that this is a very normal kitten behaviour. Kittens learn through play biting and it is part of our role as pet parents to help them learn limits. I would not attempt negative reinforcement such as striking Max or speaking harshly as this will potentially create more serious behaviour issues such as anxiety and fear-aggression. Try some calm corrections and positive reinforcement. If Max bites you, simply say in a calm voice "no" and stop interacting with her for a few moments. This over time will teach him that biting is not a desired form of play. Also try reinforcing him as he starts to play in a good way by not biting, and giver her a small training treat. If Max does manage to bite hard enough to break the skin be careful of a possible infection. Monitor your wound for heat. Swelling, or discharge. Make an appointment with your doctor if this occurs. If you are struggling with the biting after a couple of weeks of the above suggested training methods, consider socialisation classes or potentially a few sessions with a behaviourist. Have you given thought to having Max neutered? Agreed ion can be reduced a great deal in neutered animals as male hormones are reduced and aggression is linked to sex hormones. Other games which may be fun with Max are hide and go seek either with you and another person, or you hide his toys and he has to find them. Or classic fetch. Surprisingly fun games for cats too! I hope this was helpful!

Why is my kitten so aggressive? How to stop biting and scratching?

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