My kitten attacks legs and scratches. How can I stop this behavior?

Question

My kitten has gotten into the habit of jumping at people's legs, giving them cuts which hurt quite a bit. I try to play with her often but no matter what she continues to attack our legs. What can I do? Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 7 months and 16 days old

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

It sounds like Boo is trying to play, but doesn't know what she is doing is unacceptable. You are doing the right thing by trying to play with her often, and I recommend playing with her for at least 10 minutes at a time twice a day. You can provide her with more environmental stimulation. Give her new things to explore, like a cardboard box or puzzle feeders. Give Boo a time out when she plays too roughly. Get up and walk out of the room when she starts jumping on people's legs, even going into another room and shutting her out. Don't remove her, as she will interpret your touch as something positive. Ignoring her and going out the room will show her that her play is negative and there are consequences for that behavior. Finally, reward her for good behavior. Praise her and give her treats when she plays appropriately, reinforcing the positive behavior.

My kitten attacks legs and scratches. How can I stop this behavior?

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