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Help! My kitten bites and chews like nursing. How can I stop her?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 4 months and 19 days old | 6.2 lbs

I adopted 8-week-old Shanti from the Humane Society; she is now 18 weeks old. She & her four siblings had been in foster care. She doesn’t return the slow-eye blink; she lies on my chest, purring & chewing on my shirt collar almost as if she’s nursing; and she bites me. When she bites I have tried pushing her away (she becomes more aggressive); distracting her by throwing a toy; and yelling “Ow!” & ignoring her.. We interactive play 2x/day—not with my hands or feet. Nothing works. What can I do?

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Stacey Anstaett, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 27th, 2018

Cute kitty!! I'm sorry that you are having a hard time with her. It sounds like you've been trying all the right things up to this point. I think the most helpful thing for you at this point would be to consider investing in a consultation with a behaviorist. Here is a great site to find one near you: https://iaabc.org/consultants Additionally, consider a laser pointer toy at multiple times throughout the day to help keep her occupied: https://www.amazon.com/SereneLife-Automatic-Cat-Laser-Toy/dp/B07537S2LJ or a motion activated mouse is also a great option. Use a "hunter" type feeding toy... this allows cats to "hunt" their food. This is a great system: https://docandphoebe.com Here's a site with some additional info that may help you better understand the behavior and intervene appropriately: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/aggression-cats I hope that helps you! Thanks for asking PetCoach!

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