Kitten no longer likes me petting her?

Bambionice

So last week I adopted an 8 week old kitten. The first few days she was very affectionate and clingy, she used to meow when I was out of the room and any time I sat down she was on my lap cuddling into me. However she did have a tendency to bite and scratch my hands so I tried to train her not to by shouting no whenever she attacked my hand and putting her down off the couch. But since Sunday she won't let me touch her or pet her, she has actually become worse and only jumps up on the couch to pounce on my hands. Whenever I try to pet her she scurries away. I play with her quite a bit and she's constantly playing with toys on the ground. I've had cats before and I've managed to train them without them completely turning off me. Does anyone have any advice as to how to get to her to a happy medium?

morganafay

It sounds like she's just a bit hyper, but hopefully she'll grow out of it and become more cuddly. My last kitten was the exact same. Some are more cuddly, some are more playful, but she should calm down a bit

Graces7

It seems as if she has settled in now and is no longer scared or insecure, so she is no longer clingy.

Which is good of course!

Give her time and space; now she is safe she will learn. And then the real affection will start.

It is a big thing for a wee cat to leave home and mother.

Hence that initial clinginess.

And she has had litter mates; they have thick skin so the rough play does not hurt them. She has much to learn. Thi sis that rough kitten play.

She has maybe not been handled by people very much.

Please; do not shout at her; that will scare her in the wrong way. Keep thick gloves around and simply say no and remove her. She will learn her limits fast. Early days yet and it is only Tuesday

Pudding11

I adopted two kittens last year. One was quite affectionate but had the biting/scratching problem while the other didnt seem to like being petted much. The girl who didnt like being petted took a while to settle into her new home and eventually got used to being petted. Now she is very affectionate but its more of a case of when she feels like it she will come to you.
I got the boy out of the scratching/biting habit by telling him no in a firm voice and if he kept going, he got a time out in the cat carrier. It didnt take long before he realised he was being punished and he did it less and less until he stopped completely.
Theres no point shouting (not saying you are!) or anything as they wont learn. The advice I got is to give them a specific punishment like a time out whenever they misbehave in that way and they will learn not to do it. They will associate that behaviour with that punishment. Similarily the DSPCA advice to get them to stop scratching furniture was to give them a quick squirt of water. Again they associated that behaviour with that specific punishment and stopped doing it.
Good Luck!

morganafay

I agree that instead of shouting I'd just sternly say no, and take the kitten away from you. If it's really biting you (my kitten was awful for that) then you could hold the scruff of her neck (it won't hurt her) and lift her away and put her on the ground. If she runs back over to attack your hands, then you could always shut her into a different room for five minutes to calm down.

imokyrok

To be honest I think you are scaring it off. Kittens will scratch and bite when they play. That's how they interact with each other as siblings. They grow out of the worst of it but it's actually just natural behaviour. Even the most sedate older cat will sometimes get an urge to attack your hand playfully or otherwise. They don't like to be taken for granted. I rarely don't have a scratch or two on my hands from playing with one of my five cats. Just one of the small prices we pay for the privilege of their company.

How much the cat will enjoy being stroked and petted as it gets older very much depends on the personality of the cat. Mine range from a a very haughty character who takes umbrage at any touchy feely stuff to one that climbs on my lap when I'm trying to type on the laptop and climbs on my face during the night to lick me awake. I don't think you can change their basic personality but you can make a cat that might have been affectionate wary of you by shouting at it a lot etc.

Graces7

imokyrok wrote: »

To be honest I think you are scaring it off. Kittens will scratch and bite when they play. That's how they interact with each other as siblings. They grow out of the worst of it but it's actually just natural behaviour. Even the most sedate older cat will sometimes get an urge to attack your hand playfully or otherwise. They don't like to be taken for granted. I rarely don't have a scratch or two on my hands from playing with one of my five cats. Just one of the small prices we pay for the privilege of their company.

How much the cat will enjoy being stroked and petted as it gets older very much demands on the personality of the cat. Mine range from a a very haughty character who takes umbrage at any touchy feely stuff to one that climbs on my lap when I'm trying to type on the laptop and climbs on my face during the night to lick me awake. I don't think you can change their basic personality but you can make a cat that might have been affectionate wary of you by shouting at it a lot etc.

One of the things we used to emphasise when selling the wee Siamese was to let the kitten come to you. Rather then the other way round.

As you rightl say, each is different and they are so tiny at that tender age . Takes time and patience and acceptance.

Would rather see this behaviour, which is after all truly interaction withyou - kitten is honouring you by treating you as a litter and playmate - than the ones who hide for days before emerging.

This one has spunk and character. Enjoy that.

The two I have here were already, without my knowing it, infected with enteritis when I brought them home from a bad cattery. Their first weeks with me were sheer hell and I almost lost them. I would have loved them to have the strength and health to play like that then.

planetX

Pudding11 wrote: »

I adopted two kittens last year. One was quite affectionate but had the biting/scratching problem while the other didnt seem to like being petted much. The girl who didnt like being petted took a while to settle into her new home and eventually got used to being petted. Now she is very affectionate but its more of a case of when she feels like it she will come to you.
I got the boy out of the scratching/biting habit by telling him no in a firm voice and if he kept going, he got a time out in the cat carrier. It didnt take long before he realised he was being punished and he did it less and less until he stopped completely.
Theres no point shouting (not saying you are!) or anything as they wont learn. The advice I got is to give them a specific punishment like a time out whenever they misbehave in that way and they will learn not to do it. They will associate that behaviour with that punishment. Similarily the DSPCA advice to get them to stop scratching furniture was to give them a quick squirt of water. Again they associated that behaviour with that specific punishment and stopped doing it.
Good Luck!

I got mine out of the scratching/biting habit by doing absolutely nothing. It's a kitten thing, they grow out of it

imokyrok

One thing you might consider Bambionice is to fit your stroking sessions around the natural cycle of the kitten. They sleep so much. Pet him when he's obviously tired and sleepy but don't expect him to sit for that when he's feeling lively. A toddler won't be restricted in one place when he want's to run around and the same applies to a kitten. Timing is all!

shinikins

Sounds like your kitten has started to settle into her new home! Chances are that she was so cuddly last week because she had been taken away from her regular environment and needed the comfort and affection to reassure her. Her personality is emerging now, the scratching and biting is natural behaviour, she'll gradually calm down. No need the raise your voice with her if she gets too boisterous, a firm "No" will do the trick, and if she continues, ignore her. Don't look at her or engage in any way until she calms. Stroke her when she's quiet and sleep and she'll come to see it as a pleasurable experience, not an invitation to play.

Sigma Force

Sounds like a normal kitten, although the shouting isn't a good idea and in the end will just make her uneasy.

The thick gloves was a good suggestion.
Also instead of using your hands to play with her get a fishing rod cat toy, usually found in most pet shops and use toys like that where you dangle something rather than using your hands that will keep your fingers safe.

Although with kittens and even some cats scratching etc. can come with the territory. Most calm down though as they get older.

Would you consider another kitten of similar age for company kittens love company and can rough and tumble with another one, gets rid of excess energy. They also like to run about like mad things at all hours of the night.

If you haven't one already things like da bird and a cat tower (zooplus.co.uk have them) scratching post and other toys will help. Let her come to you, it might take a little while for her to regain the trust just say the word 'no' firmly without shouting if she does act up and then stop play.

Graces7

I had a devoted and beautiful Siamese who to the end of his days nipped me painfully.

He could not understand that humans have thin skins and not thick hide like cats.

To me, I was his sister and this was sheer affection. Treaing me like another cat.

I got used to simply covering my hands with the sleeve of my jersey etc when he was on my lap; he was treating me as kin and honouring me. But his teeth!

Huge difference between aggression and affectionate and secure play.