I recently got a kitten (8 and 1/2 weeks old) she's adorable and settling in really well. She's really playful. She likes nibbling on my arm and fingers, which is fine because it doesn't really hurt, just a bit of a weird feeling. However, she digs her claws into my hand to keep grip even though I'm not going anywhere...it really hurts and I don't know how to stop her from doing it. Any suggestions?

PS. Right now she's happily chasing a Twix wrapper round the living room
Last edited by .Mimi. : 30-08-2009 at 12:54

Well it is difficult kittens don't tend to know it hurts and they are only doing a natural act.

Why not wear gloves?

I would withdraw from the nibbling. Once that starts it is hard to nip in the bud and before you know it, you have an adult cat biting in the same way with sharp teeth.

I agree, you want to discourage her from nibbling - and also from sticking her claws in. I would not recommend wearing gloves, because then she will think it's fine to stick her claws into you whether you (or your guests) are wearing them or not. Peel her off and put her on the floor when she does it, and distract her with something else (as you can see it's easy, a Twix wrapper will do the job).

I agree ~ it's best not to start letting kittens use your body parts to practice their predatory behaviour, i.e. "playing"! It may be cute when they're small but as you're now finding out, it starts to hurt as they grow up. Then they start attacking ankles & feet as you walk past & then they do it to visitors & next thing you know everyone's covered in scratches & your young cat thinks it's fine to use humans as pretend mice.

The best way to allow kittens to play is to encourage the use of toys, especially toys tied to string or cane that you can drag around, or ping pong balls or empty cotton reels or paper bags. They can amuse themselves with lots of stuff we would normally throw away so toys don't have to be expensive. One of my kittens used to play "goalkeeper" when we flicked bits of screwed up paper towards him ~ we hardly ever used to get a goal as the kitten would leap into the air, catch the ball of paper in both front paws & land with it in his mouth.

Kittens are fond of clawing everything but they will probably grow out of it especially if not encouraged.

As kitten claws are so very sharp, you can ease your suffering by clipping off a tiny bit at the points, using cat claw trimmers designed for the purpose - but don't cut too close or your kitty will not like you anymore!

I had forgotten about ping pong balls wilhemina - they love them, and it's hilarious watching them skitter around after them

Personally I would not try to clip a kitten's claws - too tiny and fiddly and too much room for it to go unpleasantly wrong - easier to redirect their energies elsewhere!

I remember when I had kittens many years ago & we had a few ping pong balls lying around ~ they would go mad for them as the skidded around bashing the ping pong balls against the skirting boards ~ used to make quite a racket. Perhaps not so welcome at 3.00 am!

The only problem I have now with my cats wanting to play is that the dogs want to join in ~ understandably the cats aren't keen on 2 clumsy labradors wrecking their games so the cats tend to play outdoors mostly when the dogs are elsewhere. But my OH says that the cats do play more indoors when I'm out with the dogs so at least they're sensible enough to know when it's safe to play.

I'l love to get a kitten again but I'm a bit wary that the dogs will hurt it in their rush to join in a kitten's fun & games. Perhaps when the dogs are bit older & more sedate.....

thank you for the advice. I started using some of it with her today...Seems to be working already! She's starting to come for a cuddle now and not just to tear my hands apart..lol admittedly, that's a slight exageration!!

Your kitten is displaying natural cat behaviour seen in Lions right through to pet kittens. It does get less although one of my girls still loves a rough and tumble

It's the beauty of having two kittens as they do it to one another and you tend to get less of it!!!

my cat has always used my hand to fight with since he was a tiny kitten.
hurts but i'm ok with it, along as hes having fun.

he always stretches up my leg with his claws, that bloody hurts.

I can't add anything to the advice already given.

However, as regards chewing, couldn't you use that liquid they sell to stop people chewing their finger nails?

When my two were kittens and playing or jumping for treats they would often hang on my hand with their claws. When they did this I refused to give them the treat but said "Gentle" to them in a relatively firm voice. They then began to retract their claws so that they do it automatically now that they are adults. EG if I'm wearing jeans, they'll hang on to the pockets when they greet me in the morning but if I'm in my nightie or wearing shorts and have bare legs, they climb up but again, retract their claws so you just feel their soft little feet on your legs. Even the girl who loves to pad up and down on my stomach in gurgling kitten haze retracts her claws. They're smart and thoughtful little things and I love em to bits!