I have a feral Siamese kitten that was living in my workshop for several days. She was trapped and caught at approx. 2 mos. old, and is now about 4 mos. old. The kitten calmed down quickly in captivity, but has developed a habit of "nipping" us - just small, little bites. This behavior is only exhibited when she is calm, content and purring. This is not a behavior that would be associated with play. The nipping is generally harmless, but can sometimes be painful, especially if she decides to hold on for a few seconds. However, she doesn’t usually hold on. Is it possible that this is a nursing reflex? She doesn’t “knead” with her paws when she nips. She likes to snuggle up to our neck and face and that is when she will start to nip us.
She has all current shots, and will soon be declawed (front only - she's an indoor cat), spayed and micro chipped. Her vet says she is healthy, and we see her as a seemingly happy, well-adjusted kitten, considering the fact that she was born in the wild to feral parents. We have two other cats in the house – an older cat who doesn’t take to new cats well, and another kitten that is nearly 12 mos. old.
On a side note, how bad is it for a kitten to eat adult cat food exclusively? With 3 cats in the house, we don't have the luxury of seperate feeding dishes. They all eat Science Diet Adult Hairball Control. I know kittens need higher protein than do adult cats, but the logistics of seperate feeding would be hard to overcome.
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My kitten "nips" when happy
Replies (1)
Hi There,
I doubt that this nipping is a carryover from when your kitten was nursing, since she isn't kneading at the time. Still, it is probably something that should be discouraged, especially when she hangs on. Usually the best way to do this is to say "no" firmly and find something to distract the kitten, like a special toy.
Please reconsider having your baby declawed. It is an unnecessary, painful procedure that causes some cats to become biters. It may be the last thing your kitten needs. There are options, such as Soft Paws, which are plastic caps that fit over the claws, or keeping claws clipped and training cats to use scratching posts.
Regards,
PHKitkat
