Hi everyone, new here. I have a new kitten (9 weeks old) and I have a couple of issues which I wonder if you might have any tips on how to deal with?

1. Litter Control
She's a very good little kitten, who always uses the litter and is well trained already on this. However she seems to like to spray the litter everwhere I have laminate floor and each night when I get home it's all over the place, I have a sneaking suspicion she knows what she's doing and does it all the more . I was wondering if anyone has any ideas how I can control this, I've looked at litter mats and the litter trays with a cover round the edge in Pets at Home and wondered if they might do the trick. Anyone had any similar issues and solved them?

2. Biting
She's biting a lot, when stroking etc, I understand when she's a little playful but she'll just lie down next to me on the sofa then just start biting my arm etc. I've tapped her on her nose each time to try and teach her not to do it, but still it doesn't seem to prevent her from doing it. I know she's young and will learn, is this something she'll grow out of or should I do something else.

We've had cats in the family for years so I'm very used to caring from them, been a while since we had a kitten tho as my Mam's two are fairly old now. She's well fed - Whiskas Kitten Meat Pouches and Biscuits, plenty of water, cool - moderate environment. Clean and nice home, has a scratching post and toys. Struggling to understand the biting .

Hope you can help.

Thanks

Andrew

Hi and welcome!

I have a covered litter box with a flap and my cats still get some litter on the carpet when they're coming out after doing their business, unfortunately there isn't a whole lot that can be done. I have three cats though and have to vacuum every evening around the litter box. A litter box with a flap or curved edges definitely reduce the problem somewhat though. Putting a litter mat under the litter box might be a good investment!

As for the biting, thats a problem fairly common problem in kittens. If she bites you, don't pull away too quickly - it becomes a game of 'catch the finger'!
End playtime when she bites you and don't continue petting her and she'll soon get the message. I had the same problem with one of my kittens... I would get up and walk away every time he bit me. Don't take it personally! She's just playing! Tapping her on the nose has little or no effect on cats/kittens, or so I've found with my cats/kittens!

Hope this helps!!

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Hi,
thanks for the reply. She's not dragging the litter when she gets's out it's more she's kicking it out, as I use Catsan which is non clumping I think. So I think I'll try one of the 'lidded' trays - worth a try, will try a mat too.

Thanks for the tip re biting, I'll give that a go over the weekend see if she starts to stop, will persist with it too.

Thanks

Andrew

Hi
Definately get a hooded litter tray with a flap, will really help with the litter being kicked out. With regards to the biting, it is normal, but when you play with him/her but make sure you use toys and not your hands. If you use your hands as a way of playing with cats they see your hand as being something to attack. If you make sure that the only time you use your hands is when you stroke and fuss them they tend to then not bite or scratch you.

What I tended to do when our cats were kittens is if they start to bite you try not to pull away too quickly and make any sudden noise/screechs as they see it gets a reaction and will do it more. Instead just slowly move your hand/arm out of the way and distract them with a toy. Definately don't fuss them straight after as they will then think a bite will bring a fuss. Just ignore or walk away. Kittens do tend to grow out of this, it is mainly an affectionate trait but they don't realise how much it hurts.

HTH
Sharon
x

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RIP Ted and Dusty. Miss you!!

Kittens 'bite' because they are learning to hunt - this is what it would be doing with it's litter mates were it still with them. They don't deliberately try to hurt you, they just need to learn a new set of rules. Trying keeping your hand very still and flat so the kitten can't get to the edges - you will probably find she/he then licks you. Also blowing very softly on their faces stops them but doen't scare them and so 'no' gently. It has worked with our little biter.

Get a hooded litter tray and tracker mate - it will solve 90% of you litter problems - you may need to take the door off if the kitten isn't used to a cat flap.

Personally I think Whiskas is crap - 4% meat only and the rest is cheap fillers that the kitten can't digest and so you pay for it to poop out 96% of its food! If you can try Hi-life, Natures Menu etc anything that is 50%+ meat. If you do decide to change food do it slowly or you will give it the runs.

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