# Kitten being very aggressive, drawing blood - sexual aggression??



## InigoMontoya (Jul 10, 2013)

Hi All, 

So Inigo is doing great, cast came off and despite a fever and going through deworming, he's been really active and happy. However, lately he's been getting very, very aggressive with me, and to a lesser extent my boyfriend (but mostly me). Ever since I got him, we've been working on "no biting" by making yelping sounds or redirecting him with other toys, which works, for the most part. 

BUT, for the past two weeks or so, he has been attacking my hands/arms... hard. He'll be lounging around or sunbathing and I'll be sitting watching television, or laying in bed and out of nowhere he'll jump on my arm, wrap his paws around me, bite and kick with his hind legs. I do the yelping and it doesn't phase him, I push back into his mouth and he doesn't release his bite, the only way I can get him to let go is by holding him by the scruff and that makes him come back for more. I notice that his ears are pulled back, which I find odd because prior to that I'm not interacting with him so I don't know what would have done to annoy him. I'm covered in scars and scabs and his last episode made me bleed so badly, I had to bandage it. I've read a few things on this, so here are what we are and aren't doing:

We DO NOT use our hands to play/rough-house with him. 
We DO spend lots of time playing with him with his own toys, which he has lots of. 
We DO NOT hit/squirt or use other types of physical reprimands.
We DO leave him alone when he's done playing/doesn't want to be petted. 

Other than that, he's very loving, flops next to me to sleep sometimes, nudges me with his nose, uses his cat box well. 

He's about 4.5 months now, was a stray which I rescued and had a rough start. I'm actually thinking he may be older (the estimate was given by a vet clinic when we first found him) and he's being sexually aggressive since he's not neutered yet and may be reaching sexual maturity. His appointment is this Saturday. Do you all think this could be it? Is he taking out his beginnings of sexual maturity on me?


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Yep sounds like he needs neutering - and then just continue with what you are doing. His rough start won't have helped either.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

As you say this aggressive behaviour has only started in the last 2 weeks I suspect it may well have something to do with the rising levels of testosterone in his body as he arrives at sexual maturity. It is possible he feels a bit *lively* and not having access to a female cat he is directing his intentions towards you instead. Whatever the cause I don't think he is being intentionally vicious -- he is just getting a bit carried away.

It is good you have him booked in to be neutered on Saturday. His testosterone levels will take a few weeks to fall significantly after he is castrated, but by 
6 weeks after the op you should be seeing a difference, i.e. a calmer kitty. 

Please let us know how things go?


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## InigoMontoya (Jul 10, 2013)

Thanks for the reassurance! My boyfriend was a bit skeptical that it had to do with his testosterone. I was also getting to the point where anytime I read "don't use your hands as toys" while searching for answers, I'll yell at my computer screen saying "BUT I'M NOT!" :cryin:

I'll definitely give an update!


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## Jiskefet (May 15, 2011)

Do remember that his testosterone levels will not drop to zero immediately after neutering. No new testosterone is being produced, but what was produced prior to neutering will still be in his blood, so it may take 2 to 4 weeks before he fully behaves like a neuter. He will also still be fertile for at least 2 weeks post castration.


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Jiskefet said:


> so it may take 2 to 4 weeks before he fully behaves like a neuter. He will also still be fertile for at least 2 weeks post castration.


It takes up to 8 weeks for the hormones to fully settle, and they are fertile in that time.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

I'd keep a toy handy next to you and redirect him with that.


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## InigoMontoya (Jul 10, 2013)

Oh believe me, I have plenty of toys around me and him. That's why I made sure to point it out in my original post. Nothing.. and I mean nothing distracts him once he clamps on to my hands.


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## InigoMontoya (Jul 10, 2013)

We got Inigo neutered on Saturday. I know it was a traumatic thing for him, poor guy. There were so many cats in that day and the location I was referred to also turned out to be a feral catch & release center, so I can only imagine what he went through. 

We got him back home and we expected him to be groggy and lethargic, but he was the complete opposite, he was so overly active & romping all over the place, we had to put him in the kennel so he can chill out and not hurt himself :down there:

We also had to get him an e-collar, and oh man, did he hate us for that. He managed to get out of it twice, but third time was a charm. He's been really active/aggressive. We think it's because he was around so many angry & scared ferals this weekend. 

He's eating fine and isn't shivering or showing stiffness in his hind legs, so we don't think he's in pain.

Any experiences with kittens being really active post-surgery?


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

My male just got back into his normal routine same day, its a minor operation. Didn't bother with a lampshade collar


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I have found male kittens do not tend to bother chewing their stitches or licking their sore bits after castration. Females are different, their wound is much bigger and the stitches easier to get at. Though in fact none of my female cats were ever a problem either, after spaying. 

The cone collar is probably making kitty's mood worse, so I would remove it, at least when you are around to supervise him. 

Castration is minor surgery compared to spaying, and the kitten is not under the general anaesthetic for very long, so often the males do make a very quick recovery. 

Fingers crossed now, that over the coming weeks as his testosterone levels fall, he will calm down.


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## MartATusiA1981 (Nov 2, 2015)

Hi there,I am having exact same problem with my 4month old kitten-BellaShe can be terribly aggressive with me,just attacking my arm or leg when I am minding my own business..She usually has her ears pulled hack and all..I really don't know what to do..Squealing,hissing and time-outs don't help at all..Will she calm down,once she gets spayed?I really hope so...


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi and welcome.  

When did the aggression start? If it is fairly recent then possibly it is related to sexual maturity. Have you seen signs of her being in call? (rolling, putting her bottom in the air, being super affectionate etc)? She may possibly be calmer after being spayed. Ask your vet how soon she can be spayed. Many vets now will spay at around 4 mths. If your regular vet won't you can find one who will, by phoning around local vets.

The sort of aggression you describe can be due to a kitten feeling bored. Do you play interactively with her a lot at regular times of day so that she can get into a routine of knowing when to expect one to one attention from you? It is best to initiate play sessions with her rather than wait until she is bored and desperate for attention. Fishing rod toys such as Flying Frenzy are ideal. Several sessions a day until she has had enough play time and walks away.

Also, a kitten who is hungry can be aggressive. Feed her as much as she wants to eat. A kitten her age needs around 5 meals a day. No need to ration her, she has a lot of growing to do and her nutritional needs are high. Dry food is laden with carbs, which cause peaks and troughs in blood sugar levels, and this can make some kittens aggressive. So feed her mainly wet food, low in carbs, high in protein. Much healthier for her, so she is digesting her food more slowly as Nature intends for obligate carnivores like your kitten. .


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## MartATusiA1981 (Nov 2, 2015)

chillminx said:


> Hi and welcome.
> 
> When did the aggression start? If it is fairly recent then possibly it is related to sexual maturity. Have you seen signs of her being in call? (rolling, putting her bottom in the air, being super affectionate etc)? She may possibly be calmer after being spayed. Ask your vet how soon she can be spayed. Many vets now will spay at around 4 mths. If your regular vet won't you can find one who will, by phoning around local vets.
> 
> ...


Thanks very much for your replyWell,I haven't noticed any signs of her being in heat just yet.Having said that,I really wanted to have her spayed before that,as I know that it can happen any day now...To be honest she was meant to be "fixed" last Wednesday,I took her in and on a way home I got a phonecall from the vets,telling me that they won't do it as she is too young,not fully developed and they are worried about her safety etc.The vet that I was seeing reassured me that it's ok to have her done @ this age,but has left the practice since our last appointment,so now I am looking for another vet,who will be willing to do it before she goes into heat..
I do try to play with her as much as I can,usually give her a couple of 10-15 mins play sessions a day,I work PT and I have a daughter,who needs my attention as well
I don't think that hunger could be the cause of her aggression,because she gets fed quite often,so I really don't know the reason for that..I got her when she was 8 weeks old,could that be the reason?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Leaving her mum at only 8 weeks old could possibly have a bearing on her being aggressive with you. At the Shelter we don't allow our kittens to leave their mums until they are 10 weeks old, as that final 2 weeks can be very important in terms of mum socialising the kittens, teaching them how to behave towards humans.

I am glad she gets fed often and hopefully is on a wet food diet? Dry food being carb-laden can cause erratic behaviour in kittens. There have been several cases in the past on this forum of kittens whose behaviour became much calmer once they were taken off dry food.

I appreciate you are busy with your work and caring for your daughter but I have to say that only two 15 minute play times a day is not nearly enough for a 4 month old kitten. When my young adult cats were kittens of that age I played with them for at least 2 hours a day, often 3 hours.

Kittens on their own are not very good at keeping themselves entertained for long, and for that reason I would never have one kitten on their own. If you already had another young cat for the kitten to play with that would be OK. Otherwise if she is a kitten on her own then you do need to put in the time to keeping her entertained in order to raise a well balanced happy cat.

I cannot overstate the importance of play to build a close bond of trust with your kitten.I really do think her attacks on you are largely due to frustration because she cannot get your attention any other way. Putting her in "time out" is not the answer, as she will not make the connection and will have no idea why she is being punished.

The thing to do is to set up regular play sessions with her *before *she becomes frustrated and bored. You will know from observing her what times of day she is most likely to be receptive to play with you.

I used to work from home years ago, and had two young kittens at the time. I could not start work in the mornings without having a play session with the boy. He would cry and cry desperately if I just got on with my work. Once he'd had my undivided attention in play for 20 minutes, he would settle down on a chair in my study and sleep all morning. So I built this into my morning routine. It just meant getting out of bed in the mornings 20 minutes earlier.


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## MartATusiA1981 (Nov 2, 2015)

Yes,she is on wet food,we feed her Nature's Menu and she loves itI didn't really know,that dry food could have that kind of an effect on cat's behaviour,wow!I forgot to ask before,does reaching sexual maturity in female cats can really cause aggression? I will try my best to set up regular and longer play sessions with her,we actually had one just now,40mins long and she was really tiredI hope that it will help with the aggressive behaviour!So what "punishment" do you suggest I should use instead of timeout,when she does bite me?Thank you


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I am hoping if you set up more frequent and regular play sessions for her on an ongoing basis that she will stop biting you, as she won't need to keep demanding your attention. But if she does continue to bite, then you should say "ouch" quite loudly, get up and walk away from her, and ignore her for 10 minutes, no longer, as it will have no beneficial effect to ignore her for longer than that. This method should teach her that biting you doesn't get your attention, which is the point you want to get across to her. But as I say you need to combine this with a routine of more play sessions.

If she has her teeth in your arm or hand, don't try to pull away or she will hold on harder. Instead hold your hand/arm still and then very gently push it against her mouth so she will let go. Then get up and walk away.

Very pleased to hear she is on a good wet food such as Natures Menu


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## MartATusiA1981 (Nov 2, 2015)

chillminx said:


> I am hoping if you set up more frequent and regular play sessions for her on an ongoing basis that she will stop biting you, as she won't need to keep demanding your attention. But if she does continue to bite, then you should say "ouch" quite loudly, get up and walk away from her, and ignore her for 10 minutes, no longer, as it will have no beneficial effect to ignore her for longer than that. This method should teach her that biting you doesn't get your attention, which is the point you want to get across to her. But as I say you need to combine this with a routine of more play sessions.
> 
> If she has her teeth in your arm or hand, don't try to pull away or she will hold on harder. Instead hold your hand/arm still and then very gently push it against her mouth so she will let go. Then get up and walk away.
> 
> Very pleased to hear she is on a good wet food such as Natures Menu


Hi againI'm soo upset right now! I had a 40mins long play session with Bella and then she attacked me really bad againI kkept saying "ouch" and putting her down,but she kept coming back for more and for the first time has jumped to my face as well, so I locked her in the toilet for 10mins! If it is going to continue,I will have to look for aanother home for her, maybe without children this time? I am thinking,that she might be stressed as she started "wool sucking" as wellShe does it every day,when she comes to my lap and I have my gown on.I really don't know what to doShe has been with us for 2 months already and I'd hate to part with her,but I am worried that she will never stop being aggressive, even after being spayed


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## MartATusiA1981 (Nov 2, 2015)

These are my arms after today's attack...


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Sorry to hear you got scratched!  It sounds as though she got a bit over-excited and carried away with herself. It is probably a question of you reading her body language carefully so you can distinguish between her being lively and playful and becoming hyper, so you can call a halt if you feel she is showing signs of becoming too lively. If you observe her closely when you are playing with her you will soon learn the signs.

Remember she is not used to you playing with her as much as this, so may be why she got over excited. It is not a reason to play less, but perhaps to play in shorter sessions, and be more aware of her mood.

Also, are you sure you are always playing with her at arms length using fishing rod toys, (Flying Frenzy or Da Bird) or a laser light? If so she shouldn't be able to get near enough to you to attack your arms. You need always to direct her attention away from you when she plays, so she does not regard you as a plaything, but as the *provider *of play.

I would also add to her toys by buying a couple of Kong Kickeroos [if she doesn't have any]. Keep these handy right by you when you play with her, so of she does try to use your arms or hands as playthings, you immediately redirect her to a Kickeroo for her to bite and bunny kick. Don't let her have the Kickeroos all the time, keep them for the occasions when you need them, so they are a fun thing for her. [Get the cat size one not the kitten size].

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kong-Cat-Ki...&qid=1446650650&sr=1-3&keywords=kong+kickeroo

The way to deal with attacks is to say 'ouch' and then *walk away from her.* Leave the room, go to another room, close the door for 10 minutes. If you keep shouting 'ouch' and merely pushing her away she will think it is part of a fun game so she'll keep coming back for more, and no doubt getting more wound up and aggressive each time. Stop giving her your attention if she is rough with you - end the game immediately and walk away. Getting cross with her and shutting her in the toilet is unlikely to help her behave better. .

Lots of kittens suck blankets, gowns etc, it is their way of comforting themselves. It probably happens more with kittens who left their mums too early. Some kittens continue the habit into adulthood and all their lives.

I think you should try your kitten with Beaphar Calming spot-on, tablets or treats. It is a herbal supplement, safe for kittens. It doesn't make kitties sleepy but calms them down. A small percentage of cats seem to get more lively on Beaphar, so for this reason I advise you to go slowly with it and start with the TREATS giving her one a day.
(up to 6 a day can be given). You may not notice her being calmer on only one a day, but the main thing is she doesn't get more hyper. If there is no adverse reaction you can increase to 2 a day and so on up to 6 a day..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beaphar-Cal...1446651359&sr=1-1&keywords=beaphar+cat+treats


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## MartATusiA1981 (Nov 2, 2015)

Thanks very much for your adviceThe thing is,I got scratched and bitten by her after we have finished playing,15 mins later or so,when I sat down to drink my coffee..She just suddenly run to me and started biting..

I have a very similar wand toy to Da Bird,which I use to play with her all the time and a few other toys..Will be getting the Kong Kickeroo for her as well..

I have just ordered the calming treats for her,we will see if that will do the trickMaybe I should have gone for the spot-on right away?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Ah Ok, I see. Sounds like she wanted more playtime in that case. She was telling you to start playing with her again. That's a difficult one when you had already given her 40 minutes, and needed to be able to get on with other things. 

But again, it is a matter of you walking away, so she gets the message that play time is over for now. I remember when I was working from home years ago at first I used to have to go to my study and shut the door after giving my kitten a morning play session, as there'd be times when he'd cry loudly for my attention, interrupting my concentration. In time he accepted that after a morning play session he could sit quietly on the chair in my study, or else I would go upstairs and shut myself away from him. 

You could use the spot-on right away - I use it for one of my neutered male cats who has periods of spraying in the house, and he has been fine with it. But as I say there is a small percentage of cats who get excited on the stuff, and if your kitten is one of that small percentage it would not be much fun for you until the effect wore off, which would take about a week!


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## MartATusiA1981 (Nov 2, 2015)

Hi there againJust wanted to let you know,that I have received the calming threats today and I have given her 1 already,so we shall see...As far as the biting goes,she still does it unfortunatelySometimes I think that no matter how much I'll play with her,it will never be enough ant that she would be much happier if I'd let her go outside..She is soo desperate for the outdoors!She watches our neighbour's cat through the window all the time and I feel sorry for herAre we doing the right thing keeping her indoors?


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## MartATusiA1981 (Nov 2, 2015)

I've also ordered the king kickeroo tiger for her today,I hope that she likes it


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Some cats do not adapt to living as indoor cats. I once had indoor cats when I lived in a large 5th floor city apartment. My cats were kittens when I adopted them and had never been outdoors. After being neutered one of the cats became desperate to go outdoors. As the months went by he became increasingly miserable and stressed and used to howl at night. My other cats were OK indoors.

After a year I moved to the country, to a safe area where the cats could all go out. The boy who had hated being confined indoors was immediately happier and within a few weeks I hardly recognised him, he was so happy and stress free.

As for going outside, I believe all cats benefit from having access to the outdoors, but not necessarily to be free roaming. I wouldn't allow a kitten to go outdoors unsupervised if they are less than a year old. After a year old, it depends how safe your area is, in terms of traffic or cat-tolerant people, as to whether you might allow her out. A safer option would be to build her an outdoor enclosure accessed from the house, or better still, fence in your garden making it 100% escape proof.

For the time being you could train her to go out with you on harness and leash, if there is somewhere safe and quiet to take her, such as a garden or area that is not open to the public with dogs.


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