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Post by kpaz on Aug 21, 2012 13:34:24 GMT -5
Sorry, I just trust you guys so much and I don't know who else to ask! First question: Do raw-fed cats over eat? I though kibble-fed cats have a high risk of becoming overweight when given access to food all the time (I've never owned a cat before though, so that might be totally bogus. I've just heard it and almost everyone I know who has cats have FAT cats.) Is giving Viva access to food all day a bad idea? Second question: She bites! It's all for play, but I can't get her to stop. I've tried scruffing, hissing, time out, offering a toy instead, but she just paws and bites at my feet and hands constantly. And sometimes when I'm laying down she gives the softest bite to my nose, but it turns out noses are really sensitive and little teeth chomping on them ever so slightly still makes my eyes well up with tears. What else should I do? Will she grow out of it or will she be a biter forever? Third question: Does she look overweight/underweight? My parents keep telling me I'm starving her. Currently I've been giving her lots of food, she never even eats it all. There's always a piece or two left in the bottom of the bowl. I thought she looked fine and maybe my parents are just used to seeing everyone's obese cats around here. I was more concerned that I'm feeding too MUCH but now my parents have me all confused and worried. (It was difficult to get pictures, she was in hyper-psycho kitty mode      If they didn't show up (I don't know what's wrong with my photobucket  ) here is my photobucket page s202.photobucket.com/albums/aa170/kizzypazdizzle/Thanks  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2012 15:07:35 GMT -5
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Post by Sherry on Aug 21, 2012 16:14:34 GMT -5
She looks good to me as well. As for overeating, generally not. She's still growing so should be putting a decent amount away.
For the biting, get up and walk away. Or if you are in a position where you can't, put her down on the floor and just keep doing it. Completely ignore. All play immediately stops then.
It was the only thing that worked with our Siamese. It DOES take a while, but it eventually works.
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Post by mjbez on Aug 22, 2012 0:23:40 GMT -5
A while ago I had a cat that I got as a young kitten (6 weeks old, he was found on the side of a highway at 4 weeks). I had NEVER had a kitten that bit like he did! He started when he was about the size of your kitty now. He even shed some of his baby teeth in my clothes when he would bite me! ;D He DID grow out of it. I called it his naughty child/ teen years. He would run up, jump on you, bite, then run away. He thought it was fun... naughty kitty!
I would say stop play when it happens/ move cat away from you if they bite when just relaxing and give it time. They are soooo mischievous!
BTW i think your kitty looks OK for weight. They plump as they get a little older... They kinda go through a skinny/ lanky stage (mine did anyways). I don't think you will over feed with raw. kibble fed cats are fat due to the grains/ corn.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2012 8:15:24 GMT -5
My kibble fed cats were never fat, and they had access to food all day. Granted they also played with each other every second they weren't sleeping, which I think helped. Everyone used to say how small they were, they ranged from about 8-10 lbs their whole lives.  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2012 9:03:46 GMT -5
a: if your kitten was taken away from mom before 6-8 wks, it never learned bite control. when we found our 3-4 wk kitten we had to teach bite control. i may get some flack for saying this but i will say it anyway. when i noticed the other methods wernt working, i was taught by some vets was to bite her ear. NOT so hard you draw blood, just hard enough for a little cry. it only took 2-3 times before she stopped biting. that is also something she would have learned by her kitty family. she is now a very sweet, almost, 2 yr old cat
b: as far as eating to much, they normally do not. that is, not unless they have a medical problem. for example, out other cat is obsessed with food. they are boh on raw. their food MUST be measured out or she wont stop eating. our other cat gets an extra meal or she becomes underweight. good luck.
by the way, my photobucket is not working for pictures eather
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Post by kpaz on Aug 22, 2012 16:23:58 GMT -5
I have no idea what her circumstances were before I got her, I found her crying at the top of her lungs on my tire one morning with an upper respiratory infection that had her eyes all gooped up. She also had fleas. The vet said she was probably 9-10 weeks when I first took her in. I have a feeling she was born to a stray, since we do have some in the neighborhood and a few nights later I saw some wild kittens her age running by the road. But I have no clue, maybe someone did just dump her, she wasn't very afraid of me and only hissed when I first approached her. Would a 10 wk old kitten still need to learn bite inhibition? Is there some sort of window...like after x number of weeks trying to act like a momma kitty has no effect? I really HOPE she grows out of it, but I'll keep trying to get her to stop until then.  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2012 18:27:22 GMT -5
I would assume that she may have been by her self for a while. she SHOULD have learned bite control sometime between 3-8 wks. this is when they learn all the important cat behaviors that they will/may need. she is NOT to old to learn bite control. just be firm (not mean) and consistent with her. keep in mind, unless she is making marks on your skin or breaking the skin with her teeth, then you are looking at proper kitten play. it just feels more painfull because they are kitten teeth. ONLY correct if she is leaving marks on your skin or breaking the skin. hope this helps. if you need any more help from me, feel free to pm me.
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Post by kpaz on Aug 22, 2012 19:17:30 GMT -5
Oh..interesting. She never leaves marks, it just hurts. Well, sometimes I get scratch marks from her little claws, but that's not often either. So maybe I'm just not used to kitty behavior. I really need to get some books and visit some websites I've just been busy with school and was trying to feel it out on my own. I think she's relatively calm for a kitten, mainly because she doesn't leave marks (I've definitely seen some battle wounds on friends from their kittens) and she mostly just purrs and butts heads with me (And then sometimes nips my nose)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2012 23:25:17 GMT -5
those kitten teeth are the worst. sounds like you are just dealing with normal kitten play.  we finally got another kitty friend for ours. that helped a lot. they took it out on each other instead of me.  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2012 0:02:30 GMT -5
That all sounds like pretty standard (and mostly adorable!) kitten antics . Our "kitten" Kyou is about 2 years old now and he's still a biter. It's a very deliberate type of biting...it's always when we're cuddling, then he wants to groom me, the lickings turn into a sideways glance to see if I'm paying attention then CHOMP! He always flinches right afterwards too, like he's expecting some horrible punishment even though we just kick him off the bed when it happens. He never actually breaks the skin but those sharp teeth hurt and these little time outs definitely haven't cured him of his compulsion. I basically have to pay attention and just not let him start with the licking, although once the mood strikes he'll follow my hand around trying so hard to get a few licks in, licking the air for a while instead before getting fed up and leaving the bed of his own accord...I almost think he enjoys the routine. |
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Post by kpaz on Aug 23, 2012 7:27:53 GMT -5
I thought a friend would help her out, but I just don't have the time or funds. She eats as much or more than all three of my ferrets combined, and that's a lot of meat in one week  I really wish I could, though. |
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Post by Sherry on Aug 23, 2012 9:53:36 GMT -5
She will slow down on the appetite once she grows a bit more. She needs a LOT of fuel right now to get big and strong |
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Post by catznfertz on Aug 23, 2012 10:12:40 GMT -5
Play, play, PLAY! Use lots of wand toys, feathers on a stick, mouse on a string stuff to just wear her little butt out. Kittens have more energy than any dozen animals have a right to, and if they don't have positive ways to get rid of it, it comes out on the furniture, on your chewed up hands, and anything else she can find to make trouble with.
You might also consider getting another kitten about the same age, so they can wear each other out. Rest assured, they DO mellow as they get older!
Amanda, 7 Kitties and the Peanuts Gang
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2012 12:03:30 GMT -5
i do reamber ho much they eat at that age! mine ate almost double of what she eats now.
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