Have you ever heard the expression, "Nip the problem in the bud?” Simply put, it means; "Stop the problem before it starts". The same can be said for raising a problem free cat. Bad behaviors are usually learned as kittens and develop into larger problems as they grow up. When aggressive behavior such as biting and scratching is nipped in the bud, training kittens to become well-behaved cats is much easier.

Playful kittens can be so cute; it's hard to see their biting and clawing as much of a threat. It hurts a little, but not that bad so why not let them bite, scratch, and play with your hands? The reason is simple, you do not want this behavior to continue when they develop sharp claws and teeth; That's when it really does hurt!

Consider that cats in the wild learn to hunt through playful behavior when they are young. This natural tendency is carried over to domestic cats when they learn how to use their teeth and claws through playful behavior. Allowing a cute little kitten to bite and scratch your hands teaches them to use their hunting skills on you! The behavior continues as they develop into full-grown cats and before you know it, you have a cat with a major behavior problem.

Needless to say, you do not want your cat to bite people! Therefore, it is important to remember some rules for play when they are young. When your kitten bites it is not usually necessary to scold, however you should stop playing with them immediately. When your kitten bites or claws your hands, take a "time out", and let them know that playtime is over.

Alternatively, you can divert a biting kittens attention from your hands by using a piece of string, yarn or some other cat toy. Distraction is a good way to keep playing with your kitten if you don't want to take a time out. If they continue to go after your hands, scolding may be necessary.

The right type of human contact is essential to a domestic cats development. If your kitten learns that your hands are play toys at a young age, they will naturally revert back to this behavior as an adult cat. This is the last thing you want if you're trying to raise a well-behaved cat! Training kittens not to bite is a must if you want to keep your cat from biting.