Scratching & Nail trimming

Question
Hi Jessica,

I have a six month old kitten that I bottle raised she was only two days old when she was abandoned and has never been around any other cats.  I'm having some serious problems with her biting and scratching me.  I know she is only playing but it really hurts.  I've tried trimming her nails but she freaks out and I have a hard time keeping hold of her.  Do you have any advice on how to get her to stop biting and scratching me?  Also any tips on how to trim a kittens nails would be much appreciated.

thanks
jennifer

Answer
Hi Jennifer,

This happens a lot with kittens who aren't raised with their litters.  At 8-12 weeks old, kittens learn through play that scratching and biting hurts, and they learn to ease up.  They realize that when they don't, their playmate stops playing with them.  When kittens aren't able to learn this lesson from one another, we need to mimick it as closely as possible.  Put her on a time out when she gets aggressive.  15-30 minutes in a bathroom or a crate works fine.  You'll usually see improvement in a couple of weeks.

As for trimming her nails, some cats need to be tightly wrapped in a towel.  This should minimize her struggling.  Wrap her so that only her head and one paw are exposed, and trim each nail.  

One product I absolutely love is Soft Claws.  This won't help with biting, but it helps with scratching.  They're rounded vinyl tips that you glue over your kitten's claws to eliminate scratching.  I use them, and they're one of the best products I've ever tried.  You can buy them at pet stores or online at www.softclaws.com.