Single Kitten Syndrome: The Answer We've All Been Waiting For About How To Stop Your Cat From Biting

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Feb 6, 2023 1:00 PM EST

Have you ever gone to pet your cat and it starts to bite your fingers because it thinks you're playing? We have. A lot. You might say no to them, or spray them with water when they try to bite, but cats don't understand the idea of "consequences". It just damages your relationship with your cat and teaches them to fear you. But this Instagrammer, Heidi Wrangles Cats shared this very informative video about something we had never heard about before: Single Kitten Syndrome.

Kittens learn about biting when they're young, and apparently they learn about the boundaries of biting from other kittens and cats. Without that sensory stimulation of actually being bit, they will never learn the boundaries of when it is appropriate to bite and how hard to bite. Basically, she's advising that if you get a kitten, get two so they. have someone to wrestle and bite when they're younger so they don't do it when they're older. Fine! If we have to adopt more kittens, then we guess we must! You had to twist our arm really hard to make that one happen.

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  • 01
    Cat - No. Single. Kittens. I get an astounding number of requests from people looking to &
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  • 02
    Cat - No. Single. Kittens. adopt just one kitten.
    via heidiwranglescats

    It kind of makes sense. We don't bite them, so they never understand what it feels like when they bite other things. We just say ow and pull our hands away, but they don't understand that it means that it hurts us. Interesting theory!

  • 03
    Felidae - Which made me realise that the majority of people don't know
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  • 04
    Dog breed - Take our orphan kitten Marshall here. 08
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  • 05
    Cat - I like to nibble Have you ever had a kitten nibble on your fingers?
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    All the time. It's in our top 5 list of cutest things that could happen in our day. We love their chomps and noms like they're trying to eat us up. If only they knew that we are the ones who want to eat them up!

  • 06
    Cat - adults.
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  • 07
    Hand - Do you see how I'm trying to pet Marshall here and he's just
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  • 08
    Hand - He keeps trying to nip on my fingers instead.
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  • 09
    Cat - This behaviour only gets worse the longer they go without a chomp
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  • 10
    Cat - His buddy Penn Because kittens really only learn that biting is annoying by
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  • 11
    Vertebrate - buddy Penn Alish Bause kittens really only learn that biting is annoying by being bit back and this is not something that humans can
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  • 12
    Cat - replicate.
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  • 13
    Brown - another feline friend to wrestle with during the early months
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  • 14
    Cat - which is why most rescues won't adopt out single kittens
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  • 15
    Cat - home.
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  • 16
    Cat - It's about the individual kitten's future.
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  • 17
    Font - heidiwranglescats A video I've been meaning to make for a while! Have you ever met an adult cat that when you go to pet it, it thought you were playing and in turn tried to nip your fingers? Not out of anger or fear, but just not understanding boundaries around biting. This cat, was a single kitten. And single kitten syndrome is one of the most important, and least widely known things when adopting out kittens! While you can still get single kittens from city shelters and Craigslist, I be
    via heidiwranglescats
  • 18
    Font - roshkaalzir This is the most useful information I've ever got about kittens biting behavior. Even doctors failed to mention this for me . lv been suffering and my rescued kitten from vet visits, behavior sessions and no one mentioned this!!! She is 14 months now and still bitting! You info will change our life you so much thank
    via roshkaalzir
  • 19
    Font - zeezee1101 What if kitten has a dog to play with? Does that count or do I need another kitty. 16w 812 likes Reply Hide replies heidiwranglescats @zeezee1101 it can help a lot! It's just not a 100% guarantee they won't develop SKS. Depends on both the kitten and the dog
    via zeezee1101
  • 20
    Font - thefabfurrpurr I swear people look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them "it's easier to raise two kittens than it is to raise one" but it's because of this!! Thank you! Now I have somewhere I can point to because I'm not as eloquent when I try to explain it
    via thefabfurrpurr
  • 21
    Font - soy.toast To all those arguing that two kittens cost more, yes they do. That's not what is being discussed here. If you can only adopt one cat, don't get a kitten. SO many rescues have cats over 6 months old that don't or can't be in a house with other cats. Please go adopt one of them. They all need homes too.
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  • 22
    Font - losile Personally I've also noticed that duo cats are less destructive in general. They've got a friend to get energy out with, instead of your knickknacks and furniture
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adopted Cats animals cute adoption biting kitten friends cute kittens cute cats kitties siblings viral videos information kitty knowledge Video love useful viral funny cats
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