Too bonded to me?

[redrover]

I have a 6 month kitten since she was 10 weeks old. It's just the two of us and I work a regular job. Her behavior when I'm home is extremely attached -- follows me room to room, swats and cries for my attention. I am very attached to her, too, lots of toys, playtime, cuddle time.

Generally she seems ok with my coming and going, though occasionally I get 'the look' on my way out and a big leg rub session when I get home.

The strange thing was over this past weeked, when we had lots of time together, all relaxed. Got up from an afternoon nap to go meet friends, put on a sweater, went back to where she was sleeping for a pat and she reached out to my arm and BIT, twice, as hard as she could. Was she really signalling resentment that I was leaving? I didn't punish her; it was over too quicly. But it makes me hesitant around her now.

She's also acting out around the house, jumping and scratching on furniture she knows is off-limits and looking at me like, yeah, haha Mommy. I didn't ask to be born.

So, do I just have a normal adolescent? Will she grow out of it? The sudden biting is the biggest concern. She's always been so very affectionate, if playful , before.

[Doeremi]

It could be very possible that when you reached your hand out to her that she thought you were playing. When I'm petting my 5 mo. old kitten and I notice her head coming for my hand I immediately stop moving. My husband will get bitten every time and ask me why. It's because he doesn't stop the movement. When I stop she licks me. Could this be a possible reason? Your cat doesn't resent the fact that you are leaving. She just may want to play with you and that's it.

If she is doing some unwanted behavior I would definitely redirect her every time. If she's scratching your couch, tell her no and take her to her scratching post. If she's jumping on the counters take her to her cat tree, etc. I noticed that No! didn't mean anything at first but it's slowly sinking in.

She's still the affectionate kitty she always was. Don't allow her to bite ever. Just disengage and remember to never play games with fingers or hands.

[Luvit73]

Was she still asleep when you touched her ? If so , the bites may have been just a reaction to being startled out of sleep .
The other behaviour sounds pretty normal for a young cat - like doeremi said , just keep redirecting her , she'll learn in time .

[RarePuss]

redrover, the behavior sounds normal. Some breeds are more sensitive and not as independent as the others. I too have a very attached cat, Marsh follows me around everywhere, hot on my heels. When he wants attention, he'll meow if i'm not looking at him, he'll turn over everything on my table so that i play with him instead of doing what i'm doing! I LOVE it... he's such a sweet, loving, smart boy! He sleeps with me, he purrs when i even say his name, he's sooo gentle.

Marsh's 9 months, and i see his unruly behavior slowly diminishing as he gets older, i think he'll just grow into a great guy who'll still hopefully be attached to his mommy.

As to the biting, Marsh doesn't bite, even during play, but I think what happened to you was a misunderstanding, maybe you moved your hand too quickly, as Doeremi said

[ospunkyo]

Has she been spayed yet? Might be that she's becoming a young lady. A cat in heat can behave erratically.

[redrover]

Thanks for all the thoughtful responses.
She is spayed. She was awake when this happen. As I say, relaxed, purring, then suddenly, WHAM. Two big bites to the arm.

The one thought that occurs to me may sound odd, but it may have been my sweater. Something about fuzzy stuff sets her off. The only fabric destruction in the house was to a soft blanket she used to sleep on, and one day she chewed right through it. She'll nip at my shoulder if I'm wearing a sweater, unlike most times when she cuddles right up for a purr.

*sigh* I think we're just going through adolesence.