Roughly about the time of weaning (three weeks or so), kittens find a new source of pleasure besides nursing, namely play. It begins with gentle swatting at each other with their paws, then progresses to biting, chasing and rolling. (Kittens do bite each other in play, but less often than puppies do.) As their muscles grow and coordination improves, kittens learn the joy of leaping and pouncing and of standing on their hind legs. This is all good pleasurable fun, of course, but also is training for the hunt.
