Need Advice

My 5 1/2 month old kitty Jedi is a wonderful pet and a joy to have in my life. He gives me SO much pleasure and enjoyment. There is one problem though...he has a bad habit of biting my hands and forearms. And I don't mean a nibble when he is laying on the sofa with me. I mean he rears back and does a kamikaze dive onto my hand or arm and bites down...hard! It is not something he does constantly, but often enough that it is a problem. I have tried everything I have read or been told to curb this behavior. Such as, pushing him away and telling him NO! Spraying water in his face and saying NO. Saying NO and then putting him in his crate for 10 minutes. Nothing seems to work. I have even grabbed him by the scruff and said NO (suggested by the vet)...but I can't do it because he whines like it is hurting him and it makes me feel sooooo bad. And it doesn't seem to help any more than anything else that I have tried.

I don't know what to try next in an attempt to stop this behavior. It can be very annoying at times (not to mention painful!). He has actually drawn blood on more than one occasion. I know he doesn't mean to hurt me, but never the less it DOES hurt and I don't want him acting in this manner.

Does anyone have any suggestions of things that I can try that I didn't mention? I would appreciate any and all input. Thanks!

Did you take him to the vet to get him checked out? That is just to be on the safe side.

By the way, I deleted your post in the lounge as it was a duplicate of this one.

What I would do is get a stuffed animal and make that your go-between. When he starts his dive, thrust the stuffie in the way so he encounters that instead. If you are doing the cute little tricks like wiggling your hands and feet under blankets, you want to stop. You also don't want to spray him, shaking a can of coins at him is much more effective or blowing a puff of air in his face works too.

Good luck!

Hissy-
Thanks for the suggestions. I don't do the wiggle the feet and hands thing with Jedi...he does not need ANY encouragement to go after my appendages! LOL! I think that I will try the can of coins trick. If my boyfriend objects to the noise too much, then I'll try blowing air in his face.

And then I'll try blowing air at Jedi!!! =)

Sorry I posted the same thing twice. I just wasn't sure if everyone would see it here and I need all the help I can get with this little boy and his biting!

Thanks again!

Oh and yes, he has been to the vet. He has had all his shots, has been neutered and I have asked the vet about his biting. He is the one who suggested grabbing him by the scruff...which I only did once cause it made me feel terrible.

There's another aspect of a cat's biting behavior to be aware of, Jeff24Girl. That is bacterial infection.

Hospital emergency rooms will tell you that cat bite wounds are more likely to be infected than dog bite wounds. Although our cats are cute and cuddly, their mouths are typically a bacterial heaven.

If your cat really "GETS" you, take a few minutes off to clean your arm (or whatever) as thoroughly as you can. If the bite area starts to swell and redden, see your doctor (or ER) ASAP. It's better than a couple of days in a hospital bed getting intravenous antibiotic fluids.

Yes, my sister got bit 8 years ago and wound up in the hospital and almost lost the use of her right arm. They just did a second surgery on her last week and found the cat's tooth had been imbedded deep in her bone. Cat Scratch Fever is a nasty business. I always pour bleach on my bites. Hurts like the dickens, but it works everytime. An ER doctor told me about it long ago when a feral bit me.

I do that too Hissy - sure can safe a lot of problems!

Originally posted by Jeff24Girl
I think that I will try the can of coins trick. If my boyfriend objects to the noise too much, then I'll try blowing air in his face.

And then I'll try blowing air at Jedi!!! =)

Click to expand...

LOL! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Well....did your boyfriend's behavior improve after a puff in the face?

Why yes! Mr Man's behavior HAS improved greatly over the past few days. And all I had to do was blow at him!

It doesn't take much to keep our men in line!

Yes..he's actually easier than Jedi!