Cosmo (about 3) is a beautiful cat, and he's very attached to our family. He usually likes to be where we are and will follow one of us (me or my daughter) around the house. When my daughter comes home from school he is all over her with head-butts and rubbing. When we watch TV at night he sits at the end of the bed with us. He's fairly smart, knows his name and comes when you call (if he wants to, LOL). He begs for food at the table and knows our habits. He's well loved and spoiled.
A few things though...
He like to play ALL THE TIME. While we do play with him and he's got a bucket full of toys, we obviously can't play with him at every second of the day. He has a few "stand-alone" toys to play with by himself, but he seems to get bored with those pretty quickly. I don't know HOW to keep in occupied when we just can't play with him.
When he wants attention (to play) he's taken to climbing my walls. Literally. The doorjambs in my hallway are all scratched and gouged from him jumping as high as he can and clawing his way down the wall. Some of the scratches start as high as my head (I'm not kidding)! I tried hanging scarves on the doorjambs and for a while that worked... I left them up for months so he would hopefully "forget" the behavior. He did... but only for a while. He's back to doing it. And of course, I can't catch him in the act (like that would really matter anyway, LOL) because by the time I'm off the bed or out of my chair he's torn across the house as fast as he can.
The last thing that has started to really trouble me is the biting. He's NOT a mush (really, the opposite of my old cat)... he doesn't like to be on laps and he doesn't seek to be petted. While he likes to be near us, it's always at arms length and he basically tolerates us petting him, but only for short periods of time. I can see his signals, USUALLY, and will warn my husband and daughter "he's frisky now, leave him alone"... but sometimes it comes out of no where. He'll be sitting there nice as can be, no sign of aggression or playfulness or even annoyance, and you'll touch him and he bites.
For the most part he doesn't bite hard. Today was really the first day he bit me, on my forearm, where it hurt - though it didn't draw blood. He had come LOOKING for me. Jumped up on my desk and was head-butting me. He sat down on my mouse hand and I gently moved him over. He didn't like that - LOL. His ears were back so I asked him to get down... I was barely moving and not touching him. My arm was on the desk in front of him and he just quickly shot down and bit my arm!
I'm really not sure what to do. If I play with him more he then wants even MORE playtime (not less). His body language isn't always clear or consistent... sometimes tale wagging seems to indicate happiness, sometimes it's aggression, sometimes something else. He doesn't purr often, and when he does it's so quiet you can barely hear it. He's really kind-of a bizarre cat. He certainly loves and trusts us as he's often sprawled out at our feet (just out of reach, LOL) with belly exposed. He's actually chasing his tale right now!
He's frisky and playful like a kitten, but the biting is really what has me most concerned. What is the best way to tell him "no" when it happens? What would the cat whisperer do? LOL - is there such a thing?
ps. He's been to the vet and is perfectly healthy.
A few things though...
He like to play ALL THE TIME. While we do play with him and he's got a bucket full of toys, we obviously can't play with him at every second of the day. He has a few "stand-alone" toys to play with by himself, but he seems to get bored with those pretty quickly. I don't know HOW to keep in occupied when we just can't play with him.
When he wants attention (to play) he's taken to climbing my walls. Literally. The doorjambs in my hallway are all scratched and gouged from him jumping as high as he can and clawing his way down the wall. Some of the scratches start as high as my head (I'm not kidding)! I tried hanging scarves on the doorjambs and for a while that worked... I left them up for months so he would hopefully "forget" the behavior. He did... but only for a while. He's back to doing it. And of course, I can't catch him in the act (like that would really matter anyway, LOL) because by the time I'm off the bed or out of my chair he's torn across the house as fast as he can.
The last thing that has started to really trouble me is the biting. He's NOT a mush (really, the opposite of my old cat)... he doesn't like to be on laps and he doesn't seek to be petted. While he likes to be near us, it's always at arms length and he basically tolerates us petting him, but only for short periods of time. I can see his signals, USUALLY, and will warn my husband and daughter "he's frisky now, leave him alone"... but sometimes it comes out of no where. He'll be sitting there nice as can be, no sign of aggression or playfulness or even annoyance, and you'll touch him and he bites.
For the most part he doesn't bite hard. Today was really the first day he bit me, on my forearm, where it hurt - though it didn't draw blood. He had come LOOKING for me. Jumped up on my desk and was head-butting me. He sat down on my mouse hand and I gently moved him over. He didn't like that - LOL. His ears were back so I asked him to get down... I was barely moving and not touching him. My arm was on the desk in front of him and he just quickly shot down and bit my arm!
I'm really not sure what to do. If I play with him more he then wants even MORE playtime (not less). His body language isn't always clear or consistent... sometimes tale wagging seems to indicate happiness, sometimes it's aggression, sometimes something else. He doesn't purr often, and when he does it's so quiet you can barely hear it. He's really kind-of a bizarre cat. He certainly loves and trusts us as he's often sprawled out at our feet (just out of reach, LOL) with belly exposed. He's actually chasing his tale right now!
He's frisky and playful like a kitten, but the biting is really what has me most concerned. What is the best way to tell him "no" when it happens? What would the cat whisperer do? LOL - is there such a thing?
ps. He's been to the vet and is perfectly healthy.
