Cas - schizo kitty!!!

Foster boy Casper - hard to read. Yesterday he bit me really hard, badly. So I am taking it slow with him, letting him dictate petting and I am not touching his flanks or tummy. Now this....

So, he head-nudges my hand for attention... gives me open mouthed purrs, pushing his head up into my hand while I stroke his nose velvet.... and then something very surprising happened -

I am laying on the floor so I don't intmidate. I'm petting him at his direction. He is purring really loud. He turns around in his bed... with his BACK to me, curls up and purrs himself to sleep. I was stunned. To me - and you can tell me if I am wrong - that is a sign of trust. I laid there for about 15 minutes. He wasn't sleeping soundly so when I got up he woke up. But cross your fingers that this is a break through.

Oh, he is also eating in front of me and doing a little grooming.

It's been over a year since we brought Tex indoors, and while he was never afraid of people he never got used to being petted. He loves it, but gets so carried away that he bites. Hard. He sleeps with me, is stretched out on a low bookcase beside me now with his belly exposed, tempting me. I know that after one or two ear rubs he will sink his teeth into my wrist, purring up a storm. Brushing him is out of the question, but he's a happy boy inside.

Originally Posted by bookworm

It's been over a year since we brought Tex indoors, and while he was never afraid of people he never got used to being petted. He loves it, but gets so carried away that he bites. Hard. He sleeps with me, is stretched out on a low bookcase beside me now with his belly exposed, tempting me. I know that after one or two ear rubs he will sink his teeth into my wrist, purring up a storm. Brushing him is out of the question, but he's a happy boy inside.

Click to expand...

I know it's stimulating for them... I had been petting his belly all along and I get feeble bunny kicks... and sometimes kisses. But not this hard chomping that he did also when I tried to examine his back claws... and then a few days later while petting him. He bit the hand that was NOT on his tummy... a little redirected effort I guess.

Has `Tex broken the skin? Or just a hard bite that leaves marks... cuz Cas broke the skin big time. I mean he sunk his choppers into the area around my thumb... and got the soft part of my palm. Four bloody holes in my hand!!!

Yes, he's broken the skin many times. The first few months he'd bite almost imediately and I'd have to scruff him to make him let go. He's a bathroom stalker and occasionally still comes up and bites my calf while I'm sitting in there unable to get up for the moment. He's come a long way since I first brought him inside, but old habits die hard. He's a tough old guy, survived dog attacks, cat fights, rotten kids and a few hard winters. Not one that will ever be adoption material, but most of the ones who find me aren't.

Thanks for sharing your insight, BW. I think I am making some progress with Cas. Again he ate in front of me this evening AND washed up a bit afterward. I have never seen him do it. He dozed in his box with his back to me... and came forward to sniff my hand.

When I went to say good night, he was lying on the bath mat! Out in the open in the middle of the bathroom ... I mean... it is not that big but for a scaredy cat like Cas that was a big deal. I was petting him and left my hand on him and he leeeeeeaaaannned down on it, laid down ... with my hand.. on my hand... still in his bed... purring. Like he wanted the contact. All this is good and forward moving IMHO.

Fingers crossed with him. I am making moves to get these cats into homes for crying out loud....since I have been essentially abandonned by the rescue that promised to help me.

I'm sure there's a thread, but this is a big busy forum and I'm a small busy woman and miss many of them. How old is Cas and how long have you had him? Do you know anything of his background?

A sniff is a big step for a scared kitty, don't be surprised to find him next to you when you wake up one day.

Originally Posted by bookworm

I'm sure there's a thread, but this is a big busy forum and I'm a small busy woman and miss many of them. How old is Cas and how long have you had him? Do you know anything of his background?

A sniff is a big step for a scared kitty, don't be surprised to find him next to you when you wake up one day.

Click to expand...

Yeah. ... there is a thread here in SOS titled unplanned foster.... he has been in my care for a little over four weeks... just had his second half distemper combo booster. In that time, he has had an ear infection... which I think may be coming back. He seems to have GI issues, too. No, I don't know anything about his background. He was listed as a surrender to a local county animal control... that could mean he was owned and given up... or a stray being "looked after" for at least seven days.

Here is my issue. He has bitten or tried to bite me four times in the last week. I didn't see this behavior in the preceeding weeks. I got bit again this morning... so I have matching wrapped hands!

I have talked to a couple of people who know more about cats than me and he is either a stimulus biter like your boy or perhaps he is unwell. Either way, I don't know what to do! I think I will post in the behavior forum.