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biting---hard!!ouch!!!
- Thread starter snicks bites
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- Feb 19, 2001
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Please put the squirt bottle away, it usually only causes more aggression. How old is this cat/kitten? When does he bite? Is he neutered? If you have an aggressive kitten or cat, you do not want anyone to hold him until you can get the behavior modified, but please leave more details otherwise we have to work in the dark and assume things that might not be there.
Zoey is a biter.. but she's never drawn blood.
She's gotten a lot better since I've started giving her Flower Essences.
http://www.petsynergy.com/flower.html
She's gotten a lot better since I've started giving her Flower Essences.
http://www.petsynergy.com/flower.html
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Hi again. Snickers is 8 months old. He is neutered. He seems to bite me when ever I pick him up. First he'll give me kisses, then I think he's going to give more...he bites my face,neck,hand,hair..any thing he can> I put him down and he gets squirited and runs.If I am on the couch, he comes over nice and cute then pounces and bites either me or the dog. This behavior seems to only happen to me for the most part. He does bite my husband and father at times, but not as bad. I could be walking he comes running and flies all 4 paws in the air to bite my legs or my butt!!! The dog play bites him after the attacks but then they lay down and the dog grroms the cat!!! Help please.The vet is telling me things that just are out of this realm. Day light savings time makes him more active...right. Thanks Gayle
snicks bites, I am sorry to hear that... You mean Snikers would just come to bite you while you are sitting on the couch without touching him???? I know some cats are not born to be held. Both of my cats would bite us at times, especially when they don't want to be held or pet. When they bite, my husband would "give them a lesson!"
I believe your should give Sicycat's suggestion a try. You can get Flower Essense or Feliway Comfort Zone (available at pet stores. I got online at www.petguys.com). These will reduce the aggression in cats.
Hope it helps. But luck to you!
I believe your should give Sicycat's suggestion a try. You can get Flower Essense or Feliway Comfort Zone (available at pet stores. I got online at www.petguys.com). These will reduce the aggression in cats.
Hope it helps. But luck to you!
A lot of cats don't like to be picked up at all. Are you watching for signs of aggression when petting Snickers? If he starts twitching his tail or laying back his ears, stop petting him immediately. If he is running over and "attacking" you, try throwing something on the floor to distract him, like a pingpong ball or a bunch of keys. Watch you don't hit him with whatever you throw, of course. A lot of people swear by Dr. Bach's floral remedies.
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Does your husband squirt him with water? I would bet you are the squirter which is why you are getting bit. Cats do not like to be squirted with water. If you are picking him up and he bites you, don't pick him up. It is that simple. They don't need to be picked up, that is our need interceding with their nature. Some cats enjoy being picked up, I have one guy who will literally climb up my leg to snuggle under my chin with his paws wrapped around my neck. He would hang there for hours if I let him. BUT if I put him down, and he rolls over exposing his belly and I rub him, he bites me. So, I don't rub his belly.
Some cats bite with affection.They are love nibbles, a trait they learn as kittens when momcat is grooming them. Some cats will continue that with their owners. These bites do not draw blood, as they are affection motivated.
The aggressive play attack, makes me wonder if you inadvertently hurt him one time. You keep using the anger emoticon on your post, and I wonder if one time you didn't let loose the control and hurt snicks, then feel bad afterward? I am not accusing you, just asking. It is easy to lose your temper especially when your cat hurts you, it is a natural reaction some people cannot control. Cats attack moving objects. If he is on you stop moving and scream one time really loud in his ear if you can. If he is close to your face, blow one puff of air into his face then immediately lean your head way back out of range. But he should drop to the ground.
I would start carrying a toy in your pocket and being aware of where the cat is at all times. When you see or hear him coming, swing around to his direction and toss the toy to him to distract him.
I would pet this cat only when he wants to be touched and not do it a lot. For awhile (if it was me) I would ignore him completely except to see to his basic needs.
I would also invest in a Feliway Comfort Zone plug-in for your room.
I would also every time he bites me or attacks from behind, scream once a real loud piercing scream like he is killing you. That will startle him out of the behavior.
I would also get rid of that darn squirt bottle!
Some cats bite with affection.They are love nibbles, a trait they learn as kittens when momcat is grooming them. Some cats will continue that with their owners. These bites do not draw blood, as they are affection motivated.
The aggressive play attack, makes me wonder if you inadvertently hurt him one time. You keep using the anger emoticon on your post, and I wonder if one time you didn't let loose the control and hurt snicks, then feel bad afterward? I am not accusing you, just asking. It is easy to lose your temper especially when your cat hurts you, it is a natural reaction some people cannot control. Cats attack moving objects. If he is on you stop moving and scream one time really loud in his ear if you can. If he is close to your face, blow one puff of air into his face then immediately lean your head way back out of range. But he should drop to the ground.
I would start carrying a toy in your pocket and being aware of where the cat is at all times. When you see or hear him coming, swing around to his direction and toss the toy to him to distract him.
I would pet this cat only when he wants to be touched and not do it a lot. For awhile (if it was me) I would ignore him completely except to see to his basic needs.
I would also invest in a Feliway Comfort Zone plug-in for your room.
I would also every time he bites me or attacks from behind, scream once a real loud piercing scream like he is killing you. That will startle him out of the behavior.
I would also get rid of that darn squirt bottle!
Part of the problem is that he is still a child....a very hyper child at that. It sounds like his attacks aren't meant to be vicious. Instead, it sounds like he did not learn from his mom or siblings how to play-fight without hurting. All of the behaviors you describe are those we would normally see when kittens and young cats play with each other. However, when they have been appropriately socialized by the momma cat, the kitten quickly learns not to bite so hard.
Because momma cat didn't socialize him (was he removed from his mom before 12 weeks of age???), it is up to you to do it instead.
Carefully read what Hissy said above. I am going to emphasize a couple of her points that I think you really need to focus on:
1. A momma cat will scream if the kitten bites too hard. That is one reason Hissy suggested that you scream once real loud when bitten too hard. This will help your wild child learn not to bite.
2. A momma cat will stop stimulating the kitten before the kitten has too much. So, follow Hissy's advice and pet your cat for only a moment or two at a time. Don't pet any longer than ONE MINUTE even if he is still purring and don't pet his tummy even if he exposes it to you. Take two or three minute breaks between petting him. After a while you will be able to increase the petting time, but always be sure to stop before he becomes over stimulated.
3. One of the best things about being a momma cat is that there are many siblings for a kitten to play with. Momma cat knows that if the kittens are being too aggravating, she just needs to wonder away and let the kittens go at each other. Follow momma cat's behavior and do as Hissy said. Keep a pocket full of little furry mice or balls (substitute play-mates), and when your cat looks like he is about to attack, toss a ball or mouse across his field of vision (slightly away as if the mouse is trying to escape) so that the cat cat direct his attack on the toy instead of on you. Then, do not give any attention, simply walk away. (I know of several people with kittens like this who adopted a second kitten and found that having a new sibling solved the problem behavior)
4. Don't use the squirt bottle and whatever you do, don't hit him. Aggression frightens the cat. A frightened cat is hard-wired to attack the predator. When you are "harming" him with water or a smack, you are a predator. He will fight you to ensure that you don't hurt him again.
5. Carefully study his behavior. ALL cats have some sort of signal that shows they are about to attack. Some may twitch the very end of their tail, some squint their eyes, some open their eyes wide, some flick their ears, it varies from cat to cat. Watch your cat carefully and learn his pre-attack signals and immediately stop whatever you are doing when you see a signal. Then toss the toy or just walk away. This will keep the attack from occuring.
6. Finally, make sure he has lots and lots of toys that will help him burn off energy. Turbo-cat, a mouse on a springy cord which hangs from the door-frams, balls, ping pong balls inside a big box with a hole in the side that the cat can jump into, feather dusters, catnip bags, cat dancer, etc. Try to play with him until he is too exhausted to attack.
Good luck, and keep writing back with questions.
Because momma cat didn't socialize him (was he removed from his mom before 12 weeks of age???), it is up to you to do it instead.
Carefully read what Hissy said above. I am going to emphasize a couple of her points that I think you really need to focus on:
1. A momma cat will scream if the kitten bites too hard. That is one reason Hissy suggested that you scream once real loud when bitten too hard. This will help your wild child learn not to bite.
2. A momma cat will stop stimulating the kitten before the kitten has too much. So, follow Hissy's advice and pet your cat for only a moment or two at a time. Don't pet any longer than ONE MINUTE even if he is still purring and don't pet his tummy even if he exposes it to you. Take two or three minute breaks between petting him. After a while you will be able to increase the petting time, but always be sure to stop before he becomes over stimulated.
3. One of the best things about being a momma cat is that there are many siblings for a kitten to play with. Momma cat knows that if the kittens are being too aggravating, she just needs to wonder away and let the kittens go at each other. Follow momma cat's behavior and do as Hissy said. Keep a pocket full of little furry mice or balls (substitute play-mates), and when your cat looks like he is about to attack, toss a ball or mouse across his field of vision (slightly away as if the mouse is trying to escape) so that the cat cat direct his attack on the toy instead of on you. Then, do not give any attention, simply walk away. (I know of several people with kittens like this who adopted a second kitten and found that having a new sibling solved the problem behavior)
4. Don't use the squirt bottle and whatever you do, don't hit him. Aggression frightens the cat. A frightened cat is hard-wired to attack the predator. When you are "harming" him with water or a smack, you are a predator. He will fight you to ensure that you don't hurt him again.
5. Carefully study his behavior. ALL cats have some sort of signal that shows they are about to attack. Some may twitch the very end of their tail, some squint their eyes, some open their eyes wide, some flick their ears, it varies from cat to cat. Watch your cat carefully and learn his pre-attack signals and immediately stop whatever you are doing when you see a signal. Then toss the toy or just walk away. This will keep the attack from occuring.
6. Finally, make sure he has lots and lots of toys that will help him burn off energy. Turbo-cat, a mouse on a springy cord which hangs from the door-frams, balls, ping pong balls inside a big box with a hole in the side that the cat can jump into, feather dusters, catnip bags, cat dancer, etc. Try to play with him until he is too exhausted to attack.
Good luck, and keep writing back with questions.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #9
Hi. I went out yesterday to the pet store and bought a floweral mix to help c/ the biting/anxiety. It seems to have helped some, but now he seems stoned. Yes, I can read how much to put in the H2O, I am a nurse. I plan to give it another try, though. I have never hurt my kitten. I love all animals, and since I can not have children, Louie and Snickers are my kids. I was unsure of the "smiley" faces and did not mean to show that I am angry about the biting. I do accept every ones advice. Thank you all,I'll see if this mix works. Even if it does not, Snickers will continue to get my husbands and my love 24/7. Thankx...Gayle
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Hi Gayle-
I went ahead and merged your threads so people can stay up-to-date on it. Thank you for clarifying your previous posts. It is hard sometimes to understand what is happening based on the sketchy information sometimes received. I just try to cover all the bases, because I know in the past to a lot of people, this is one area where it is easy to lose control. I never meant to leave you with the impression you beat your cat. just sometimes, without meaning to, people hurt a cat and they don't easily forgive you at times.
The flower essences should not make your cat appear drunk or drugged, just mellow. Perhaps you need to cut back to half of what you gave him. I usually just drop it in the water bowl, though some people do place it on the tongue of the cat.
Best of luck with Snicks, love the name by the way.
I went ahead and merged your threads so people can stay up-to-date on it. Thank you for clarifying your previous posts. It is hard sometimes to understand what is happening based on the sketchy information sometimes received. I just try to cover all the bases, because I know in the past to a lot of people, this is one area where it is easy to lose control. I never meant to leave you with the impression you beat your cat. just sometimes, without meaning to, people hurt a cat and they don't easily forgive you at times.
The flower essences should not make your cat appear drunk or drugged, just mellow. Perhaps you need to cut back to half of what you gave him. I usually just drop it in the water bowl, though some people do place it on the tongue of the cat.
Best of luck with Snicks, love the name by the way.
