Biting Problem

Is he an only cat?

Cats that bite when they're overstimulated is pretty normal, though over time with your help they do learn to express that differently.

We have an older feral rescue (a big boy) that was VERY bitey. To alter this behavior, you just have to be VERY consistent about how you react to it. When you're petting him, try to stop before he gets overstimulated. The signs are usually there - a tail twitch, an ear twitch... but if he does bite, blow a short, sharp puff of air in his face and say firmly, "no." Our Chumley slowly began to LOOK like he was going to bite - he'd open his mouth and move his head forward - or put his mouth on our hand - but not bite. When he did any of these things instead of biting, we stopped petting, slowly removed our hand, and told him WHAT a good boy he is! The positive reinforcement for NOT biting is very important. They need to understand what is right almost more than they need to understand what is not allowed.

As to the play - if he bites you to let you know he wants to play, you have to redirect him. Do what people do for teething kittens - get a box of bendy straws and scatter them around - make sure one is always handy (until you're past this). When he bites because he wants to play - again - blow a short, sharp puff of air directly in his face, say "no" firmly, tell him "you don't bite people," and hand him a bendy straw. Tell him he can bite that, while you go get a wand toy or whatever you're going to get to play with him. If he continues to go after you, DO NOT PLAY WITH HIM. If he redirects, praise him! But if he tries to bite you again, he has to learn that he gets IGNORED. Blow the short, sharp puff of air directly in his face, say "no, you don't bite people," and walk away.

I think the missing components as you describe it are the blowing in his face, and the positive reinforcement. Give these a couple of weeks and see how things develop. If his behavior hasn't altered after that, then start giving him "time outs" in the bathroom. If he bites and doesn't redirect, then pick him up and put him in the bathroom for five minutes exactly. Tell him why he's going to the bathroom. You do not bite people!

Some people have resorted to biting back (a good chomp on the neck). Obviously not so hard you draw blood or anything! But he didn't get chomped on by his siblings when he bit them, he missed that socialization process. For several people, it only took a couple of bites back to alter the behavior. A mouthful of cat hair isn't fun... and it sounds crazy, but I put it out here, because it's been written about in this forum and it's worked.

My cat had the biting habit as well, and would actually break the skin on my ankles and feet! In an act of desperation, I sprayed my feet and ankles with some of the bitter spray that I bought to spray on the wires he was biting.

After a few days of my feet and ankles tasting terrible - he got the hint and stopped
It did irritate my skin a bit, so if you have really sensitive skin, I'd reccomend doing a patch test first before you spray it all over yourself.
Good Luck!!