Cat keeps stalking and jumping on my leg

scotfold · Jun 4, 2013

I know its normal behaviour that they stalk.. but I am worried I will hurt my cat or fall over!

Is there a way to stop this?

He would chase me while im walking into my room and grab hold of my leg.. sometimes even bites me..

if I wear long pants he will bite harder.

He just seems to do this with me, and not my partner? what is up with that?

Also my sister recently moved in and he keeps peeing on her blankets.. is that a territorial issue?

catspaw66 · Jun 4, 2013

When he starts to grab you, tell him NO or hiss at him. Mine like to ankle mug me, too. They don't bite, but I do have some small scratches (from trimmed claws) a lot of the time.

If you are the one that feeds and plays with him, it is natural that he would go after you.

He sees your sister as a change in his environment and is making sure that she knows that the house is HIS.

sphan · Jul 16, 2013

My 4 month old kitten, Stark, does the same thing. Whenever I come out of the bathroom or my bedroom I see him stalking me, and as I walk past he will leap at my leg and bite at it. He will cling on until I tell him "no", then he leaps off though he does it quite often.

I notice that he is always stalking me, only when he knows he is being fed he runs ahead of me and beats me to the kitchen.

Stark doesn't just stalk me either, he does the same to my sister and friends when they come over.

Is this normal behaviour and will Stark grow out of it?

catspaw66 · Jul 17, 2013

If Stark is an only cat, he sees you as his playmate. You have been given the honor of being an official cat. Get a wand toy and use that to play with him. That will give him something to stalk, jump at and catch. It is normal kitten behavior. He is, after all, a predator.

sphan · Jul 17, 2013

I haven't thought of it that way, thank you, catspaw66! I am honored to be his official cat.

I did also buy a wand toy not too long ago and he does love it, stalks and catches it all the time when I have it out.

ingrids mom · Jul 19, 2013

Our cat Ingrid does something like this. She will get in her stalking position and sometimes when I walk by she runs past me and on her way by swats me with her claw. (I think it's pretty funny)

Sometimes if she is lying on the floor I'll pet her but she'll pull her paws up and bring (or try) my hand to her mouth so she can lightly bite me. After reading some articles I think I need to stop playing (or trying) while she is in that position. she's just so darn cute!!! Does this sound like a plan?

catspaw66 · Jul 19, 2013

If she is just giving you love bites, that is a different thing than trying to bite hard, set her claws in and kick. Silly likes to grab my wrist, and rub her face against my hand and nibble a little bit while I rub her belly.

ingrids mom · Jul 19, 2013

Hmmm I don't think they are love bites being as they hurt more often that not.

catspaw66 · Jul 19, 2013

Hmmm, then she is attacking. Just try to keep your hands out of her reach. I know it is hard when they want attention. When she bites you, whine at her or hiss at her.

ingrids mom · Jul 20, 2013

Thank you very much for your advise!

Tink84 · Sep 25, 2016

catspaw66 said:
If she is just giving you love bites, that is a different thing than trying to bite hard, set her claws in and kick. Silly likes to grab my wrist, and rub her face against my hand and nibble a little bit while I rub her belly.

See im new to having cats and my kitten does this and i get too scared so dont leave my hand around long enough to see what hes gonna do as im scared of beig hurt. Am i not trusting him enough? I don't want this to get in the way of our bond but i don't want to get hurt either x

catspaw66 · Sep 26, 2016

Tink84 said:
See im new to having cats and my kitten does this and i get too scared so dont leave my hand around long enough to see what hes gonna do as im scared of beig hurt. Am i not trusting him enough? I don't want this to get in the way of our bond but i don't want to get hurt either x

Welcome to TCS. This is an old thread, but always good advice here.

The big thing is to not pull your hand away quickly. That triggers the prey/attack instinct in your kitten. Get him used to not playing with your hands, give him a toy to distract him when he does try to play with them. How old is your kitten? What does he look like?

Here is a link to the articles page of the full website. It contains most everything a new cat ownee (after all, HE owns YOU) should know.

http://www.thecatsite.com/atype/45/Cat_Care

Tink84 · Sep 26, 2016

catspaw66 said:
Welcome to TCS. This is an old thread, but always good advice here.

To be honest i do pull it away but well before hes caught me just at the moment when i think hes abt to attempt it. Most part its ehen hes chilled and i am stroking him.....maybe a bit too much lol i dont know. He doesnt have an attack face. My mil says maybe its a love bite but i dont want. Any bite!! He bit my hubby the other day lightly on the hand on the bed because he wanted to play. It scares me so much!! He doesn't do it too often an never looks viscious!!
He is 17 weeks old and a Ginger stripy little cutie....il post a pic x

The big thing is to not pull your hand away quickly. That triggers the prey/attack instinct in your kitten. Get him used to not playing with your hands, give him a toy to distract him when he does try to play with them. How old is your kitten? What does he look like?

Here is a link to the articles page of the full website. It contains most everything a new cat ownee (after all, HE owns YOU) should know.

http://www.thecatsite.com/atype/45/Cat_Care

Tink84 · Sep 26, 2016

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Tink84
Sep 26, 2016

Tink84 · Sep 26, 2016

Hes 17 weeks old and gorgeous. He doesnt do it lots just every now and again. I usually tend to pull/ move my hand away when i can sense hes abt to nip. My mither in law aays it's live bites but i don't want any bites lol x

catspaw66 · Sep 28, 2016

If he is not breaking the skin or leaving red marks, I would say that was 'love bites'. Some people enjoy them and some don't. Spice likes to nibble on my knuckles while I am scratching her jaw, and sometimes will take my finger in her mouth and gently chew on it.

Another thing is to keep his claws trimmed. That way, if he grabs your hand, he won't scratch you.

who3rescued3who · Sep 28, 2016

I had a kitten that attacked us starting from a very young age. I literally was in tears! He was such a beautiful boy and I just couldn't understand why he was like that. He also never liked to be held, never cuddled with us, and never purred!He was by far the strangest cat we'd ever owned! One day I was sitting at the table and he was sitting staring at me with his big eyes, tail twitching and ready to attack. I said "No" and shooed him away. I thought he'd left but he had snuck behind the chair and jumped up attacking the back of my head! I had enough! Angry and heartbroken I went to the garage and retrieved our cat carrier. The next time that Osccar attacked me...that's where he was going! KITTY TIME OUT! So, I kennel trained my cat. Every single time he attacked or even acted like he was going to I grabbed him (sometimes I'd have to chase him down because the bugger caught on real quick) and into the kennel he'd go! I always made sure whenever I caught him to say "Kennel! Time out!" After a week or so he caught on and all I would have to do was say "kennel" and he'd high tail it the other way! Lol
So for anyone having this problem, it worked for me and I hope it works for you!

Tink84 · Sep 28, 2016

Garfield isnt viscious he does nip in protest but its not extremely hard ie he knocks everything iff my hubbys bedside table an ignoring him doesn't work so when hubbys had enough he shoos him and Garfield comes back an does it again if hubby keeps shooing him he then bites him so hubby locks him out the room or Garfield will run anyway as he knows whats coming lol.....hes basically just a little torment :-) When he goes for my hands its if i strike him too kong hel stretch his head to lean in to bite....as i see his head go i move my hand away. Im not taking any chances lol xx Hes adorable but feisty xx

who3rescued3who · Sep 29, 2016

Saying "no" never really worked for Osccar, he took it as a dare! Lol
He ended up being a beautiful boy! He let us pet him longer and would even let us pick him up. Then the only downfall he had was that he ate EVERYTHING! We just lost him in March,I'm still very heartbroken. He was my world. I had gotten another cat while he was still here, someone for him to play with...but of course they are all unique. He was extremely unique! He helped me through a very ruff time in my life, in fact he helped save my life. Strangely enough it was his habit of eating things he shouldn't that made him meet his end [emoji]128575[/emoji]

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who3rescued3who
Sep 29, 2016

Cat keeps stalking and jumping on my leg

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