Older cat still biting while grooming

our3girls

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
82
Purraise
6
Location
Port huron,Michigan
Hi I brought this up a while back about my older cat cinnamon biting on my cat chirpers while she`s grooming her.She would act like shes bonding with her by licking her all over then suddenly try and bite chirpers in the throat.Some reason chirpers doesn't defend herself but the situation got better for a while.Chirpers started getting up and running away when this happened.Now its happening again with cinnamon grooming chirpers all over acting like shes bonding or showing love for chirpers.Now the biting on the nech or back while grooming is starting to happen.Chirpers is most of the time is laying down on the couch when this happens.When we`re present and this happens we show cinnamon the spray bottle and tell her to be nice or else.She gets the message and backs off.Now we cant be with our cats 24-7 so what to do because Im stumped first of all a cat would just lay there and let another cat bite her?Is there anything I can do to stop it and if so what?
 

feralvr

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
18,474
Purraise
689
Location
Northwest Indiana
That is a very, very common allogrooming behavior in cats. Many, many cats display this type of grooming behavior. The grooming starts this way and sometimes the groomer gets overstimulated and will react by biting the neck of the recipient. Sometimes this will bring on play as well. To us it appears abnormal and we think it is mean. To ALL cat's this is completely normal behavior. I would not intervene at all, especially using the spray bottle. The cat getting groomed will in fact become even more stressed by your advances to deter the groomer. These normal behaviors are harmless even if the one getting groomed runs off. It is all play and games. Leave them be because reprimanding will cause undue stress amongst both cats and could lead to unnatural behavioral issues.
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

our3girls

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
82
Purraise
6
Location
Port huron,Michigan
IT seems odd to me that this is normal and should let it continue.Im realy in fear of chirpers life when this happens because the biting  is severe enough that ur is sometimes pulled out by cinnamon biting on chirpers.I have had a lot of cats over my life tie and until I got cinnamon and chirpers I never witnessed this kind of behavior before.Chirpers doesn't seem to get stressed when I show cinnamon the spray bottle but cinnamon does run off..I have always used this method for disciplining my cats to keep them off counters etc.
Another thing like I said chirpers will just lay there and let it happen,shouldnt she run off or something/
 
Last edited:

manemelissa

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Messages
146
Purraise
14
Location
California
What is Chirpers doing when this happens? Is there hissing, yowling, any noises? Cats tend to be very vocal (as I'm sure you've noticed over the years of cat ownership!) when things hurt. Does Chirpers hide from Cinnamon and seem distressed after these incidents? My brother's cat would lick us and lick us, and then do a big bite and run away as quick as possible and if we approached her she would bound away like she was playing. My cat doesn't do that at all. She rarely licks/love bites any of us.

If Chirpers is not showing signs of distress, I wouldn't worry. Just like Feralvr said, it's harmless. I know you said that fur gets torn off sometimes... if all the other signs point to Chirpers being okay with it then I wouldn't worry. You said yourself that Chirpers doesn't run off so it seems she's not in distress to me.
 

feralvr

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
18,474
Purraise
689
Location
Northwest Indiana
Another thing like I said chirpers will just lay there and let it happen,shouldnt she run off or something/
That is because Chirpers understands this behavior. It is a language all their own and cat's do this type of thing all the time. It is possible that some are more prone to this than others as well. Some cat's may display this type of grooming behavior much more than others and some not at all. They are all different. But ALL cat's understand what this means when it happens. Intervening by punishing will cause more stress on both cats. And, the hair you see being pulled out is always going to be seen when cats do this and play together. Most times cat's are shedding and when another cat play bites their neck then hair is going to come out with it due to the long canines of cat's teeth. The hair IS going to get caught on those canines even with the lightest and most gentle bite.

You may want to read this article on disciplining/punishing your cat:
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/cats-and-discipline-dont-mix

If you see the problem turning aggressive - attacks, chasing, hissing/growling then there could be an underlying health issue:
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/when-physical-problems-turn-into-behavior-problems

Check out our Behavior Article section. There you will find many great articles packed with information to help you understand your cat's behavior:
http://www.thecatsite.com/atype/43/Cat_Behavior
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

our3girls

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
82
Purraise
6
Location
Port huron,Michigan
I can say that this behavior doesn't lead to them playing.I think cinnamon has a aggression problem.She is a bully and will do things to my other two cats to make them move from the spot  that they are laying so she can lay there.She also possibly has cancer,I haven't confirmed this yet but we did find that she has a large tumor growing inside her belly area.Could this be whats causing her to treat chirpers this way?Also before this started happening chirpers was hissing at cinnamon..I`ll read these behavior threads and see if I can find some helpful information.Thanks for sharing them.
 

feralvr

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
18,474
Purraise
689
Location
Northwest Indiana
I can say that this behavior doesn't lead to them playing.I think cinnamon has a aggression problem.She is a bully and will do things to my other two cats to make them move from the spot  that they are laying so she can lay there.She also possibly has cancer,I haven't confirmed this yet but we did find that she has a large tumor growing inside her belly area.Could this be whats causing her to treat chirpers this way?Also before this started happening chirpers was hissing at cinnamon..I`ll read these behavior threads and see if I can find some helpful information.Thanks for sharing them.
Aw sorry to hear about Cinnamon's belly tumor. I would see about an xray and more diagnostic tests to determine whether this lump is something more serious or benign. Absolutely, if Cinnamon is not feeling 100% healthy and normal, she will tend to become cranky and possibly aggressive to other cat's. Although, the grooming behavior is completely normal and that is different than aggression, especially if Chirpers lays there. AND, yes, some cats will begin to play after a grooming session such as this and can even get quite feisty after as well. This type of grooming (lick, lick, bite) goes back to kittenhood when mom will groom the babies and gently hold them still with their mouths when they try to get away. It is an extremely ingrained and natural behavior and as I said, some cat's do this more then other's and some not at all. Three of my six groom the other cats this way.

:vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes: for Cinnamon and do keep us posted on the vet check. Also - please feel free to start a thread in the Health Forum for more support when you get a diagnosis. We have a great community here and it helps to share with others and receive their support.

p.s. Hissing and a bit of growling is also completely normal amongst multiple cat households. Cats, just as people, living together once in awhile will get into a "loving" argument and get past it and move on to live well together. Hissing can be quite like yelling and saying "leave me alone right now", etc. There are many, many differing levels, volumes and meanings behind a hiss according to cat language. ;) There is a definite difference between friendly hissing and extreme aggressive hissing.
 
Last edited:
Top