Over-stimulated and Biting

One of my fosters came to us about 4 months ago and I still haven't been able to place him because of his over-stimation biting (or what I'm told is such).

Basically, the way it works is this. He calls and calls to me from his room and when I go in, he stands up on his hind legs in order to get closer to me and my petting (it's really adorable). Anyways, I can lay on the floor and pet him for about 5-10 minutes and then out of no where his ears go back and he bites. Over time, I have learned to watch for the signs and stop petting just before he strikes. My petting doesn't change at all, it's just always 5-10 minutes maximum and he's done!!

So far, as soon as he shows signs, I stop petting, get up and walk away. The only problem is that It seems like he still wants to be pet, he continues to purr and talk to me.

Does anyone have any ideas on if what I'm doing is correct or anything else that may work?

This has made him impossible to place, but he's such a doll and would make a great pet if we could just lick this one problem.

Karen

I would make your communication with this cat verbal only and not pet him. Many times, even though the cat has been neutered, petting for long periods of time (and 10 minutes is a long time!) will sexually stimulate them and cause them to show mating behavior: crawling up the leg, pining the ears and biting, etc... I would stop all pets with him completely. Petting is a response we crave, and not one a cat really craves, they just tolerate it.

One of my inside cats is like that. So I only give him little pats on his head through out the day, he does fine with that. The only time he wants me to pet him is in the mornings and he wants his ears rubbed so that is what I do. He likes to be in the same room with me but no touching the rest of the day. You might try just a little ear rubbing a pat on the head and leave it at that and see how he does.
Clara

Is this not something that can be corrected?

I need to be honest with possible adopters and must let them know if he is a cat that can't be pet.

Karen

As you are dealing with a stimulus and you don't know when that will kick in, I would be honest and tell potential adopters that this cat will only tolerate head pats and ear rubs, and then you just rub and run. It may be that when he gets into a forever home, and settles into a routine and trusts the people he is with he will change, but again, petting is something that humans want- and not all cats want what we do. You have to adapt your ways to his ways or suffer getting bit in the process.

My youngest is like that too. She will meow and whine even after she has chewed a few hole in my arm. The one thing that I found is that when she doesn't want me to pet her anymore, what she wants is to play. One thing that I do when she sits with me is take one of her favorite toys, (right now a stuffed bunny with a bell on it), and when I sense that she is ready to take me out, i give her the bunny right away. That way she takes out her overstimulated aggression on the bunny and not my fingers. It's also good for training, now when she gets hyper she brings me the bunny (or whatever toy we have around) because she remembers that she can play to burn off this aggression. Good Luck!!

I know when to stop petting Rosie!. When she's had enough,her front paws come around my wrist,the teeth go in, and she back kicks me!.

She is loving though, despite all that!

Susan