attacking my leg...

Milo has started with this really annoying behavior lately. If I'm sitting on the bed/couch with my feet on the floor, he'll attack my leg. He stands on his back paws and wraps his front paws around my leg with his claws out and occasionally takes a little nibble too. He also does this when I try to walk out the door in the morning, to the point where I have to take a toy and throw it across the room just so I can get out the door. It seems like he's playing, but I'm not sure. I've just been doing the loud "ow" when sitting and that seems to stop it and he'll go do something else. However, I really don't want him to be doing it at all. Any advice or ideas on why he might be doing this?

It gets your attention, doesn't it? *smile* That's why he does it. Because you react. I realize it is difficult NOT to react when you have a bunch of cat claws or teeth sinking painfully into your skin, but as with human children, when cats cannot or do not get the desired reaction with positive behavior, they will resort to negative behavior.

Try getting an interactive toy such as a wand toy or the like to occupy him when you are sitting down. I wouldn't throw a toy to distract Milo when you are leaving the house ... it gives him the idea that it is now playtime and he gets all worked up thinking you are going to play with him, then you just up and leave. I am certain he is confused. Try scheduling your time so that you can spend about 15 minutes playing with him before you leave the house. Once you are gone, I promise you, he takes a nap. *grin*

Originally Posted by gayef

It gets your attention, doesn't it? *smile* That's why he does it. Because you react. I realize it is difficult NOT to react when you have a bunch of cat claws or teeth sinking painfully into your skin, but as with human children, when cats cannot or do not get the desired reaction with positive behavior, they will resort to negative behavior.

Try getting an interactive toy such as a wand toy or the like to occupy him when you are sitting down. I wouldn't throw a toy to distract Milo when you are leaving the house ... it gives him the idea that it is now playtime and he gets all worked up thinking you are going to play with him, then you just up and leave. I am certain he is confused. Try scheduling your time so that you can spend about 15 minutes playing with him before you leave the house. Once you are gone, I promise you, he takes a nap. *grin*

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Thanks for the response. See the thing is, he want's my attention 100% of the time when I am home during the week, i.e. not at work. But on the weekends when I am home, I know he naps and isn't as concerned with my attention that bc I see him do it! Believe me we have so many interactive toys and he gets a ridiculous amount of play time with me, plus his playtime with Pixie. I never have time in the morning for more than a couple waves of the cat dancer or tassel toy, but at night we do the laser pointer, the cat dancer, feathers, and pretty much anything else. Is it possible I'm giving him too much attention to the point that he now expects it constantly? If so, what do I do about that?

I don't know a real answer to your question...But with all the playtime in the world, this is still a bad habit of Lovey's..But at no other time than when I am about to leave for work in the a.m...and the closer I get to leaving, the more stubborn he is about it.

I never even thought it could be to get my attention in the mornings until I realized that he never does this in the evening when I get home or any other time.
He doesn't bite or scratch me so that it hurts...He just grabs onto my feet and won't let go easily...and is visibly pissed off.

I feel that he just knows he doesn't like me leaving and lets me know...Its kind of his crazy time...Now that I expect it, I try and thwart it by spending a couple of extra minutes with him before my leaving routine..

It hasn't really reduced his anxiety or irritable mood, but I know now that when he is waiting by the door I try to crouch down and call him over...It just thwarts him being able to ambush me...
It might sound crazy but I also tell him that I am leaving, kiss him goodbye, tell him I will see him soon..
It makes me feel better anyway