Billy is a biter. He will walk up to me, sniff my foot, and then just chomp down. its usually only my feet or my boyfriend's, though he's gone after my arm before too. He's not normally aggressive, I'm not playing with him when he does it, and there's no sign of aggression before hand ie preparation to pounce, etc. I know other people have said that their cats do this, but what is the best way to discourage it? He knows its wrong - if I tell him to cut it out he won't bite me, but sometimes you don't even know he's there until his teeth are in your foot! I would think it was a love bite, but he tries to draw blood! Has anyone found a way to make them stop?
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How do you stop random biting?
- Thread starter sandtigress
- Start Date
I deal with this also...the only difference is that its just a "nip" nothing that really hurts or draws blood! Her big thing is nipping my chin or nose....not sure why she does it...but if i catch her starting to do it and i say 'no' then she'll back off...pretty strange-- sorry i couldnt help ya! BUT YOU"RE NOT ALONE! lol
How old is Billie? Bijou was a dickens of a little biter when he was a kitten and would chase me and bite my legs and feet. I looked like a battered person. I was told by someone on this site to just stop dead and not move (so I wouldn't appear to be prey), firmly say no, and redirect his attention. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.
End result (and don't know why) - Bijou NEVER bites and is extremely gentle. If I'm doing something to/with him that he doesn't like, he may put his mouth on my arm or hand but he doesn't put any pressure on. Mika is the same - she is very gentle.
Are we lucky? or was it the training? Your guess is as good as mine but all is well.
End result (and don't know why) - Bijou NEVER bites and is extremely gentle. If I'm doing something to/with him that he doesn't like, he may put his mouth on my arm or hand but he doesn't put any pressure on. Mika is the same - she is very gentle.
Are we lucky? or was it the training? Your guess is as good as mine but all is well.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Billy is about a year and a half old, so it might just be younger cat activity, but I've heard of older cats doing it too, so I wondered if anyone had any suggestions.
My Sahara is an terrible biter! One minute she's so sweet and in my lap purring, and the next minute she's chomping down hard on my hands or arms. When I pull my hands away and say, NO, very firmly to her, her ears lay back and she goes for my face. I tried putting her right down on the floor and ignoring her, and taking her to the bedroom for time out, getting her attention with a toy, everything would make her even more aggressive. Then just as quick as it starts, she turns back into my sweet little kitten again. I havent figured out what the cause is for this sudden change in behavior, and by the time I do figure it out, it will be too late or very hard to correct it.
This happened by chance or accident, which ever you want to call it....but the other day she started this attack on me again and I just happened to be eating peanut butter and had some on my hand. She chomped down on it and immediately stopped, backed away, and was shaking her head. It was a surprize and probably a shock, as she was expecting flesh instead of peanut butter. Since then when she starts up again, I grab the PB jar take a little on my finger and let her bite. She instantly stops and just walks away, and this has cut down on her attacks by a least 80% so far.
As for your feet, you could apply something like hot sause, solid deodorant, lotion, or something very sweet like honey, cats hate sweets!
I'm curing the devil herself with this method, it might help with your cats also.
This happened by chance or accident, which ever you want to call it....but the other day she started this attack on me again and I just happened to be eating peanut butter and had some on my hand. She chomped down on it and immediately stopped, backed away, and was shaking her head. It was a surprize and probably a shock, as she was expecting flesh instead of peanut butter. Since then when she starts up again, I grab the PB jar take a little on my finger and let her bite. She instantly stops and just walks away, and this has cut down on her attacks by a least 80% so far.
As for your feet, you could apply something like hot sause, solid deodorant, lotion, or something very sweet like honey, cats hate sweets!
I'm curing the devil herself with this method, it might help with your cats also.
My Zane is that way. He'll run up to me and bite my legs and feet. Or, he'll come up and rub against my legs as though he wants to be petted, and then when I lean down, as soon as I touch him, CHOMP!
Mine has always attacked my feet, he'll just sneak up on me and there he is... it used to hurt because he'd claw and really chomp down so I'd yell OW real loud and clap and he'd run away because I startled him... now he's gotten the hang of how not to hurt me when he does it, but I still yell OW to discourage him... it seems to work, because he does it less often with a lot less force. Since he's not hurting me, if there's a toy on the floor nearby when he 'bites' I pick it up, throw it, and make him attack that.
He's also developed the habit of putting his teeth on my arm if I'm petting him and he sees my arm, but never chomps... same thing, yelling OW seems to work. I agree with Yosemite... it's hard to tell if it's good training or just an accident that this seems to work, but he just seems to know when enough is enough now.
He's also developed the habit of putting his teeth on my arm if I'm petting him and he sees my arm, but never chomps... same thing, yelling OW seems to work. I agree with Yosemite... it's hard to tell if it's good training or just an accident that this seems to work, but he just seems to know when enough is enough now.
