Aggressive play?

[ollieoxenfree]

 Oliver is my little baby. He likes being held and petted and he LOVES to play. I think he adapted well to living indoors thus far. However, While I was writing up my care sheets for my family members going to watch the pets while I'm in Halifax I devoted half a page to a warning about his aggressive play. I have a 7 yr old niece who went up with her mom to feed the pets and thankfully she was not injured (bc I laid out specific rules for her not to touch some of his toys). She had a blast playing with him. My 2 sisters and mom were bitten by Ollie and scratched as well. Now, that's not the problem bc cats have nails and they all know he's a bit rough. No big deal. My bf's father has a cat named Henry who is apparantly aggressive and nobody is allowed to pick him up bc "he has bitten and scratched".. In the 2 years of me coming here I have only become friends with Henry. He is not aggressive at all, let alone compared to Oliver. 

  Ol' Ollie is estimated to be about 2-3 yrs old. Will this imitation hunting game (he stalks and kills his toys and human flesh) cease with age? I love Oliver and I cannot comprehend how he would be if he was as lazy as my bf's dad's cats! But I am marked up like I mauled a litter of feral cats.. I don't mind personally bc I have grown to love Ollie for what he is but is this just related to his age and outdoor hunting past? 

 

[rafm]

As long as you play with him using your hands, he will think its OK and will play with everyone that way. I do not recommend this style of play. Use toys like 'da bird or fishing pole toys. This allows you to play with home but keeps your hands of his claws and teeth. 

I want to strongly caution you not to use your hands in play with him. A cat bite to the hand can be very serious and dangerous. Please find other toys to use. 

 

[ollieoxenfree]

 He has these types of toys. He had a crinkly fish on a stick, a cat dancer, and a furry raccoon on a string. Those are his favorite toys but he still goes for hands. The reason our hands are down is to wrestle the toys off him so we can flick it or to shake out the collapsible tunnel he loves to be in. The only time he's "allowed" to play with our hands is when they're under a blanket. He bites like a dog and it hurts! I haven't been playing with him since Dec 20 and my hands are still healing a bit. 

  I love contact play though :/  [as a side note here, he doesn't like to be touched when playing, if we try to pet him he either runs away for a second or snaps) If we want him to not attack hands we shouldn't play with our hands. Okay- I'll see what the man says (bc we need to keep it consistant) but what about the feet?!? My sister was watching him one day after Christmas and Oliver supposedly attacked the back of her leg when she was going to the bathroom (that's where he lies on the floor in front of the bunny pen, he always gets frustrated there bc he's not allowed to get the bunny) It didn't surprise me that he bit and scratched her leg, because he sometimes goes for feet (I even included the warning in his care sheet). Then my other sister texted me that she was feeding the bunny and holding off Oliver from getting in the pen and he bit her hand. 

  I think I'm dealing with frustration more than anything. What do you think? I bought a harness to train him on (since he was used to going outside) but I never did get a leash to match (he's using the bunny's leash) but I didn't have a chance to take him out bc we got dumped with snow. Would taking him outside for fresh air and to play with leaves stimulate these natural urges??

  I don't think I'm really looking to change his behavior at this point- I just want him to be happy and to understand him a bit better.