How Do I Stop Unwanted Behavior?

[MonaLyssa33]

Remy is always swatting at me. If I walk by him he swats, sometimes when I pet him he swats. I don't know how to get him to stop. I've gone through so many band aids the last two months because he's always making me bleed. I think he doesn't really understand how rough he is being. With Maisie he practically attacks her when they play and it does seem rougher than what I'd consider normal play. I want to clip his claws but he refuses to be restrained and he does not tolerate anyone touching his paws. When I had the vet do it a few months ago, he freaked out, but was totally fine when they cleaned out his ears.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! How old is he? Can you try the HISS, throwing loud jangly keys on the floor near him, a can half filled with coins that you can give a hard shake to. Anything that jolts his mind out of the mode of the bad behavior, along with a firm NO.
It will take consistency and repetitiveness.

 

[danteshuman]

I'm assuming he is neutered? If not that can make him want to play rougher. It sounds very much like he is hunting you for playtime needs.

If it was my cat I would try carrying around 2 things at all times for a couple of months. Some kind of small toys in my pockets (feather balls or mice?) and a penny can. If I saw him hunting me I would toss the toy away from me. If he swiped at me I would say OWWWWW while shaking the penny can. Whether it hurts or not every time he swipes at you shake a can with 10 or so pennies in it and duct tape on top or shake your keys loud or drop your keys on the floor while saying OW!

While carrying around a positive attack this not me toys and a loud no thing ... I would add that I would play with him 2-3 times a day. Try to tire him out and if you can get him to pant. Get him to stalk wand toys all around your place, up & down furniture & under blankets. Play fetch with him. Kick a jingly ball lightly down the hall and follow him to where the ball is and kick it again, cats like soccer. Rotate the toys.
If 3 months of that training didn't work (if he is neutered or after he is neutered) then I would ask the vet about some kind of medication.

Hopefully he learns quickly to attack toys not you.


***I used squirt bottles (instead of penny cans)I placed so there was one in easy reach in each room. When I got claws or teeth (whether it hurt or not) I would wail loudly (OOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW) so the loud long ow might have worked like the penny cans to make a loud noise to shock them out of their hunt mode. From the time I got all my cats it was a toys not hands things.

 

[susanm9006]

My kittens all learned to stop this pretty early on. If they were headed towards me for an attack I would stop and tell them no in my scariest mom voice and pick them up if need be and place them elsewhere. It just wasn’t a game they enjoyed that way and they gave it up.

 

[danteshuman]

Can you clip a claw a day while he sleeps? I think his bats might hurt less without the set of Wolverine claws

You can also start training him that you touch his paw when he is calm, give him a treat, leave him alone for the rest of the day. So you train him to accept touch, then holding his paw, then extending the claws if you do that , then finally 3-6 months later clipping his claws.
I give my boys a treat after every brushing, clipping, bath, flea treatment and pill. I swear it works. Plus they learned once I'm shaking the treat bag all the bad stuff is over. I pull out the treat bag and they instantly relax.

 

[rubysmama]

My Ruby also hates being restrained or having her claws trimmed, so I understand the accidental scratches.

Here's a few articles that might be helpful:
How To Stop Playtime Aggression In Cats
Cat Aggression Toward People

 

[MonaLyssa33]

Hi! How old is he? Can you try the HISS, throwing loud jangly keys on the floor near him, a can half filled with coins that you can give a hard shake to. Anything that jolts his mind out of the mode of the bad behavior, along with a firm NO.
It will take consistency and repetitiveness.

I'm not completely certain of his age, but I believe he's about a year and a half. He is neutered as well. I'll probably try a spray bottle since my other cat is scared of everything and I don't want to freak her out.

 

[danteshuman]

I'm not sure a squirt bottle is less scary then a penny can. I do a warning shake of the squirt bottle and my boys freeze. Once they learn what a squirt bottle is, they get afraid. They are afraid of Windex bottles and water squirt bottles, even though they are shaped completely different.Which is my I hardly ever use it & regret using it so much when they were kittens/teens. I had 5 or so squirt bottles when they were young. Now I have one that I mainly use on myself to cool down during the few hottest days of the year.

I would try the loud ow, then ignore him. See if it works after a week or two?

 

[rubysmama]

Since Cats And Discipline Don't Mix, using a spray bottle is not recommended. Here's 5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat