Question about Kitty behaviour/my response

[sinnead]

a minute ago
sinnead
My cats had all been OLD! So it has been many years since I have had a kitten. Oskar is an 11month old Maine Coone cross. 16lbs at the moment.
My question is- during the day I let him groom me with his teeth(gently). However at night when he wakes me with his teeth, I will boot him(figuratively) to the bottom of the bed. I honestly do not know if he is being as gentle as during the day or not as I am befuddled by sleepiness. How confusing would this be for him? Could/would he be able to differentiate the two occasions given time? We have had him since 3-4m of age. Someone had literally tossed him in the garbage dumpster and we rescued him. As I said it has been almost 2 decades since we have had a new cat, and I don't want to send the lad mixed messages, and cause him not to trust me.

 

[catsnip404]

Hi Sinnead,

Oooh, I bet he's beautiful!  Pic please!  I have a mixed Maine Coon too.  

You rescued him from a dumpster?  OMG!  I know it happens, unfortunately, but it amazes me how heartless anyone could be to have dumped him in the trash.  You have to wonder what is wrong with someone that is that bankrupt of morals, empathy or emotion.  I'm so glad you found him!  You should share Oskar's story with us!

What is he doing exactly when he grooms you?  Like, little nibbles as if he's eating corn on the cob?

Well, I would *tend* to think that it's better to be consistent and not allow him to do it at all, but maybe someone else has experience with allowing behaviors during the day that are not allowed at night and had success with that.

I have a cat that likes to lick my face, day or night.  At 3am though, I let her do it for a few seconds, tell her I love her too, and roll over and face another direction.  

Your question brings up one I want to ask in a new thread, about allowing "teeth on skin" at all--is it okay, or can it lead to problems?  I would imagine the answer is -- depends on the cat.  

 

[Anne]

Thank you for rescuing him! 

I think it might be best to wean him from nibbling on your hands. The best way to do that is by re-directing him to something he is allowed to chew on, like a chewing toy. Never punish him for it or anything, just re-direct until he gets the message. Here's more about how to teach cats the right behavior - 

 [article="32493"]The Dos And Donts Of Cat Behavior Modification​[/article]