He bites when he is angry, he bites when he is happy. He will bite and hiss at me and then turn around and want affection...and then bite me again. He is not a kitten he is almost 3. He is a rescued cat,(rescued by us in December) so I do understand there is a the possibility that he was abused. Does anyone know a way that I can get him to quit this behavior?
2006-07-31 09:38:11 · 16 answers · asked by stephie5555 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
Wow, did you steal my cat? LOL. My cat uses biting as a tool to get attention. If I don't pet him long enough, he bites me. If he is out of food, he bites me. If his litter box isn't just right, he bites me. And it really hurts. My hands and arms are always scarred up. But he can be affectionate at times. I'll admit, I quit disciplining him for it awhile back, it wasn't doing any good and I was just getting bit harder. I'll also admit I keep him around for the brief moments he bathes me in affection and our evening round of fetch (that's right, my cat plays fetch, better than any dog I've ever met). To be honest with you, I got him at the SPCA at the age of 6 months. I don't know why he's so weird and at moments aggressive. He may have been abused, but I've found in the past that abused cats tend to hide more. They aren't affectionate hardly at all. From what you've described, I wouldn't say these were symptoms of an abused cat. Perhaps neglected. Still young enough to turn around.
While I haven't been able to nip the biting in the bud completely I have dramatically reduced it. When I am petting him and he starts to bite, I stop petting him immediately and walk off. I ignore him for at least 10-15 minutes. Do this for as long as it takes. It should help. Be careful with striking him in anger, if there is a chance he was abused, you could be really pi**ing him off, and he will just bite more.
2006-07-31 10:04:46 · answer #1 · answered by Lisa H 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've encountered this before, too, and the only way to discourage it is to do what mother cats do when their kittens get a little too rowdy and bite them--let out a yelp and pop them on the head. Not hard so as to hurt them, but enough to let them know that they're hurting you.
It may take a few times, but most cats eventually figure out that you don't like being bitten.
Another possibility--
If you have recently petted another animal that your cat doesn't care for, he might be hissing and biting because he smells this other animal on you. He wants your affection, but the scent makes him think of this other animal, so he hisses and bites.
2006-07-31 09:46:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just be firm with him... If you only got him in December and he's about 3, he's probably learned a lot of negative habits and traits already. I took in a stray a few months ago, and he would bite randomly, just while he was in my arms or on my lap. A quick bop on the head accompanied by a sharp "No!" or "Hey!" did the trick and now he's not as prone to doing it. Don't use water to discipline your cat, though. They have to drink water and sometimes end up needing a bath... there is no reason why it should be used as punishment.
2006-07-31 09:49:24 · answer #3 · answered by lizwatson109 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a biter and what helps keep his biting to a minimum is to always be firm and calm with him but let him know I'm the boss. He bites out of affection as a rule so I don't pet him so hard that he gets too excited.
2006-07-31 10:05:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Best thing I can suggest is tap him firmly on the nose when he does it and tell him "No" in a firm voice. It doesn't hurt him, but he doesn't like it, so he'll stop doing whatever he's doing when you do that to him. On the other hand, when he does something you like, reinforce that you like that behavior by talking in a happy tone and petting him in ways he likes to be petted, or maybe give him a favorite treat--but as SOON as he turns to bite you, lop him on the nose--preferably before he even makes tooth contact. It'll take some time, but he'll catch on to what you like and what you don't like, and as long as you are kind to him in general, he'll come around and try to be good for you.
2006-07-31 09:48:09 · answer #5 · answered by Woz 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you get a good answer let me know because my kitty (also a rescue kitty) does the same exact thing. One minute she lets you pet her and the next she is attacking my hand like no one's business. What I do do now is that when her bitting gets hard I scream "Ouch!" and then she looks at me, then my hand, then she licks it. She doesn't want to hurt me that is not her intention. I am sure that is not your kitty's intention either. They just need to adjust. To us, their new surroundings, and behaviors. Just give him time, patience, and a little disipline. Hopefully things will get better. For the both of us! lol. Best of luck!
2006-07-31 09:50:31 · answer #6 · answered by sweetcaraline_27 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He probably will never quit that completely. But with time, he may decrease it IF you're always affectionate, AND swat him (lightly!) when he does bite.
Our cats were all "rescued" as well, and they had a few things to un-learn, too. In time, they did...more or less.
Be patient.
2006-07-31 09:44:05 · answer #7 · answered by stevenB 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you don't want to get rid of it, just kick it out of the house with its food and water. Just don't forget about it. Make sure you try to make contact with it daily. If it starts to meow outside, then throw water at it to shut up, just like half a cup.
After a month, after it learns about the bad life outside and what is expected on the inside give it another chance. But first bathe it in your tub with heavy duty gloves for protection and don't wet it's head or ears. Use a pet shampoo on the dirty critter. Don't fill the tub with water, just run the faucet over his body and scrub the shampoo into his fur. All the bad stuff he got outside, you don't want inside.
After that, rap in a towel to better control it out of the bath. Then release, it'll lick itself dry for about an hour. Then reward it with milk and or food after it is dry.
2006-07-31 09:49:22 · answer #8 · answered by JOHNNY D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have two cats and both of them were strays and both of them did the exact same thing. What I did and the vets told me to do is bite them back. bite them very gently on the ear to let them know how it feels. just remember do it just enough where they can feel it and squirm a little
2006-07-31 09:50:28 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
keep a squirt bottle with you, and spray him with water every time he bites. Cats hate water!!!
2006-07-31 09:44:07 · answer #10 · answered by Christine!!!♥ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋