how can i train my cat to stop trying to attack, climb up my leg or bite me???

Question

ill be walking through the living room and my cat will just take off running from across the room, fly into the air with his claws out and bite my leg. One minute he loves it when i pet him but then he bites me super hard, sometimes even draws blood. when he plays he always get really defensive, like his hair will be standing up and ears pinned back and then he tries to attack. My boyfriend has a 1 year old little girl that loves my cat, he knows better that to bite her but when she pulls his tail or steps on his feet he kinda looks over at me and cries. why is he so easy with her and not the hand that feeds him? i have tried yelling, thumping the ear, putting him in time out, throwing him (no harm), spraying him with water and nothing is working. he still tries to eat me? could it be he hasn't been clipped yet?? can someone please help me? im tired of having nasty bite marks and scratches up and down my arms!!!!

Answer 1

Quit storing your laundry next to the cat food.

Answer 2

First get him neutered. That should take care of it. Some of this could be just the desire to hold on to you. Does it happen when you are getting ready to leave for the day? DO NOT de-claw your cat. That's cruelty, as they take off some fo the flesh with the claw. But you should clip his claws, cutting off only the outer portion. It appears you have a second person who can help you by holding the cat. If you'd rather not do it yourself, the big pet stores have groomig salons who can do it for you. After all this, consider the more punitive techniques others have suggested.

Answer 3

You didn't say how hold the cat is, which could make a huge difference in the answer: Kittens teethe; adult cats might nip or claw out of affection, but not realize that it hurts you.

Regardless, there have many Q's on this site about pets biting their owners. Just enter "cat attacks me" without the quotes in the "Search for questions" box at the top of nearly every page on this site.

BTW, I don't know what "clipped" means, but you should definitely neuter your pet, or have him declawed and defanged (the vet can file down or remove the fangs, so the biting will be less severe).

Answer 4

My kitten was the same way! Always attacking and biting and scratching... he was a holy terror until I started clicker training with him. He used to regularly draw blood on me—always my hands and arms, usually my ankles, often my face as well (I actually used to sleep with my hands protecting my face). Once, he even sent me to the E.R. with a DEEP gash in my face.

The good news is: since I've been clicker training him, he's become sweet and lovable, I can snuggle my face into his fur and not worry about injury, and he still has all of his claws.

As you have already discovered, aversion training methods (yelling, squirting, hitting, etc.) DO NOT work. Please get a clicker training kit and some treats—with a little patience and lots of positive reinforcement you can replace undesirable behaviors with desirable ones (my kitten will now "high-five" for a treat in stead of grabbing at me with his claws out). If I can train a cat not to scratch and bite, you can too.

While you're training him, you can use Soft Paws or Soft Claws nail caps to prevent scratches. (Your vet can trim his nails and apply them if you are unable to do it yourself.)

And please, get him neutered—that will calm him down considerably!

Good luck with him. It is a truly rewarding thing, to be able to turn a wild cat into a love.

Answer 5

Have him neutered first!!! If the problem persists, try something that has worked for me every time and was recommended by 2 vets I spoke to: immediately after he bites, take his paw, show your teeth and bite his paw and then shout no. I'm not talking about harming him, I would never do that and I would never suggest that. He needs to understand that his biting hurts. I have had to do this to all 3 of my cats, but I only had to do it once each.

If he continues with small bites, give him time outs by putting him in the bathroom for a couple of minutes. They hate being separated from us.

Answer 6

Basically he thinks you're another cat. Do not play with him with your hands. You have taught him that its okay. If he attacks your hand try giving him a toy (like a stuffed mouse) instead. The toy will distract him and you're teaching him to not attack your hand. Discipline doesn't work with cats, they don't know why you're mad. You just have to be consistent. Just keep your hands away and he'll learn its not okay.

Answer 7

Keep a spray water bottle handy. When you see him start the attack maneuver spray him. It won't take long to stop the habit. Mine kept making mad dashes to the door when I needed to open it. I sprayed them and they stopped. As a matter of fact when they saw the spray bottle they would run and hide. And best of all it in no way hurts them.

Answer 8

My cat does that to me all the time, i guess it's his "playing mode." When he does it I just throw a towel or clothes on top of him, then he stops.

Answer 9

pop him on the nose let him know who's boss