Behavioural issues with new rescue cat?

Question

I adopted a one year old, spayed, rescue, female cat a couple of weeks ago. She has a few behavioural issues I'd like some advice on:

- "love bites". She comes up for affection, presses her head into your hand / purring etc. Then suddenly bites / swipes out her paw. I know this is common and you should just look out for the warning signs BUT when she comes up friendly and purring, her tail is already swishing and her ears are already down... Anyone else experienced this?!

- snapping. This is recent, since my parents arrived for Christmas. I think the change of routine / faces has unsettled her but she's been randomly attacking us. She's adopted an empty cardboard box as her grumpy-box and retreats in there for space. I'm wary in case this attacking stays even once parents have gone!

She has a fishing rod toy she loves but is it encouraging her to become more aggressive?

Any input welcomed!

Answer 1

I think she's basically conflicted and can't decide yet if she can trust you yet. She wants to... Then extra people show up and she's even more confused and overstimulated. Give her space and time.
By all means, put the grumpy box with the litter box, food and water in a room with closed door when extra people are around.
I think any remote type play would be good; pole toys, laser pointer. Tossing treats.
Does she by chance hate having her tail or rump touched? I have one like this. She's been in the house for a year as a foster cat and I've just been recently able to touch but not comb the back end.
One more possibility. With the heat on, is the air dry? Do you have a lot of static electricity-clinging clothes etc? Maybe she is feeling the charge building and doesn't want to get shocked. A humidifier might help here.

Answer 2

Toys won't encourage aggression.

I had a former stray who would threaten bite so much we called him shark mouth. I finally got him to stop by just holding still and he decided not to bite down even when my hand was in his mouth. However, if yours is more serious about it than mine was, the best thing you can do is make yourself taste awful.

There's something called Bitter Apple, which is a nasty tasting liquid used on dogs and cats to keep them from chewing their fur, phone cords, table legs, etc. It comes in a pump spray bottle for $7 or so. Put it on your hands and let her 'bite' you. One taste usually stops them. It may take two or three tastes, but they will stop. It won't harm her, it's like biting into the inside of a banana skin.

You need to make sure she won't go after people visiting, so breaking her of this habit, and not overstimulating her with touch, is essential now.

Our 'shark mouth' still did the threat behavior (even half heartedly) for up to 4 years, but we knew he was all bluff at that point since we didn't push his buttons to get him riled past his tolerance point.

Answer 3

Fishing rod does not encourage aggression,.. it's a good fun toy,... as long you don't poke her eye out with it!

She's like one of my cats,.. and you are right on!
It's the unsettling of new people in her domain and she may just be a mischievous rough character when it comes to love-biting and swishing of tail.
All cats personalities are so different.
They like routine though and once your parents leave I'm sure she'll be back to self.
Gd. luck.

Answer 4

Since she is a rescue cat, she most likely fended for herself for sometime. Her head resting and nibbles may be love nibbles and trying tel tell you to scratch her head. You are correct about the new people in her life temporarily. This is more action than she is used to. The attacking may be another fun game to her but discourage her. When she starts, pick her up and distract her with her toy.

Answer 5

http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/petcare/cats.cfm