Rescue cat has started biting us all the time

Graces7

Scarinae wrote: »

Thanks again for all the suggestions, I really appreciate it! I don't want to let her outside, it was almost a last resort idea because I'm not sure how to burn off all her energy. We live in a suburban area, out the front our road is basically a cul-de-sac but there is a busier road two streets over out the back and I know cats can roam pretty far.

We don't know a huge amount about her background but we think she was an outdoor cat - she was taken to the shelter from a rural area, there were nine cats taken in at the same time. That's about all we know.

Can food really be a factor in making her hyper? We feed her wet and dry food twice a day - we give her a quarter of a small can each mealtime, and we premeasure out the dry food for each day so she always gets the same amount as we figured it would be really easy to overfeed her if we were doing it by sight. I don't think we're overfeeding her, if anything she meows for food all the time. I've read it is common for Russian Blues to overeat though (she is not a pure Russian Blue but we think she is at least partly of this breed - she has the colour and the body type, but her eyes are yellow rather than green)
We have tried not to give her any human food as we don't want her begging while we're eating our meals, although one time she did shove her face into a pot of yoghurt that my fiancé left unattended

I don't know if an outdoor enclosure would make a huge difference, we already have a sunroom and we open the windows for her when we're at home (there are screens so she can't get out) This way she gets the fresh air, garden smells, watches birds etc.

I would consider another cat but my fiancé is less sure, he is worried that it will just double our problem if the cats don't like each other. If we did go down this route we would need another young cat with lots of energy, but how would we know if they would get on? I couldn't adopt a second cat and then give them back I don't think there was another cat at the shelter she was bonded with, she hadn't been spayed until just before we got her so they kept her separate from the others.

Would a kitten be a good way to go maybe? They'd have lots of energy too, but she wouldn't feel as threatened by them coming into her space?

She clearly craves affection and wants to be near us but just does it in a biting, nipping way a lot of the time. We got a toy that moves by itself (like this one) and she likes playing with it for a short time, but then comes and looks at us as if to say "Why aren't you playing with me instead of this thing?"

She likes to groom my fiancé's hair, she'll often sit on the back of the sofa and lick his head or she'll sit beside him and lick his arm hair - but then if he tries to pet her she'll swipe at him. He's been finding it hard to keep her occupied while I've been away this week. We have these sort of rubber things on the wall that you can clip cables into and keep things tidy, he told me she chewed one of those the other day until she actually bled :eek: She is a sweet cat and I want her to be happy with us, but it worries me that she seems stressed out and is chewing things (including us!)

This is how young cats often are and she has the confidence to be like this. But it is fine to say NO, tap her lightly on the nose and move away when she gets too much. Else she does not know that that is not acceptable.

My most wary one does not always want to be touched and that needs to be respected. I offer her a finger. If she moves to it, I rub her face talking gently, If she does not then I do not intrude on her. Again gently

Let her decide on when she is touched, not you!

when she nips, light tap on nose and NO! One of my home bred siamese was like this.
They are intelligent and need to learn boundaries . That is YOUR job!

May be try a whole raw chicken wing? yes, bone and all. Mine get raw chicken every day and it takes a while to eat so it satisfies more and takes more chewing. They get a second small feed of wet food a day too.

and it really is still early days with her. As others have said you are doing fine, try to ease down a little? She will catch your tension.

back later; a small feline riot going on!

Oh and ENJOY her?

Mollyb60

Scarinae my husband is basically the exact same as your fionce. Concerned that if we get a second cat to be a companion for our rescue they'll hate each other and we'll be stuck with 2 fighting cats all the time. I don't really know the solution here, maybe a (different) rescue centre could guide you a bit? After A LOT of discussion we're hoping to get a second cat this July. We just have to hope that they don't hate each other.


As for the outside space, our cat also enjoys being outside, I don't think having the sunshine and fresh air through open windows is quite the same for them. But like you I'm just too scared to let her go on her own wandering. We're getting a catio installed in the next few weeks and while it's a bit of an expense (we're useless with DIY) we think it's worth it so that our cat can be fulfilled and enjoy herself.

New Home

I had a rescue cat that was a bit like that, he was so hyper he used to drive me nuts, especially at night time. He used to love the little screw tops of the old cartons of milk (the plastic stoppers that were longer than wider, as opposed to the flatter type that are on the milk cartons now), and he used to love playing fetch (I know, I know...). So, in the middle of the night, he'd jump on the bed with the milk tops in his mouth, drop them on me, and then start biting me and scratching me until I'd throw the milk top down the stairs. He'd fly down the stairs, fetch the milk top, bring it back to me, and the whole thing would start all over again. Great fun, but not at 3AM...

Scarinae

I'd find it easier to understand if she'd been like this from the beginning, but for the first week or so she was with us she was such a cuddly, affectionate cat!

I'm arriving home tomorrow morning so we'll see how we get on over the weekend.

Graces7

Scarinae wrote: »

I'd find it easier to understand if she'd been like this from the beginning, but for the first week or so she was with us she was such a cuddly, affectionate cat!

I'm arriving home tomorrow morning so we'll see how we get on over the weekend.

She was overwhelmed and terrified at first.

One of my three hid three days when she was new here. It is a huge thing as it would be for a child.
After that you see the real cat! Young cats are vastly energetic. Not purry sedate critters. Even my 15 year old has his moments .

Yes, talk to the rescue

Maybe giving her too much attention? Hence some of us advising a second cat.

She is quiet at night when she is not with you? Try leaving her be some part of the day?

Did you try the raw chicken? And the catnip?

Catt1tude

Hi Scarinae

I agree with Graces7 your cat was probably overwhelmed when she first arrived in your home. She had just been spayed, had worms and moved from being outdoors to a rescue into an indoor home. She's had a lot to adjust to in a short time and her normal self is probably the energetic fur ball your experiencing now. It doesn't mean she won't be more affectionate in the future but she's at that Junior stage. Unfortunately chewing and biting is also part of that stage.

I also agree with Mollyb60 regarding an outdoor space. It's something to consider as cats are so reliant on their senses. It has definitely improved my indoor cats quality of life.

Glad to hear she's enjoying the interactive toy you got her. Have you checked out any of the interactive feeding toys? It makes them work for their food.

All the best OP. It's still early days.

Graces7

Also yearling cats are feline teenagers... When I called re taking on three new ones after the tragedy here, I explained I did not want small kittens. They find homes faster, but older ones as they can be hard to rehome.

They are a mixed bunch are my three yearlings but the sheer exuberant energy in them. I watched them racing across a rough field and WOW .. Leaping, jumping..

That is why I suggested a second cat, either a more sedate older cat . or another yearling. These three get on fine and while there have been standoffs with my older cats, no blood shed and I sometimes even catch them snuggling.

Always takes time with living critters. That for me is one of the beauties of them.

OP she WILL settle and you will all get more used to each other. She was just like my most insecure one at first, and now she is herself and sounds a delight. Getting used t o her new life and to you.

Scarinae

Thanks again to everyone for the suggestions!

Mollyb60 wrote: »

As for the outside space, our cat also enjoys being outside, I don't think having the sunshine and fresh air through open windows is quite the same for them. But like you I'm just too scared to let her go on her own wandering. We're getting a catio installed in the next few weeks and while it's a bit of an expense (we're useless with DIY) we think it's worth it so that our cat can be fulfilled and enjoy herself.

I'll have a look at some catios and see if this could be an option, I honestly don't see where we could put it though. I think the leash might be a more realistic solution for us.

Graces7 wrote: »

Maybe giving her too much attention? Hence some of us advising a second cat.

She is quiet at night when she is not with you? Try leaving her be some part of the day?

She follows us everywhere - she meows at the door at night, she stops this after a while but if either of us gets up during the night she hears us and starts meowing again. We can't have her in the bedroom with us though, not only does she attack our feet but she likes to groom our hair now too. She gets especially worked up when she's grooming mine, probably because it is long, and she starts biting my head - she drew blood the other day.

She also likes to be near us during the day as well, I work at home and have put a smaller cat tree in my office so she can look out the window or use the scratching posts. She even sits outside the door when I go to the loo or have a shower.

Graces7 wrote: »

Did you try the raw chicken? And the catnip?

We already have catnip, both the powder and the spray. I'm not going to give her raw chicken as I don't want to have to clean raw chicken juice off the floor.

Catt1tude wrote: »

Glad to hear she's enjoying the interactive toy you got her. Have you checked out any of the interactive feeding toys? It makes them work for their food.

I have seen interactive feeding toys but hadn't considered getting her one, we do give her some dry food though so it could be an interesting option!

Graces7

Came across this by sheer happenstance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFC2aW1pQrU

Perfect.