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cat biting

[Deleted User]

One of my rescue cats has started to bite. He began with just opening his mouth while rubbing against my hand, and sort of brushing his teeth against it, while he was in his ecstatic mode. Now he has started to nibble, or sometimes bite and while it doesn't draw blood, it does hurt!

Problem with him being a rescue is that he needs me to be calm and kind to him at all times, if I raise my voice or even move too quickly he can take fright or get aggressive. I Started to tap his nose and say "No!" when he tried to bite, but the claws come out and he gets the wild look about him again. I now just take my hand away and wait till he comes back to be petted, but he usually has got it into his head that he wants to nibble. So I often then just stop petting him totally.

I was told by the rescue that when he was wild and scared at the beginning, he used to bite visciously. So it appears to be a habit of his that I've been letting him get back into by not being firm from the start.

He seems to be getting the message when he goes for the fingers and I take my hand away, but he will then get me with a very sudden, sneaky bite.

I'm not sure how to firmly say no without making him frightened or aggressive. Everything around him has to be slow, softly softly, quiet and kind.

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serenacat

Deleted User wrote: »

One of my rescue cats has started to bite. He began with just opening his mouth while rubbing against my hand, and sort of brushing his teeth against it, while he was in his ecstatic mode. Now he has started to nibble, or sometimes bite and while it doesn't draw blood, it does hurt!

Problem with him being a rescue is that he needs me to be calm and kind to him at all times, if I raise my voice or even move too quickly he can take fright or get aggressive. I Started to tap his nose and say "No!" when he tried to bite, but the claws come out and he gets the wild look about him again. I now just take my hand away and wait till he comes back to be petted, but he usually has got it into his head that he wants to nibble. So I often then just stop petting him totally.

I was told by the rescue that when he was wild and scared at the beginning, he used to bite visciously. So it appears to be a habit of his that I've been letting him get back into by not being firm from the start.

He seems to be getting the message when he goes for the fingers and I take my hand away, but he will then get me with a very sudden, sneaky bite.

I'm not sure how to firmly say no without making him frightened or aggressive. Everything around him has to be slow, softly softly, quiet and kind.

Good topic, am bumping to help you get results

[Deleted User]

Thank you Serena.

planetX

One of my cats will sometimes give me a nip on the leg while I'm getting his food. I immediately stop what I'm doing and walk away to teach him a lesson - it doesn't really work though;)
Same as with a dog, I'd imagine you should make a loud 'ouch' noise, stop stroking him and turn your back on him. Let him come to you if he wants attention.

[Deleted User]

planetX wrote: »

One of my cats will sometimes give me a nip on the leg while I'm getting his food. I immediately stop what I'm doing and walk away to teach him a lesson - it doesn't really work though;)
Same as with a dog, I'd imagine you should make a loud 'ouch' noise, stop stroking him and turn your back on him. Let him come to you if he wants attention.

Same with my cat as yours, he doesn't really get the message when you just turn your back! I did start to sharply say "No!" but his face just immediately changes into his old wild cat face and he gets mad and aggressive. I noticed now though he is about to bite me, by habit, and before I do a single thing he puts on his wild face and slaps my hand with his paw!! He's anticipating being told off so gets in there first! When he does that I don't bother saying anything to him, I just let him go and sulk and come back when he's done. At least it shows he knows that biting is met with annoyance. Also shows that he already knows he shouldn't do it, the only thing he hasn't got yet is that you don't have to get angry when you're told off. He's a very quick learner so I'm sure he'll get out of the habit quickly

The Sweeper

Cats, much as I love them, aren't big in the brains department.

I have a female cat, three in September this year, who I've known since she was two days old. Her name is Turbo Diesel. (Not my idea.)

Turbo is a chronic bitch. She's a sulky, bad-tempered diva and she bites. When guests come to my house, I warn them off her - none of the rest of my seven pets would lay a bad-mannered tooth or claw upon you, but Turbo bites, and she really means it.

Turbo bites for a number of reasons - first, she may be overstimulated by your stroking. I think this is the most common type of biting in house cats - cats will groom each other and often go from grooming into biting and tussling. It's fine for them because they have big coats to protect themselves, but often with humans, a bite or scratch can be worse because we have no protective layer, and also because we get a fright and reflexively withdraw. Cats' teeth and claws (especially) are so sharp that if you pull away, what was a pinprick turns into a bloody scratch across your hand.

Cats have areas they like to be touched, and areas that are more dependent on the cat itself. They tend to like to be touched around the head and face, the places that they have scent glands that they rub voluntarily. More finicky cats don't like to be stroked too firmly, or in a distracted fashion - many cat owners stroking a cat absent mindedly while watching TV can suddenly get bitten. The trick is to pay attention to what you're doing!

Admonishing your cat by slapping her or tapping her is pointless. I spent ages trying to deal with Turbo Diesel by admonishing her when she bit or scratched - in her tiny peanut catfuzz brain, she would bite or scratch preemptively beause she thought something bad was going to happen. Then I would admonish her - a loud voice or a tap on the head with one finger - and in her mind, that proved she was right! Something bad DID happen!

She was very bad at around 18 months - quite aggressive and difficult to handle. So we did a complete 180, and when she bit or scratched, we gave her treats, praise and cuddles. Bizarrely, she relaxed. She hasn't bitten me in ages, but then I am careful when I handle her - I don't press it, I never touch her stomach and am very careful touching her paws, and I stop before she starts to look like she's had enough.

If she does bite, it's less a strike and more a hold - so if I'm stroking her and she's had enough, she'll take my finger in her mouth and hold me. Because I make sure I'm paying attention, it doesn't surprise me, so I don't jerk away (which would make me bleed). I just stop still and speak firmly to her and she lets me go. Then I move away from her, or lift her off me if she's on me.

It helps, but some cats are just grumpy oddities - the other five of my cats can be stroked anywhere, anyway, tummies and paws and lower backs, nowhere is out of bounds, and none of them will lash out.

Turbo Diesel - placid to bitch in 9 seconds.

[Deleted User]

The Sweeper wrote: »

Turbo bites for a number of reasons - first, she may be overstimulated by your stroking.

Cats have areas they like to be touched, and areas that are more dependent on the cat itself. They tend to like to be touched around the head and face,

I quoted the parts of your post that are relevant to Mr George - the whole post is very informative, thanks! But these parts especially. George's biting only really happens when he is ecstatically happy from being petted. I didn't mind the way he just brushed his teeth off my hand, it was when he gave me a bite that cracked my nail varnish, but didn't draw blood, I decided I better do something about this. He definitely only does it when he's extremely hapy, so yes, over stimulated.

I can only touch George around the head. He wont allow touching any other part of his body, although I tap his paws for playtime. He actually plays very gently, without claws. I can't touch under his chin because he has a tiny wire protruding there from the pins in his jaw from his operations after his car accident, long before I got him.

I no longer actually have to tell him off, he knows he's about to be told off and preempts it. I'm guessing this is the first step in knowing that he just shouldn't bother doing it.

My grandmother had a cat like your Turbo! She called her Pussy, we called her Cat, but she just had a mean streak. She would bite and scratch out of sheer vindictiveness. Especially if you didn't allow her to do something, or didn't feed her when she felt like it. Some cats are just that way, I am happy to say George is NOT. This biting thing, well, I may be reading too much into it, but I think it was him pushing the boundaries, seeing if he could be boss.

Thankfully he seems to have got the message that he's not allowed to!

The Sweeper

Deleted User wrote: »

I can't touch under his chin because he has a tiny wire protruding there from the pins in his jaw from his operations after his car accident, long before I got him.

Hey - this struck me - a cat's lower jaw is held together with cartilage down the centre. Because of their automatic righting reflex, when they're hit by a car and sent flying often they extend claws to catch the tarmac and also their chin'll hit the deck hard, and the cartilage will split. It can also happen from trauma, and it happens commonly in cats who fall from a height - the first thing to hit the ground is the front paws, followed by the jaw. A cat's jaw only has up and down action, there is no lateral action like in humans or animals that chew the cud.

A fractured jaw is very painful, as the halves move independently of each other when the animal is trying to eat, and a cat can starve to death with a fractured jaw.

In order to allow the bottom jaw to heal, it will be wired - a thin wire is placed through the bone and tissue of the lower jaw, and both ends then fed out through a pinhole in the centre of the lower jaw, where the wire will be twisted into a tight knot and then cut off, so this tiny knot is the only bit that protrudes. This holds the jaw together and allows the cartilage to heal. During this time the cat should usually be fed soft food that can be lapped and doesn't need to be chewed.

The healing usually takes 6-8 weeks, but can take longer in an older cat, or a cat who insists on using the jaw too readily or who might again take an impact that cracks the healing cartilage, so in some cases they can be wired up for 12 weeks or even six months.

The upshot is that at some point, the wire should be able to come out and George would be wire free. You may not have known this since you got him with the wire in place. It's a minor procedure to have it removed, but will involve an anaesthetic.

Have you ever asked your vet about it? He'll be more comfortable with the wire out - it won't be hurting him, but it feels 'funny' to a cat, especially given they love to rub their faces and chins off things.

(I could be wrong and he could have something more complicated in his jaw that involves the wire staying put, but I think it's worth asking your vet about it.)

[Deleted User]

Thanks, was not aware of this, and I don't think the people in the shelter were either! George has had one vet trip, and after that, the vet rang me to say that if he has to come back, they "never ever do this, it's not the practice of their clinic, but" they will give us a sedative to feed him before we bring him in. His last visit was HILARIOUS. (To us, not to George or the vet). So if I do have to bring him in again, he'll have to go back in a few weeks anyway, I will definitely ask about it, they might be able to examine him while he's conked out.

serenacat

My cat bites me if i lift him for too long, or pass him on the stairs he runs and pounces on my leg! I wish there was cat training

Ailishcrehan

The Sweeper wrote: »

Cats, much as I love them, aren't big in the brains department.

Have to disagree with you there - I have one cat that can open doors to get out, another cat opens the windows to get outside, that same cat can open the fridge and helps himself to whatever he wants, leaving the remainders for the dogs, he can also turn on the tap and knows that the green bowl means milk (cornflakes bowl). Having just typed that I realise alot of their behaviour is food related

One of my cats was a fecker for attacking you mid play, she'd actually latch on to your hand, and go hell for leather with her back legs and teeth. This was usually after about five minutes or petting, she'd decide enough was enough. As other posters have said, there is no point in bopping him on the nose as it just makes them extra excited - I would be inclined to walk away and only interact with the cat when he is calm...as with dogs, ignore bad behaviour and reinforce the good..

planetX

Ailishcrehan wrote: »

Have to disagree with you there - I have one cat that can open doors to get out, another cat opens the windows to get outside, that same cat can open the fridge and helps himself to whatever he wants, leaving the remainders for the dogs, he can also turn on the tap and knows that the green bowl means milk (cornflakes bowl). Having just typed that I realise alot of their behaviour is food related
:)decide enough was enough. As other posters have said, there is no point in bopping him on the nose as it just makes them extra excited - I would be inclined to walk away and only interact with the cat when he is calm...as with dogs, ignore bad behaviour and reinforce the good..

I knew a cat that could open the fridge too - same as you, the dog would hang around waiting for the spoils.
I think the problem is with learning about consequences, why tapping on the nose never works with cats. One of mine used to get trapped in a neighbours garage, to the point where she nearly died once. Next day she was trying to get back in there again:mad:

paddyandy

I've had a few nips and i always wash the area immediately.Does anybody know the danger in the saliva if left in the wound?

ryan84

my cat bites a lot. he doesnt like his belly rubbed so that will result in a definite bite. if you try to rub him when hes not in the mood you get bitten or swipped at. we have him since he is 10weeks old and hes always been like that. it just got to be a bit more of a problem when he got bigger. He is now a one year old chubby cat.

not much you can do about it i dont think. we are just resolved to the fact that our cat is a bit of a grumb! or just very spoilt so he gets away with it. at 5am he is the friendliest cat in the world and will not leave you sleep until he has had enough head rubs

Ailishcrehan

paddyandy wrote: »

I've had a few nips and i always wash the area immediately.Does anybody know the danger in the saliva if left in the wound?

To the best of my knowledge, a cat bite (where penetration beneath skin occurs) to a human will often get infected. Cats do carry a large amount of bacteria in their mouths which can be transferred through a puncture wound. If you get a bite of a cat, you may need a trip to the doctor for antibiotics. Thankfully, I seem to have a bit of a resistance/immunity to the effects of cat bites, but know of plenty of people who have had to get antibiotics to prevent infection

Anonymous111

Are you sure the cat isn't simply trying to play with you (key word being trying)?

I have two cats (both 10 years old) and one of them is the most playful cat I've ever seen. He loves attention and would happily be petted/sleep on you/follow you around all day as long as he's fed when hungry. He does paw and bite after some petting but it's always good natured and I've never felt that he's just had enough petting. For example, if he bites my fingers, he'll first just get a grip. If I don't resist he bites very gently and releases and then tries to play with my hand again. However if I pull it away quickly he's more firm in his bites and swipes. His claws are very sharp so he can draw blood - doesn't help that he's extremely quick. He rarely causes me pain anymore because I know he's just playing and act gently accordingly.

People who aren't used to him sometimes get scraped as they don't realise just how quick his paws are, nor how playful he is.

My other cat, meanwhile, is the most gentle cat you could meet. He's heavy and fluffy and just like a teddy. Even when he is in a playful mood, which isn't often, his claws will never be out when he paws at you. Actually, I've strayed way off topic. Sorry about that

serenacat

My cat bites sometimes when i try to lift him, only when lying down. those bites sting so bad, not sure how to punish cat some say spray water others say ignore cat which definitely hasn't worked so far