Jerome

My gf and I recently adopted an adorable 8 month old kitty from a cat rescue centre.

Our problem with this errant feline is biting. I've been woken up every night since Saturday with this pesky kitty chewing my chin. He seems intent on attacking anything that moves - including humans.

Any cat experts care to offer advice on how to curb his biting?

Leslie

Bite him back.

Les

AvalancheS8

Don't let him in the bedroom.

I'm assuming we are talking a gentle nibble not a full on fangs in drawing blood type bite ?

We have 2 cats, one male who is about 6 years old and one adorable little girl who is just coming up on a year. The older one used to be fine if we let him in to the bedroom overnight, he'd just sleep through until we woke, but the wee one wakes up and starts to run around and want breakfast very early - about 4 - 5 ish. Once she's awake she want's to be fed, so she'll try and wake you up to get fed, sometimes it's meowing, sometimes it's running over your head, sometimes she gives you a gentle nibble on a toe. She's getting better, but the basic solution is that neither one of them gets in the bedroom over night, the door is closed and locked (the big one can open doors no problem at all) If you've been letting him in you are going to have to endure a night or so of meowing, but just ignore it - DON'T weaken and let him in, he'll be fine. Once he is used to the fact that he can't get breakfast until you come out and feed him he'll stop fussing, they aren't stupid about that kind of thing.

If he is biting you at other times the best bet is to make a loud noise and give him a fright. If that doesn't work, think like a cat, hiss at him, seriously, it works, but you have to mean it, give it a real loud TSSSSS! and he'll get a real fright, after that if you need to, you can face him down by staring him out and hissing more. In cat language staring is asserting your authority, cats will stare each other out to establish who's boss before resorting to fighting and it works when you do it too, but you will have to stare right into his eyes, without blinking or looking away until he backs down by looking away or rolling on his back to show submission.

Try very hard not to hit him unless he is actually drawing blood, and even then only a slap on the bum, and only ever while he's in the act of misbehaving, he won't get what he is being punished for if you do it after and will just mistrust you. Flicking, or squirting water on him can be a pretty good deterent too, particularly if it can be done from behind him so he doesn't associate it with you being mean to him, just that when he misbehaves, he gets wet.

Don't let him become the boss and you'll be fine.

messiah

Get a 2nd cat.

Honestly - he's playing with you cos he has no-one else to play with.

My cat often wakes me up by licking mt eyelids...

ajm

Love how cat owners make excuses for their pets...

Full on bite = "it was just a gentle kiss"
Raking out chunks of flesh = "aaw she is just playing"
Killing wildlife and leaving it half dead on the floor = "ooooh he's brought me a present, how adorable!"

Redkop

How did I know you wouldn't be able to resist posting ajm

JoeyDeacon

We had two dead rats in the hallway this morning and adorable is the last word I would use to describe my cat.

ajm

And you couldn't resist pointing it out!

Redkop

Would have been rude not to

Mice_Elf

Try stepping in newly sicked up rabbit with bare feet when you come downstairs fresh from your morning shower ready for work.... Twice.

Once initially and once in the second pile on the way to the light switch.

Your kitten is probably just settling into a new routine. Every time she bites you, just put her on the floor. She'll soon learn that nipping = being moved away from attention. Or very gently tap her on the nose and say NO.

One of mine used to nip when she was a kitten. She soon learnt that biting my fingers meant the tips of her ears would be sore as I gently flicked them.

ian_sadler

Give it to Rich Askew for lunch?

Leslie

Get back on your cage ajm

Les

ajm

No use trying to shut me up.... I'll sing like a canary!!!

Senior_AP

If it's agressive then you may have a nasty little **** for a cat. If it's playful, fear not!! My Norwegian Forest did all that as a kitten all the time. Mixture of affection, teething, exploring and fun.

Jerome

Thanks for the advice everyone. He does seem to be playful rather than raking out chunks of flesh, but still manages to draw blood. If I get my camera working I'll post some piccies of him in action.

ajm,
You'll be pleased to know he is an indoor cat, so no murdering of wildlife or crapping in peoples gardens.

Senior_AP

'ajm' is in dreamworld. Keeping cats indoors is cruel. Let him/her roam.

If it's playful you'll be fine, gain the trust of the cat and there will be no problems. Enjoy and have fun.

ajm

Its not cruel, its taking responsibility for your pet, having consideration for your neighbours and placing an importance on the continued existance of our indigenous wildlife, all of which come BEFORE your own selfish convenience!

Nice one Jerome!

Catwoman

I have three indoor cats. All of them are rescued and one was very badly treated before I got her. I have a huge outside run in the garden which they have access to. They don't go out and murder birds, they don't get run over by people driving too fast down the country road I live in, they are not at risk of being stolen ( a couple of years ago there was a spate of cat theft in West Sussex, they were being stolen for their fur!) and are very happy cats

Senior_AP

lol. Owning a dog cancels out your "selfish" comment. As for taking responsibility?? I refer you to a previous cat thread where i would...if my cat where to be a newsense.

A quick heads up, not all cats are troublesome.....and we are not special just cos we created the wheel.

Senior_AP

People that make such an effort as you have done, fine. People that moan about a cats being kept indoors AT ALL COSTS crack me up though. Nothing better to moan about.

Good to see you have made such an effort. Nice work.

Jerome

Firstly, our apartment is much better than the cage he was in prior to being rescued, and secondly, we live on a very busy 4 lane street, so outdoors is a death sentence.

ajm

No, owning a dog has nothing whatsoever to do with my "selfish" comment.

Good, that is a start..... now what about wildlife?


Agreed, indoor cats are not troublesome.

I don't understand your comment re: the wheel or its relevance.

Senior_AP

Better than before then.....fair play. Everything must be taken in context.

Happier is not always happy.

Catwoman

Thank you Senior Ap, never owned an unhappy animal yet, if your cat is an indoor cat I believe you have to make even more of an effort to keep them happy. Mine have playstations and lots of stuff in their run to amuse them.

I adore dogs aswell but as I work full time I think its grossly unfair to keep a dog in all day whilst your out at work. I've known people that have done this to the point they have been cross with their dog for messing on the carpet whilst they are at work. Some people should not be allowed to keep pets. I say we should bring back dog licences or even better, pet licences

Senior_AP

Playstations?? lol.

You're right, indoor cat needs ALOT to keep them amused and occupied/happy. You're not the type i have problems with. It's the halfwits on here that moan about a little bit of poo on their lawn that make me laugh.

Catwoman

Pmsl, poo on their lawn eh, must be towneys, us country girls walk it through the house on the way back from mucking our horses out

Oh and before anyone makes a comment about my house being filthy, its not I'm just not neurotic about my lawn or my house.

ajm

Try strimming cat excrement - bet you wouldn't be so blase about it then!

Personally its not poo on the lawn that annoys me the most, its fish being taken from my pond! We all prioritise things differently though, and people have just as much right to be **** about their lawn as much as you are about your cats!

Anyway, well done for successfully keeping them inside! You put some of those owners out there to shame!

Jye

Senior_AP

I really feel shamed.

Like normal people, buy some fencing over your pond. Moaning won't change anything. It's called life.......try and accept that it isn't perfect.


Maybe allowing cats out is no different to keeping fish in a poxy little pond. Get with reality.

However, in my defence, my cat doesn't like fish.

Catwoman

You could put netting over your pond to stop the neighbourhood cats eating your fish

Pmsl at strimming cat poo, sounds like a fine party game, never tried it but my garden is a bit wild Never been called ****, thats a first

Ah well as long as all our animals are happy eh