Help rescue cat help needed!

[Margeryprongs]

Hi wise mumsnetters
We've just taken in a gorgeous rescue cat who has come from Oman - he was rescued as stray and has been neutered - - - - and due to finalise adoption before Xmas. He's been with us since last Saturday. He is still inside until we microchip etc. He is gorgeous but is actually demonstrating behavuiours which I'm sure are all rational to a cat to us but we are baffled - he has been biting today which really hurts as well as scratching us. I can see its prob becuase he wants less affection or the play has become serious for him but how do we stop this as well as training him to stop ripping the carpet outside our bedroom to come in at night?
I have had a cat before but looking back he was a very docile little thing that just wanted to lie back and have his tummy stroked!
All advice welcomed thank you so much my arm is hurting and I certainly don't want him to hurt the kids

[CrotchBurn]

Pics please! 🤗

I had one rescue cat like this. Its because (IMO) he wasnt weaned by his mother so never learnt to play gently.

As for the carpets - many cats do like to sharpen their claws on carpeting. You can try getting a (very big) jute rug. I put one down (from ikea) under my cats bowls and she rips the shit out of that rather than my couch etc

[Margeryprongs]

Here he is

[Margeryprongs]

Sounds like a great idea with the jute rug. Do I cover it cat nip? Are anti scratch sprays mean?

[CrotchBurn]

Bless him. There is a fantastic Cat section over on this forum, they will be able to give you loads better advice than here (they have a vet on there too):
www.petforums.co.uk/forums/cat-chat.6/

[CrotchBurn]

Heres the one I got, but yeah; any jute rug! No need to encourage him to use it, they must love the texture as the neighbours cat also goes mental on it: www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/lohals-rug-flatwoven-natural-50277393/
(This model is pretty huge, but it looks good in my kitchen)

[TheABC]

Another vote for a jute rug, or failing that a tough carpet offcut you can lay over the existing carpet to protect it.

My cats have a 6ft cat tree with a rope wrapping (see Zoopla), that they love as they can stretch up and out on it.

Regarding the rough play, you can channel the energy into cat toys, preferably on the end of sticks to prevent your hand bring attacked. The minute she does go to bite you during a fuss or similar, disengage and ignore. She will soon get the message.

[EveryDayIsADuvetDay]

Ah - cutie

Moving, journey, new people, must be very stressful for him
(Ok I know it's stressful for you being bitten, but you know what's happening with his new home, etc) - and presumably you don't know if he was previously and indoor or outdoor cat, etc.

My cat (eight, had her since she was a kitten) rolls on her back or signals she wants to play, but with little warning will decide she's had enough and bite or scratch.

Agree - jute carpet or similar outside the bedroom door
OR you might find that if you leave the door open, he doesn't want to come in, he just objects to being shut out.
My one will scratch at the bedroom door it I close it, but stays outside (as in outside on the sofa, not "out" out) if the door is open - well at least until it starts getting light and she decides it's breakfast time.

I think whenever he gets aggressive, just disengage and leave him be, and don't try to force cuddles or be overly affectionate if he doesn't like that - and watch out for signs of what sets him off into aggressive mode.

I hope that he settles down soon - and starts behaving as beautifully as he looks.

[Margeryprongs]

Great recommends all. He seems particularly intelligent (not to sound too pfb!!) and easily started pushing a ping pong ball back towards us on the kithen floor. He goes to use the door handles from sofas etc. Easily does his cat puzzles to get the food out etc. I'm thinking therefore he is trainable ie to us the loo or other things? Or am I totally naive.

Also a bit worried about the local wild life population. Any tips on a collar he will tolerate?

[EveryDayIsADuvetDay]

Catnip spray - or even cat nip or valerian stuffed toys may encourage him to have an aggressive five minutes with the toy rather than your arm.
Valerian is harder to find than catnip toys, but not all cats react to catnip.

www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_toys/valerian/372162
(delivery high just for those, but their food is great quality and value too).

[Toddlerteaplease]

Come and join us in the litter tray. We are all
Mad cat people!

[Margeryprongs]

Thanks @EveryDayIsADuvetDay he is so gorgeous and yes I expect he's still getting over his journey, he only arrived 3 weeks ago and only been with us a week. I'll post another pic

[Margeryprongs]

So scrumptious
Seems to he a mix of Arabian Mau if anyone has one of these and thinks anything about the breed makes them distinct?

[TroysMammy]

I second what Toddler said.

[Margeryprongs]

Thanks @Toddlerteaplease will do!
And thanks for valerian recommends!

[EveryDayIsADuvetDay]

I can see that it must be hard to resist rubbing his chin and tickling his paws when he is curled up like that - and he just wants a quiet doze.

[Margeryprongs]

Yes he looks gorgeous but I'm admiring from afar

[Margeryprongs]

Hi litter tray

[MEgirl]

We took in a cat that had been left alone for hours each day. On top of that she had been moved house a few times. When she first came to us she was very temperemental. Two years on she's a reall softy. All it took was time for her to get comfortable with us and not force our attentions on her when she didn't want it.

[Margeryprongs]

Sounds like a good idea thank you

[thegcatsmother]

My db brought his cat back from Oman when he returned from there. His was a very bright cat; loved the dangly feather toys; made you aware of his presence by announcing it loudly; loved the cat nip filled kickers; would race around and then fall asleep. He bit at times. He had back legs like springs as well - and nothing was too high for him to attempt to jump on it.

[TheABC]

Mau's are known for being energetic and playful - but not as loud as siamese!

He is a beauty!

[MathsRocksMathsRocks]

We have several rehomed cats, and one we rehomed several years ago came to us as a 'biter' - he was only 10 months old, and had been picked up as a stray so his manners were less than perfect!

We learned pretty quickly that he gets over-stimulated. Loved to be on someone's lap and petted, but only until he was 'all touched out'. At that point he would bite to say 'enough'. So it's important to learn your cat's signs for when enough stimulation is enough for them.

Loads of people have mentioned jute mats - they're excellent. We have several scattered around on various floors, as well as several cat trees upstairs and downstairs (not all cats like to scratch on a post, just as not all cats like to scratch on the floor) so they have a choice according to their preferences!

We had a furniture scratcher who came to us as an adult cat, and found that the double-sided cat tape worked well on the furniture - they don't like their paws on something sticky, so if you put the tape in the places where you can see they like to scratch that will put them off (but you have to provide alternative - cat-suitable - places, obviously!).

We also had a lot of success 'clicker-training' one of our cats to stop scratching the furniture. People think you can't do it with cats, but you can. But I won't lie - it was a lot of hard work because you have to encourage scratching in the right place/click/reward every time they get it right. I ended up with pockets full of cat treats and the clicker round my neck while trying to wfh! But it did work, so it's an option if you have the tine to put into it if nothing else works.

Cats are the best, aren't they!

[Margeryprongs]

Great advice, thank you!