Advice please on cat trying to bite and scratch

[Italiangreyhound]

Hi cat loving gang

Have you got any advice please?

Our 4 month old ginger Tom is driving me mad!

He is normally relatively loving, although aloof and it is all on his own terms!

He also has two big annoying habits... one is that he sometimes does a flying leap at my leg, or the leg of DH or DD, and tries to bite or scratch the leg! The other thing he does is if anyone is cleaning a table with kitchen roll or a cloth he goes for the hand holding the cloth.

I have been told my a wise cat loving friend not to cry out, but it is a reaction and I hate the thought of being bitten! Friends have suggested hitting him on the nose with a rolled up newspaper or hitting the ground next to him with a rolled up newspaper. I don't want to do anything that is unkind at all but I also do not want to get bitten. Can anyone advise why he is doing it and how to stop him, please?

I am planning on getting him neutered at 6 months, will stop this behaviour?

There are no guarantees although it very well might help. Have you thought about having him neutered before 6 months? It's possible with healthy cats of a good size and could be discussed with your vet. He might be a suitable candidate.

PS - much of it could be raucous kitten behaviour with some new muscle and heft behind it in a strapping lad. (Think stroppy teenager who occasionally boils over.) Firm telling offs, deliberate exclusion for bad biting behaviour and keep your fingers crossed that he'll mellow with a few extra months.

You should never hit a cat. All that teaches them is that humans can be un-predictable. He is only playing, he has no litter mates to play with.

Ours was bitey and scratchy pre-neutering but it did calm down a couple of weeks after that.

Look on youtube for shorty and kodi videos, their owners very good with his cats and they plainly adore him.

Thanks Cozi and Fluffy you are very wise, very helpful.

I think you have good grounds for optimism. I know that there's absolutely no way that one should tie in colour with behaviour but I simply put it to you that all the ginger toms I have known have been loving, grounded and stately animals when mature cats. (Albeit mostly terrifying hunters when outside the home.)