Biting worse than ever....! Any tips?

[Solaia]

We got our cat when we she was about 5 months old, she's now about 11 months. She had a few issues - being quite needy, prolonged loud crying, but particularly she has pica and is very bitey/scratchy although not aggressive at all.

We have tried very hard to help her iron out these issues and she is now very good overnight, is happy to be left to amuse herself, plays nicely with her many toys, and is very loving and affectionate. She has also pretty much stopped scratching us (not the furniture but hey ho). But her biting is a hundred times worse than ever!

We have tried saying no firmly, spraying water, clapping loudly, ignoring and redirection. All of these things do work and she does stop but life would be so much easier if she didn't get the compulsion to bite us in the first place. I think it is compulsive behaviour, it's certainly not attention seeking or aggression.

Any words of wisdom? We have to be so strict with her all the time - it would be lovely to know she wasn't going to go for us at any moment. I'm also worried about when we have small children in the house as her teeth are long and sharp!

Thanks

Can you think of any common factors in what's happening/been happening when she decides to bite?

I have a cat who bites. He came to me with the dreadful habit. He used to do it if I tried to stroke him because, I assume, he had never been stroked but only played with which involved attacking his previous owners hand. He does it much less now as he is realising that touching means affection, not rough play (or,even worse, being tormented).

What are the circumstances in which your cat bites?