Cat biting

[Italiangreyhound]

Hi, not been here for a while.

Things have been going OK but this week double whammy, I will post the other thing separately.

DD was lying on the carpet stroking cat (7 year old neutered male who joined us 6 months ago) and he bit her leg! I have told her not to lie on the carpet with him because that was what she was doing when he bit her before, about 3 months ago. I am not sure what to do. I am quite angry with him!

Thank you.

Together with the other thread, is it possible he's bored and a bit stressed, Italian ? Is he an indoor boy?

(And tell DD not to stroke him - no physical interaction for the time being, I think. (Vocal interaction is fine in my experience.))

Did she perhaps stroke a part he didn't want touched like his tummy?

What happened in the run up? My albeit limited experience, cats rarely just attack without screaming warnings first with body language.

Thanks all.

I didn't see what happened before but I don't think there was any warning or screaming from him. He bit her on the leg. She has forgiven him of course but I am slightly more pissed off. He's got form for this and I am just a bit fed up.

He is not an indoor cat. He has the run of the house and garden, and beyond, a cat flap to go as he pleases and a lot of loving attention, on his own terms. I am not sure what else we can do to make him happy.

There seems to be a few run ins with other cats, one bigger one and one smaller one. Lots of meowig and hissing and he was in a fight he other day. But he was taken to the vet who said he was fine (aside from being overweight!).

Here is the other thread. I am not sure the two are connected but you can read about it if you like, anyone... www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_litter_tray/2472887-Cat-on-a-diet

Many cats don't like to be touched. They're not like dogs. They will give a warning before lashing out - they usually flick their tail.

If somebody came up to you in the supermarket and started ruffling your hair or touching your face then you'd lash out.

Take a look at some sites on cat body language and go onto YouTube and look for Jackson Galaxy vids on cat body language.

You can't blame the cat. You only pet a cat if it's showing signs that it wants it.

It sounds like overstimulation, he might only give a tail flick or two before he decides to use plainer "language".

You're "pissed off"? He's a cat, maybe try not taking it so personally?

I reckon your DD hasn't been taught the warning signs to look for when a cat has had enough stroking (although, tbf, sometimes there aren't any warning signs). Educate yourself, then her, then give the cat some space when required.

And FGS don't be tempted to take out your very human emotions on the cat.

Hiddenhome re - Many cats don't like to be touched. They're not like dogs. They will give a warning before lashing out - they usually flick their tail.

He is curiously quite like a dog! Very vocal, follows us round, very sociable, very different from our last cat! DD said no tail flick warning. She says she was touching his head and stroking him normally.

You can't blame the cat. Well it clearly isn't going to get me very far but I do blame the cat! I don't think my dd was hurting him or anything. We had only just come in the door. If she had done anything wrong I would blame her of course.

You only pet a cat if it's showing signs that it wants it. I can't really say what happened with dd, but the cat normally loves attention and seeks it out - this is why it is so strange. Like Jeckyl and Hide!

Fluffycloudland77 is there no way to train a cat not to bite? If he were a dog there would be a way to train him.

TenForward82 re You're "pissed off"? He's a cat, maybe try not taking it so personally? I don't know how to not take it personally. He is one of the family, we love him, feed him, care for him, and he bites my child on the inside of leg so she was really upset. I am not sure how I can't feel personal about it. If he were a dog this would be out of order, I just am not sure how to react to a cat doing it. I don't want to pet him now because I don't want to get bitten, and when friends come over I have to say "be careful of the cat he can nip/bite etc."

Re FGS don't be tempted to take out your very human emotions on the cat. He is a domestic pet not a wild animal. I didn't go and poke a grisley bear and expect a hug! He normally loves attention.

How am I taking out my human emotions on a cat? Because I don't want to be bitten? I think it is normal, when pets bite you want to avoid them. I've had lots of cats over the years but this one is the first to bite. He is normally really affectionate so it is just confusing,

For the moment we will just be cautious around him but I would love to know how they think!

PS I really do not want to sound ungrateful, and I am NOT ill treating our cat, but I love him, and I am not sure how to feel now about a cat I don't feel the kids are safe around. I am sure if it were any other pet people would understand but with cats it seems to be that you have to accept their odd little ways. And that seems weird because e understands how to get our attention, get food, get affection etc. He really is part of the family but in this area I feel a bit upset I don;t feel the kids can just play with him in case he keeps doing it (he has bitten me, dd and dh before).

Some cats bite, we have 15, some do and some don't. It can be an affectionate sign from them, unfortunately, and no, you can't train a cat like you can train a dog - if you've had lots of cats before then I'm surprised you haven't sussed that before, and that none have ever bitten

Thanks Costacoffeeplease I've certainly not had 15! We had three when I was growing up, the main two from age about 11 to 30 something. So they lived a long time. Then my parents had a cat who was very grumpy and hid under the bed etc and was very different from the first two. So I know they are all different. Then we had a lovely ginger boy who was not a biter but not as affectionate, and now this one who bites but is affectionate! I do kind of know you can't train them but I also kind of hope you can!!

Costacoffeeplease is that 15 all at once?

We've had 5 over my lifetime!

No, you can't train a cat not to bite.

You really do have to take them on their terms. It doesn't matter how much like a dog he is, he isn't a dog, he's a cat and they can be fickle and unpredictable. Cats need their space.

Thanks hiddenhome2.

Yes, we currently have 15 cats ages from 6/7 months to about 13/14, all rescues

15 cats? Wow.

Do all your cats get along Costa?

Most of the time

We don't live in the uk so quite a few of them are out most of the time, they have lots of little houses and hidey holes around the garden

We also have 2 dogs - up to last year we had 4

Oh boy. Look, I feed my cat, keep her healthy, keep her happy. She spends almost every spare minute by my side, whether she wants feeding or not. She follows me around the house constantly, sleeps on me, meows for me when she's in the other room and feeling lonely.

She also bites me or swipes at me occasionally. For starters, we have this game where I put my hand over her face and she gently gnaws the skin between my thumb and forefinger. But it's not always a game. Sometimes I'll be: stroking her, brushing her, just randomly putting my hand on her back, and any of one those can trigger a swipe or a bite.

Perfect example: this morning I gave her a kiss on the head goodbye before I headed out to work. She immediately gave a warning meow and swiped at me. I told her not to be so grumpy, situation done. She was instantly happy and purring again.

You know why she does these things? SHE'S A MOTHERFUCKING CAT. The ONLY way she can communicate "I've had enough" is by swiping her tail, flattening her ears, giving a warning "piss off" meow, swiping (with or without claws) or by biting. Cats have low patience. Cat's don't have the capacity to say "Oh, dear, would you mind ever so awfully maybe not stroking me?" They react instinctively. Does it mean they don't love you, don't appreciate you, don't want to be near you? NO IT BLOODY WELL DOESN'T. It means that, being a cat, they lost patience for a millisecond, reacted, and are now over it.

I had 3 cats growing up (now have 1, but have worked with rescue cats previously). When they used to swipe at me, I cried. Couldn't help it. Because I was a teenager. Now I've grown up and have the common sense to realise she's just being a cat. You're applying a human situation to a cat. This is not comparable to you sitting and quietly having a conversation with your DD, and her suddenly hauling off and smacking you one around the mouth. Cats are not the same as humans.

You really need to wrap your head around that. As the so-called more intelligent species, the onus is on you to learn to read a cat's body language, and teach your daughter accordingly. Yelling at the cat or punishing the cat won't make him stop because this stuff is instinctive for him.

For the record, when people come over and start stroking her head, I do say "Be careful, she likes to bite when you stroke her head". They get it, they're careful, they don't run screaming bloody murder out of my house. It's possible.

Sorry, posted too quick. One sentence should read "As the so-called more intelligent species, the onus is on us to learn to read a cat's body language, and for you teach your daughter accordingly."

I have had many cats and currently I have one who bites without any warning. I warn all visitors not to touch him. My DD (11) knows exactly what he is like and I suggest she just leaves him alone. Every so often she ignores me a and gets bitten, I am afraid I am unsympathetic and point out 'you know what he's like just leave him alone'.

My 8 yo male cat bites occasionally if the right-hand side of his face/neck are touched. He was a rescue cat, so we don't know if this relates to anything in his past.

He will also bite feet, arms etc that are sticking out of the bed!! I guess this is for attention, rather than aggression. I say "NO" in a stern voice and he stop.

Now that we know his triggers, we tend to avoid them and he is generally ok.