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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

BITING

11 replies

mrssunshinexxx · 01/11/2018 07:09

Anyone else's cat bite far too often and I mean a hard grab hold of you bite like they hate you?! If so what do you do to stop it

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YesItsMeIDontCare · 01/11/2018 07:15

What are the circumstances? Is he biting while you fuss him or launching an attack as you walk past?

mrssunshinexxx · 01/11/2018 07:25

Both! 😫 nothing wrong with his teeth has a regular vet check goes outside so not bored

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Wolfiefan · 01/11/2018 07:26

One of mine bites if you displease her or fuss her a moment too long!

YesItsMeIDontCare · 01/11/2018 08:05

He could still be bored to be honest. A cat outside is a cat doing proper serious grown up cat things (I dread to think), but inside with their staff they're big kittens who want to do kitten things. Anything interactive is good - you can buy wand style toys but a piece of string or ribbon will do just as well. We also have a Bolt Laser for expending energy.

If it's when he's being fussed they can go from loving it to overstimulated in 0.1 seconds! That really is a case of reading his body language and stopping at the right time.

I currently have very few scars compared to this time last year so it must be working!!!

mrssunshinexxx · 01/11/2018 08:30

Oh gosh he does have toys and gets played with inside too! Maybe it's over stroking which makes me sad I love cuddling with him but obviously he is not feeling the same so will have to stop thanks guys

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YesItsMeIDontCare · 01/11/2018 08:39

You can still cuddle! I get cuddles off my chap, I just have to watch carefully and give him the opportunity to leave if he needs to.

(Sometimes I get it wrong and I get a bite for carrying on, sometimes I get it wrong and I get a bite for stopping. 🙄)

BITING
mrssunshinexxx · 01/11/2018 09:08

That made me smile :)

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starsmurf · 01/11/2018 22:54

You could try getting a couple of books by Vicky Halls, who is one of the UK's top cat behaviourists. Cat Detective and Cat Confidential are probably best. She writes about cats biting and stalking their owners and you may be able to work out what's wrong with your cat. Remember that it isn't your fault, it's just having to learn to understand your cat's particular "language".

However, from the studies I've done in cat behaviour, they always say that biting, especially serious biting is one situation where an experienced professional behaviourist is necessary. If the bites your cat gives you are more than skin deep, or if you've needed antibiotics for an infected bite then it's serious biting. If you can afford it, I'd strongly recommend asking your vet for a referral to an animal behaviourist specialising in cats. Many pet insurers cover this, if your cat is insured you could check the policy.

Your cat will need to be referred by the vet, as that's the only way a properly qualified behaviourist will accept patients. That's because they need to know that the problems aren't caused by a physical illness or pain. Cats are stoics and sometimes the only sign that there's a problem is behaviour. In your case, it doesn't sound as if that's the problem but it needs to be ruled out.

To give you hope that things can change, here's a story from my cat behaviour course. It was an amazing excerpt from a TV programme featuring a cat that was attacking his owner with very deep bites. Top marks to the owner, she'd adopted the cat from the RSPCA about a year earlier and despite being covered in awful scars, she said it wasn't like buying a faulty TV, she loved him and wouldn't send him back. The cat had a known problem with crystals blocking the urethra. The vet said it had come to the point where the owner either had to have the cat PTS or have his male member amputated. The owner chose surgery.

The day after the operation, this very aggressive cat was on the vet's lap, purring and padding. 24 hours earlier, even experienced vet nurses were struggling to handle that cat, they couldn't even open the cage, but here was the vet sitting in the cage with this cat on his lap. A follow up with the owner four weeks later showed that the cat was now a total cuddlebug. He'd just been in so much pain he was terrified of everyone. Once his pain was gone, he showed his true cuddly nature.

mrssunshinexxx · 07/11/2018 07:20

Aw thanks I will definitely start but ordering those books!

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Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 07/11/2018 09:13

Basil is quite bitey in the morning. You just point at him and he lunges for your finger - and he is VERY quick. It hurts when he gets you (but we still do it because it makes us laugh..)

BlooperReel · 07/11/2018 09:58

I get a nip off girl kitten if I stop stroking, or stroke her in the wrong way.... you basically need to be psychic.

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