My cat bites me.

[StillMedusa]

NotourCat moved in a year ago, having lived as a street stray (fed by quite a few of us down our road) for years. He was in pitiful condition and it wasn't til he got really poorly that I was able to capture him, have him patched up, checked for a chip, neutered etc.

Eventually he became touchable and a year ago he just walked in one day and stayed! He's now fat (very very greedy, probably due to his life) glossy and ruling the house, beating up the dog etc.

He's affectionate now..loves a lap and a dressing gown to knead. BUT he will purr, cuddle..then attack without warning.
My arms are shreds and I spent Xmas on antibiotics after one bite went nasty scarily quickly. He's just spent 20 mins purring on my lap... then sank his teeth in and I have yet another bleeding arm!

I've had cats all my life, mostly gentle Maine Coons, and I have no idea what to do about NotourCat. I am moderately fond of him, and want to care for him, but I wish he'd stop terrorizing the poor dog (large, fluffy and a total wimp) and I REALLY would like him to stop savaging me. It's me he always comes to sit on, and me he bites. They aren't little bites...they are full hyperdermic needles of nastiness!

Any suggestions?!!

Any particular body part that triggers the attack?

My cat bites me. I’ve found NOT pulling my arm away helps. I leave it there and he doesn’t sink his teeth in, just holds my arm in his teeth. I think it’s showing affection.

I had 6 consecutive bites last night.

Ours is the same. We got her as a rescue aged 2 and she 9 now. She’s always been able to be stroked etc but does the same, on our lap watching telly happily for 20 mins or so then will turn and savage us. She carries on even when we have stopped stroking her and if we put her on the floor she’ll then go for our legs. She’ll stop if we push her away gently with a cushion, that’s the only thing that works and she’ll then walk off. It’s so odd as it’s always unprovoked. She goes for her ankles when she’s hungry but at least that makes sense and easily sorted!

We’ve got used to it over the years and she is a tiny cat bless her. She’d never attack a dog though as she’s very frightened of them and of small loud children. Wearing thick sleeved tops helps!

Retrievemysanity Notourcat is EXACTLY the same.. 20 mins, turn savage and try for any other exposed body part. I wonder if anything has happened to them in the past.. or whether (mine) is just a bit of an ass!

He has the cheek to come back 2 mins later and want my lap again while I'm still dabbing the bloody away...

I just wish there was a way of predicting it.. sometimes he's fine, but generally he attacks most days!

Stop trying to pet the belleh of doom xD

When he's sitting in your lap and you don't stroke him, does he still attack or is it when you have been stroking him? If it's the latter, he may just be getting fed up of the stroking. I'd let him sit in your lap but only stroke him literally a couple of times, then just leave him be. If you are both sitting quietly and he jumps up and attacks you, he's an arse and he'd get tipped off pronto with a loud "ow!".

@StillMedusa yes that sounds about right, comes back a bit later for more stroking and we’re like ‘do you like us or not’! She is better than she was. When we first got her, she’d go for our ankles if we came into the room at night when the lights were off or if I wore a onesie! She doesn’t bite for those now.

Our cat is like this, he's 14 now and has always been the same since we got him as a kitten. Over the years we've learned that he just doesn't really like being touched. So he kind of lives alongside us rather than being a loving pet. He wants for absolutely nothing and we adore him, we just needed to learn to have the relationship with him that he wanted.

We also have a dog, who is the absolute opposite and you couldn't find a more loving and cuddly boy. He absolutely knows that our cat is the boss though and wouldn't dare mess with him! They also have an understanding and get along remarkably well as a result!

Do you do the "only touch with permission" thing?

So, only ever stroke when he approaches you and asks for it.
And even then, only stroke once or twice, then stop.

A cat that wants more fuss will ask for it. So again, you can do a couple of strokes and stop.

If he's not actively asking for fuss, don't fuss him. Just let him do his own thing.

My friends cat is like this. When I go into her house he’s round my legs fussing so I stroke him. I sit down he comes up for a fuss so I do then out of nowhere he just goes nuts!

He’s like it with friend and her partner too and they’ve had him since he was a kitten.

I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s an abusive twat who like to draw you in before attacking.

I don’t know if this is the same for your cat? 😂