[yellowdaisies]

We recently adopted a new cat. Her name is Katie and she turns a year old this month. She and our other cat, Spencer, who will be 2 in August, get along just fine. Katie is ALL kitten...she is SUPER playful and active. She loves cat toys, food, running around the house, etc. She can also be super purry and affectionate. She is just a great cat all around.

The problem is, she is a BITER! We never had this with Lily or Spencer, so we don't know what to do! She never bites hard enough to break the skin - they are "play bites" I guess - but it's driving us crazy! She mostly bites when she is very happy, purring, wanting us to pet her, then she bites. It's almost like she thinks they are "love bites" or something. The happier she is, the more she bites. We have tried saying "NO" sharply - that doesn't work. We have tried just walking away and completely ignoring her, but she just bites again the next time we're around her. It's so frustrating! Someone help please??

 

[rox&boys]

Funny, I was considering posting an almost identical topic... Kai does exactly the same thing. Once I left him go till he put a bit more pressure On then said ouch!!! No! And he did it a bit less to me after that for a day or 2 then the same again.

 

[Binkers]

You could try some "Bitter Apple", very safe, invented by a pharmacist as I recall. Bought some for my ferrets, and rarely needed to use it more than once. Pet store usually will carry it. GL B

 

[Cat'sHouse]

I don't know if this will help but it is kinda interesting anyway...the feral female cat we adopted was about a year old at the time we took her in. She adjusted well even tho our other three cats gave her the cold shoulder. I found out she liked belly rubs very much but then she had an intestinal blockage and the vet kept her overnight and she had about 5 enemas to get things moving again. All was well and we add Miralax or any stool softener to her food....But she still could take a nip at me especially if I got near her tail(think she remembered the enemas?) ...ok, I learned... Then one day she was on the newal post of our step and I put my face close and she reached out and grabbed me with both claws...OUCH! I said....and she let go...

after that I respected her space more and soon any biting stopped as long as I followed her rules.... I think showing love when she asked for it, feeding her, and in general being respectful must have reassured her that I wasn't like the family that turned her loose.

don't know if this helps or not. Maybe try a lotion on your hands that doesn't taste good? then let her bite?

 

[catloverami]

Try some lemon juice on your hands and fingers.....I doubt she'll like biting much after a taste of it. Most cats don't like citrus smell.

 

[yellowdaisies]

I'm not sure if putting something that tastes bad on our hands would work, because she doesn't usually really BITE - most of the time we move our hand/arm/whatever away before she does it. Should I do that and then let her bite my hand on purpose? She really does not bite hard; I kept my hand there once yesterday to see how far she'd go and she didn't come close to breaking the skin, she just stopped fairly quickly.

 

[jusjim]

It is, I think, as you suspect, love bites and somehow you need to show her you disapprove. Zenobi (RIP _ OTB) bit me when I first brought her home, but that was an anger bite. I was stroking her with the one hand and I think I moved the other one towards her. She may have mistaken that as an attempt to grab her. She was on the bed and jumped down with furious anger showing in her eyes. I offered her the other hand, knuckles first and the anger vanished.

After she bit me the second time I put on a sort of a pantomine. I showed my teeth, held up my arm and pretended to bite. Then I pointed at her and said, "You bite me." I did this about nine times, and she only bit me once after that, and then she looked kind of ashamed as if it were an accidental reaction.

Now I know this is not somethiing that will work for you, I only put it here in an attempt to show you how I communicated with her.

What about a very, very light tap on the nose with your other hand, and a 'no'. While still leaving your hand near her mouth, but not in it. The need is to communicate your disapproval without causing upset, if you get my meaning. It might take a while. Personally, I don't mind the love bites I get from Missy, but too much could get annoying.

 

[Kitty-The-Cat]

OK, my cat does this ...

When I first got her when she was a kitten (5-6 months old), I noticed she did this and I'd never had a cat who bit like that, so it seemed a bit odd. But it didn't take me long to figure out they were really "affection bites" - in general she's a very affectionate cat. So after a while I got used to it, and now I really don't mind. She does this thing where she likes to bite my neck - I can tell when she wants to do it and I stretch out my neck so she can reach up and give it her little love bite. It hurts a little but it's no big deal.

If a cat is doing something (relatively harmless) which is intended to show you affection, I don't see much point in trying to get the cat to stop it, even if it's a bit annoying. If you tell the cat in no uncertain terms that the behavior is unwelcome, will he/she think you're rejecting his/her affection? I don't know the answer to that, but in case the answer is 'yes' I wonder if it would do more harm than good to get the cat to stop it. It seems to me if you let the cat give you 'love bites,' it will help the bonding process and let the cat know you trust it (and vice-versa).

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Cat'sHouse]

I go with what catlover and I said....and you said, "she doesnt bite hard" or 'really bite" and what is a little nip on the hand or finger? I think the lemon might work....just keep a little handy and every once in awhile try it....Then wipe it off and give some reassurance and hugs.....might work.

 

[yellowdaisies]

Thanks everyone

 

[seattlecoon]

My new cat does the same. She is 2 1/2 and spent time caged in a cattery and I think she developed this habit then. Couldn't be a biter when you were a show cat so it had to be when she was caged with other queens. I stop playing with her as soon as she bites and say "ouch". This annoys her so maybe it will help with the biting. To early to say if this works yet but I avoid any kind of play that encourages biting. I put toys in place of my hands and fingers.