I Have More Trust Issues Than This Feral..

[shadowsrescue]

I tried nail caps. What a nightmare. They were horrible to get on and if they didn't fall off in 6 weeks, you had to get them off. Not fun at all. My boy hated them and I would find all of my hard work getting them on him all over the house!

Just provide lots of different type of scratchers. I wouldn't worry too much about bringing in other scratchers. If they are cardboard, you could throw them away if needed, but if they are sisal or carpet, you could give them a good spray with lysol and allow them to dry out in the sun.

 

[Buffster7]

I just went in to feed Finn lunch and got bitten again. I sat with him for more than hour this morning after breakfast, we had a nice playtime, gave him lots of cuddles etc.

There was no provocation just now and I wasn't touching him. I don't even recall what was happening in the moment before he bit me, it was so sudden. He had finished his meal and joined me on the bed. My head was turned and we were not touching, so it wasn't a stimulation thing. He just approached me and bit my arm for no reason. So it wasn't an affection thing. I was so shocked, there were a few seconds of silence before I hissed. My hiss scared him; he jumped back.

This biting is a real problem for me. I'm not an experienced cat person nor do I have experience in rehabilitating cats. If he is biting me, his food source, with no provocation, then what might he do to Charlie, his potential competition? I've read that cats may have skirmishes but that they don't usually injure each other. I don't know what this behavior is, but I don't trust it, and I am not going to have time to attempt to rehabilitate a cat once school starts. If he so much as lays a tooth on Charlie, it will be over for me. I will give him time to adjust, all the time he needs in this room, but if the biting issue doesn't resolve I cannot attempt to integrate him with Charlie.

Right now I have 3 separate bite marks on my neck and two on my arms, and these are just the ones that left marks. I'm feeling very disheartened at the moment.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Remember that his hormones are still shutting down. He has only been with you since Monday. Who knows how long he had been living outside and having to search for food. Inside living and having someone who loves him is all new to him.

Have you tried to play with him with a wand toy? This would still be giving him attention, yet keeping your hands at bay.

Remember one step at a time.

 

[Buffster7]

Remember that his hormones are still shutting down. He has only been with you since Monday. Who knows how long he had been living outside and having to search for food. Inside living and having someone who loves him is all new to him.

Have you tried to play with him with a wand toy? This would still be giving him attention, yet keeping your hands at bay.

Remember one step at a time.

Thank you, I was just thinking the same thing, that hormones could be factoring in. I'm pray that it's more hormonal than behavioral, and that this issue resolves. I do wonder if this is not the reason he was homeless; if perhaps the people who had him did not know how to deal with this or hit him, and that is why he is so terrified of hands. He is a strange, wild little thing with all of his hissing and unpredictable behavior. Will see what the next few weeks hold..

 

[Feral Mom]

OH, Buffster7 ,
I am sorry to hear you say you are feeling disheartened at this moment. I hope that feeling passes.
I do not know much on how to get cats to stop biting, but I feel Little Finn there has not yet had much time to fully learn how to only bite gently.
But I say, HAVE HOPE, it has not yet been much time,
all of mine were always able to Eventually learn how to stop biting, or only bite gently, because we DID loudly squeal and protest when bit.

Moki loves to hide and jump out and "attack" our calves when we go by, and honestly, it is a surprise,
and Moke loves this game.

When Moki first invented his game of Grab that Leg, he scratched and or bit too hard, and We sure did squeal LOUDLY !! and Moki was able to decipher "Ohhh, that noise from these big creatures means they do NOT like my biting... ah HA!"

I say have hope. I am sure others who are smarter than me will be by with instructions to try. Hang in there. Get some rest for Yourself, too.
I may be misinterpreting your post, but i sure do hope you would reconsider getting rid of any cat based on one(1) fight, especially in the early days once these 2 cats do qualify to be introduced.
I think good times lie ahead for both cats as good lifelong buddies. I really mean that. HANG IN THERE!

Re: scratching furniture, i have had great luck with no furniture damage. My method is this:

I apply double-sided tape to any and all furniture, draperies, whatEver or whereEver i do not want my cat,
and the cat loathes the feeling of the double sided tape on his paws. No harm comes, his paws are fine, he just hates the Feeling of tape on his paws.


This tape has not left any stain or stickiness on any fabric or surface, never. When i remove it later, you can not tell there was ever any tape there.

Cat quickly learns it once and for all,
and soon enough, i can remove the tape. The cat seems unaware the tape is gone, and avoids the item forever after.
Well, Once, my cat DID re-approach a previously taped item, and i did have to re-apply tape to that item, for a few weeks, and then, cat remembered that he hates tape. I removed the tape later and cat never touched that area again.

I wonder, if you came in after announcing yourself,
and played with Finn with THIS

prior to touching him or feeding him,
I wonder if that would be helpful? and then let him relax again after play session.
Hopefully, it would not make him worse by having him overthreshold.
but, possibly, worth a try??
My cat still bites me if i touch his stomach. I have never worked on that, I just avoid his stomach.

HANG IN THERE!!!

 

[Buffster7]

One more funny tidbit to add. This happened after he bit me. He went to use the litterbox and of course still has runny stools from his antibiotics. He was going quite a bit and it was running down toward his feet. Last night this happened and he got it all over his feet and tracked it all over the bed, so I had to change the bedding and get him cleaned up. So when I saw it running toward his feet again, I reached down and covered it up up with litter to stop it. Well, it was effective and didn't reach his feet, but you should have seen the look on his face...if a cat could have an incredulous look, he had it.

 

[Feral Mom]

also, my cats favorite scratch item, is a very rough, strawtype of material, welcome mat.
My cat ignores all of the traditional cat scratch toys or boards.
but, he sure does love a really rough, tough, welcome mat. Go figure.
I do not even know what type of material it is, it is that kind that is so so rough, you would not want to stand on it barefoot.

 

[walli]

The wand toy shadows rescue mentioned could be very important, he may need some serious playing, I can see my Joey walking around a certain way and know he needs to play, I get him running around to burn off his energy, (he is high energy tho) and when he starts kicking the toy like he's killing it and and drags it off like he's going to eat it, that's when I give him a treat. It completes the cycle of Hunt, Catch, Kill, Eat
shadowsrescue has a better explanation for this and Jackson Galaxy talks about this too.

He may not be feeling well enough for this yet but it's a great tool to have.

 

[walli]

Just found this link it's pretty good, there are a lot of topics if you scroll to the bottom of the page
How to Train a Cat to Stop Biting | Cat Training and Behavior

 

[shadowsrescue]

As W walli mentioned, the Hunt, Catch, Kill, Eat, Groom, Sleep philosophy is a good one. Basically you play with the cat so that he can hunt, catch and kill his toy. This is done with a great wand toy like the da bird or cat dancer. You will want to get him moving. Ideally you work up to a 10-20 minute play session. This helps to burn some of the energy he has inside. After the play session, the important part is the "Eat". You want to give your cat a special small meal or special treat. Make it something delicious. Cats in the wild, hunt, catch and kill their prey and then get the satisfaction of eating it. Finn needs the same!

After eating, most cats ill groom themselves and then take a nap. You can facilitate this with a brush as long as it doesn't overstimulate him. I often leave that job to the cats!

 

[FarmersWife24]

Thank you ladies so much. I am figuring out that his bites always come in the mornings. I think it's both an excitement and a calibration thing; just not knowing how much pressure to exert. Charlie always gives me little love nibbles on my hands when we wake up in the mornings..he 'loves me awake' with purrs, nibbles, and snuggles.

When I took Finn's breakfast in to him this morning, he was so excited to see me, desperate for attention. It didn't take long for the bite to come, but I was ready for it and corrected him before he could really latch on, and he released. After that, no more bites, but I also was moderating how much I touched him.

Last night he had liquid stools, felt warm to the touch, and was obviously not feeling very well. Very lethargic and out of it, so I just sat with him while he napped in my arms:

This one made me laugh. Looks like me in social situations:

This morning he's feeling much better!
He started to use the headboard as a scratching post and I immediately put a cardboard scratching post on the bed, and he used it instead. The furniture the guest bedroom is cheap so I'm not as worried about it, but was relieved to see how quickly he could be redirected!

Okay, straight talk here ladies. How many of you have cats that you've successfully trained not to scratch the furniture? Is that pretty much a losing battle? What are your thoughts on nail caps? Lastly, since he's got an unknown URI, should I wait to bring another cardboard scratcher in there until the virus is gone? Can the virus nest in the cardboard and reappear in my house?

For the scratching, I read somewhere that first you need to look at whether your cat is a vertical or a horizontal scratcher. Then, look at texture — sisal, carpet, wood...? My feral always wanted to scratch on the carpeted steps but then when I showed him the cat tree with sisal rope, that became his #1 choice. I also keep his claws trimmed and that seems to help. I’m not able to clip them but my vet does it for $12, which to me is worth it. if you have friends with cats, chances are that they have toys, scratchers, or whatever that they tried that their cats don’t like. My friend and I swap those kinds of things because, let’s face it: experimenting to find what kitty prefers is expensive! Scratching on furniture and things is a behavior that you can successfully deal with (according to Jackson Galaxy).

 

[FarmersWife24]

Aside from all he is going through, He is in heaven with a warm bed and love,
almost brings me to tears how safe he must be feeling!
He has a good life ahead of him!

I had to figure out the scratching with Walli the Feral, figured out she is a vertical scratcher, she needs things vertical to scratch on, so I made a vertical Cedar post and put it in her Catio and she uses it! she was using the catio.
I guess some cats like it on the ground and some up.

Knowing Finn He is going to catch on when you teach him!
Not sure about nail caps, too much?

I actually scratched on my cat’s post to show him how to use it. I must have looked like a crazy person but it worked.

 

[Buffster7]

OH, Buffster7 ,
I am sorry to hear you say you are feeling disheartened at this moment. I hope that feeling passes.
I do not know much on how to get cats to stop biting, but I feel Little Finn there has not yet had much time to fully learn how to only bite gently.
But I say, HAVE HOPE, it has not yet been much time,
all of mine were always able to Eventually learn how to stop biting, or only bite gently, because we DID loudly squeal and protest when bit.

Moki loves to hide and jump out and "attack" our calves when we go by, and honestly, it is a surprise,
and Moke loves this game.

When Moki first invented his game of Grab that Leg, he scratched and or bit too hard, and We sure did squeal LOUDLY !! and Moki was able to decipher "Ohhh, that noise from these big creatures means they do NOT like my biting... ah HA!"

I say have hope. I am sure others who are smarter than me will be by with instructions to try. Hang in there. Get some rest for Yourself, too.
I may be misinterpreting your post, but i sure do hope you would reconsider getting rid of any cat based on one(1) fight, especially in the early days once these 2 cats do qualify to be introduced.
I think good times lie ahead for both cats as good lifelong buddies. I really mean that. HANG IN THERE!

Re: scratching furniture, i have had great luck with no furniture damage. My method is this:

I apply double-sided tape to any and all furniture, draperies, whatEver or whereEver i do not want my cat,
and the cat loathes the feeling of the double sided tape on his paws. No harm comes, his paws are fine, he just hates the Feeling of tape on his paws.


This tape has not left any stain or stickiness on any fabric or surface, never. When i remove it later, you can not tell there was ever any tape there.

Cat quickly learns it once and for all,
and soon enough, i can remove the tape. The cat seems unaware the tape is gone, and avoids the item forever after.
Well, Once, my cat DID re-approach a previously taped item, and i did have to re-apply tape to that item, for a few weeks, and then, cat remembered that he hates tape. I removed the tape later and cat never touched that area again.

I wonder, if you came in after announcing yourself,
and played with Finn with THIS

prior to touching him or feeding him,
I wonder if that would be helpful? and then let him relax again after play session.
Hopefully, it would not make him worse by having him overthreshold.
but, possibly, worth a try??
My cat still bites me if i touch his stomach. I have never worked on that, I just avoid his stomach.

HANG IN THERE!!!

Ah, Charlie sure loves his cat dancer! I have another ordered for Finn and it's going to be here tomorrow. I know he's going to be going stir crazy in here after being king of the jungle out there for most of his life. I've tried the laser pointer with him, and he looks at me like, "What, you think Ima fall for that quackery?" No interest. He loves the wand, and ignores all the other toys I've brought in here for him. We played with the wand this morning, but the space in this room is limited, so not much room to chase. We just had another play session with it and I just kept it up until he lost interest. He's afraid of his cage and not really using the cat tree at all. Maybe I need to find some toys that dangle.

Thanks for the tip on the double-sided tape! I've got a couple rolls here that I should get started on applying because I imagine that's time consuming. Better do it now while I have time. I'm encouraged that you have had good luck with your furniture! I will remain hopeful in that aspect.

I'm afraid you didn't misinterpret my post. I expect hisses and swats during introductions. Maybe a tussle. But if Finn inflicts wounds on Charlie by being vicious, I honestly don't think I could get past that. If I didn't have Charlie, I would have no qualms with working with a behavioral issue, but I'm not going to bring another cat into the house and make Charlie's existence a living nightmare - he's fearful enough. We are not there yet, so I won't put energy there now. But I'm reading an exploring all of your tips and will do everything in my power to avoid ever being there. This is Charlie at this very moment - this is the life I've given him and that he's now accustomed to:

His life may change with another addition, but his safety should not.
But with implementing the tips you guys are giving me, some patience and a lot of prayer, I do think Finn will get there.

 

[Buffster7]

For the scratching, I read somewhere that first you need to look at whether your cat is a vertical or a horizontal scratcher. Then, look at texture — sisal, carpet, wood...? My feral always wanted to scratch on the carpeted steps but then when I showed him the cat tree with sisal rope, that became his #1 choice. I also keep his claws trimmed and that seems to help. I’m not able to clip them but my vet does it for $12, which to me is worth it. if you have friends with cats, chances are that they have toys, scratchers, or whatever that they tried that their cats don’t like. My friend and I swap those kinds of things because, let’s face it: experimenting to find what kitty prefers is expensive! Scratching on furniture and things is a behavior that you can successfully deal with (according to Jackson Galaxy).

So far I've been lucky in that he's scratched both cardboard and carpet scratchers - the only one he has yet to scratch is the sisal! I do think I need to get him a taller upright scratcher.

I have hopes that I'll eventually be able to trim his claws myself. He lets me play with his feet already - that's a good thing, right?

 

[walli]

Me too!
Charlies cute!

 

[Buffster7]

As W walli mentioned, the Hunt, Catch, Kill, Eat, Groom, Sleep philosophy is a good one. Basically you play with the cat so that he can hunt, catch and kill his toy. This is done with a great wand toy like the da bird or cat dancer. You will want to get him moving. Ideally you work up to a 10-20 minute play session. This helps to burn some of the energy he has inside. After the play session, the important part is the "Eat". You want to give your cat a special small meal or special treat. Make it something delicious. Cats in the wild, hunt, catch and kill their prey and then get the satisfaction of eating it. Finn needs the same!

After eating, most cats ill groom themselves and then take a nap. You can facilitate this with a brush as long as it doesn't overstimulate him. I often leave that job to the cats!

Well, I completely left out the "eat" portion of playtime! Noted! I will do this with next play session. I'll try to keep him busy for longer. He lost interest today after about 10 mins, but I need a new chaser toy in there. The Composure Liquid arrived today, so hopefully that might help him a bit, too.

 

[Avery]

I have two scratching posts that my cats really like and use although they are on the expensive side. It is called the SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post and is available on Amazon and Chewy for the same price with TONS of reviews on both sites. It is also reviewed on The Cat Site! I'll try to provide a link: SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post

 

[rubysmama]

Okay, straight talk here ladies. How many of you have cats that you've successfully trained not to scratch the furniture? Is that pretty much a losing battle?

Not me. I currently have aluminum foil over the tops of my sofa and loveseat, as Ruby was in the habit of running into the living room, leaping up on top of the sofa or loveseat, and proceeding to scratch. Foil probably looks ridiculous, but it does deter her. However, it's been there for months, and one day I was cleaning behind the sofa and the foil fell off, and guess who was instantly up scratching? Looks like the foil is going to be part of my decor forever.

She does have scratchers, btw. And this is the one she likes the best: Whisker City® Cat Scratching Post | cat Scratchers | PetSmart

I just went in to feed Finn lunch and got bitten again.

Oh, no.

Right now I have 3 separate bite marks on my neck and two on my arms, and these are just the ones that left marks. I'm feeling very disheartened at the moment.

Have all those bites broken the skin? As lovable as he is, if it were me, I think I'd refrain from lying beside Finn while he is unpredictable with his biting, to protect your face and neck. And I'd probably wear long sleeves/pants when I went into his room, just to put something between him and my bare skin. But still visit with him, of course. And play with him. And if he does bite, try to yelp "owwwww" loudly.

 

[Buffster7]

I have two scratching posts that my cats really like and use although they are on the expensive side. It is called the SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post and is available on Amazon and Chewy for the same price with TONS of reviews on both sites. It is also reviewed on The Cat Site! I'll try to provide a link: SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post

I love that post, and something tells me Finn would, too! Thank you! Since he was outdoors, I'm pretty sure his scratchers were vertical; fences, trees, etc. This one looks like a keeper, and should last a long time!

 

[Buffster7]

Have all those bites broken the skin? As lovable as he is, if it were me, I think I'd refrain from lying beside Finn while he is unpredictable with his biting, to protect your face and neck. And I'd probably wear long sleeves/pants when I went into his room, just to put something between him and my bare skin. But still visit with him, of course. And play with him. And if he does bite, try to yelp "owwwww" loudly.

The last two have broken the skin; the others have just left raised and red scratches, similar to claw scratches. Now why didn't I think of long sleeves?!? That's brilliant! I've been protecting my neck from him, tucking my chin - he makes me very nervous with his lunging. But the arms...definitely wearing long sleeves when I go in there next! Thank you!

Have you tried the double-stick tape for your furniture? I think I'll give that a try since it'll be a little less evident than foil - will let you know how it goes, fingers crossed!