Luciano has started some new-ish behavior I'd like to correct & welcome all advice.
We live in a small apartment with wood floors. The hallways/stairs of the building are carpeted. For a while now, he likes going out into the hall & hanging out there. He sniffs around, especially down the hall where a dog lives & then positions himself near the staircase looking like he's ready to pounce. However, whenever a door unlocks or someone starts coming up or down the stairs, he runs back into my apartment. When someone is going out or returning from a walk with their dog, Luciano's tail is very thick when he comes back in. I try to let him out at times when I think there won't be much activity in the hallway.
When I'm getting ready in the morning, I've been letting him out for about 10 minutes. Before that, when I was ready to leave for the day & I unlocked & opened my front door, he would dart out & I'd have to try to lure him back into the apartment. Da mouse used to work, but no more. When I'm wearing pants & boots (to mid-shin), it didn't matter if he would swipe at my leg/foot and bite. He used to do that once, which to me was like an 'f-you' and then trot back into the apartment. Now he lays down in the hallway & doesn't want to move. If I try to nudge him with my shoe or my bag, he will move towards the door a few steps and then lie down on the carpet again, stretching & scratching it a bit.
Today I realized I really need to change this behavior. Even though I was wearing boots/pants, he swiped at me & tried to bite me every time he moved down the hall closer to our door. The first four times were painless, but I still did the "Ow!" letting him know that wasn't cool. The last time he went up higher on my leg & the bite really hurt. He broke the skin & it was bleeding a bit when I got to work & cleaned & dressed the wound.
Am I wrong in thinking this may be separation anxiety? Maybe he thinks it's a game? Should I never allow him in the hallway? Pick him up immediately if he goes out there & bring him back in?
We live in a small apartment with wood floors. The hallways/stairs of the building are carpeted. For a while now, he likes going out into the hall & hanging out there. He sniffs around, especially down the hall where a dog lives & then positions himself near the staircase looking like he's ready to pounce. However, whenever a door unlocks or someone starts coming up or down the stairs, he runs back into my apartment. When someone is going out or returning from a walk with their dog, Luciano's tail is very thick when he comes back in. I try to let him out at times when I think there won't be much activity in the hallway.
When I'm getting ready in the morning, I've been letting him out for about 10 minutes. Before that, when I was ready to leave for the day & I unlocked & opened my front door, he would dart out & I'd have to try to lure him back into the apartment. Da mouse used to work, but no more. When I'm wearing pants & boots (to mid-shin), it didn't matter if he would swipe at my leg/foot and bite. He used to do that once, which to me was like an 'f-you' and then trot back into the apartment. Now he lays down in the hallway & doesn't want to move. If I try to nudge him with my shoe or my bag, he will move towards the door a few steps and then lie down on the carpet again, stretching & scratching it a bit.
Today I realized I really need to change this behavior. Even though I was wearing boots/pants, he swiped at me & tried to bite me every time he moved down the hall closer to our door. The first four times were painless, but I still did the "Ow!" letting him know that wasn't cool. The last time he went up higher on my leg & the bite really hurt. He broke the skin & it was bleeding a bit when I got to work & cleaned & dressed the wound.
Am I wrong in thinking this may be separation anxiety? Maybe he thinks it's a game? Should I never allow him in the hallway? Pick him up immediately if he goes out there & bring him back in?
