Cat biting after moving to a new home

[kutubira]

Hi,

So I and Sakiz were getting along pretty great. Then I had to move.

In this new apartment, I have a roommate who will be gone in 2 weeks. So, I'm going to settle in fully after he's gone. Sakiz and I are staying in a small room, and because the other guy thinks a cat would know not to go outside when the door is open, or not to hit breakable things and to go to her room when you say "Go to your room", I have to stay in the same room for some other reasons. 

I think it was the third day of our stay at our new small room, she attacked my hands. This was not the playful bite, or a warning bite. She just wanted my hands to die. I have many scars on my hands now. 

This behavior is unpredictable. Most of the time, she just plays around me, sits on my lap, lies on the bed with me and sometimes just stares at me. But, it's like something triggers her and she suddenly gets alerted and attacks my hands. One time, I was not aware that she was hunting my hand (I was studying) and when she bit, I pulled my hand and it looked like I hit her. And I think it was hard

But this did not change the behavior for the bad. I was thinking she'd increase biting, but no. She still did it in the same amount.

I think this is because she doesn't get the play time she used to get before we moved in, but I'm not sure about it. 

I tried to blow air on her face when she bit, act (and sometimes not) like it hurt bad, put her into her carrier bag. Nothing helped so far. This is getting a bigger and bigger issue, because I'm starting to get angry, and I think she feels or soon will feel this, and this thing might get to a whole new level, which wouldn't be nice for any of us. 

 

[p3 and the king]

Cats do not like change.  And a change like this, she is upset, stressed, and angry.  Not particularly at you.  But, cats have a tendency to misdirect aggression at whatever is nearest to them.  So she can't lash out at what she is really angry at, so she lashes out at you.  Is it possible this roommate has been unkind to her or hurt her in some way?  I say this because he kind of sounds like someone who has no real understanding of cats, and usually people like this are people who unreasonably do not like and even hate cats.  These people tend to be unkind and even borderline abusive.  It could be when you are not around.  Is there anyway you can survey the situation?  Set up a camera somehow? 

You can try feliway diffusers or the calming collar.  Many have good luck with these.  Try to play more with her, too.  Just try to be understanding and make this transition as easy as possible for her.  "Punishing" her is not a good idea.  Cats do not view punishment as we do.  And do not respond favorably to it.  When she starts her attack, say a firm "NO" and leave the room.  Try to leave her be for awhile.  Cats sometimes need a time out.  The fact that you are in a small room with her could be stressing her out even more.  She feels she has no personal space.  I know it's not your fault.  But, just try to make it as pleasant as possible and give each other space during the next two weeks. 

 

[kutubira]

Thank you.

The aggression is not towards me, she's just reflecting it to me, I can see that. Because she wants to spend time with me and bite my hands at the same time. 

Sometimes she's uncomfortable and looks like she's watching me just to see what I'm up to, so that she can be away from the dangers I'm preparing for her. But most of the time, she just wants to be close to me. 

About the guy, that can't be, because what you're suspecting is why I'm locking my door when I leave the room. Even for 1 minute.

She's adjusting to this situation, she's getting better. But another drastic change will happen when my temporary roommate leaves. She'll get more space, and her own room, with places to hide and/or watch her prey from. But the whole decoration is going to change. 

 

[kutubira]

UPDATE:

We moved to a bigger room, I decorated it just like the room I lived in in the previous house. Unfortunately, the other guy is here for another week, so she has to stay here for 1 week, no other rooms. Good news is, this room is twice the other room in size. Most of my stuff are in here, so she has places to hide, to play and to stare at. 

20141109_101807.jpg

• kutubira
• Nov 9, 2014

She went back to play bites and sometimes warning bites. The acts of aggression decreased. Of course, environment noise sometimes makes her stressful again, I'll have to deal with this until she gets used to it I guess.

When she bit me (Thank God she never bit hard enough to bleed me, but there are scratches), I screamed, rubbed my hand and turned the other way. She walked around a little, then came to apologize (licking the same spot she bit), and sometimes she bit the other hand lol. I was afraid that this situation would change our relationship for the worse, but this went better than expected so far.