I have two cats, both calicos, and both female. Callie is about 10 years old, and Lulu is about 7. Callie is usually the more vicious, nasty one who has a bit of a temper sometimes and can go into "demon mode". However, she also loves attention and cuddling and hasn't been acting up lately (she's been a bit too needy these days actually).
Lulu on the other hand has always been a more independent cat. She often slinks down away from you if you try to pet her. She doesn't really make eye contact. She does come cuddle sometimes and purrs happily but not as often as Callie and not so needy about it. Even if a cat comes to the back door Callie will go ballistic while Lulu is more calm.
However, lately Lulu has been biting! I have started doing regular exercise routines in my living room. I have exercised in the living room in the past but not every day like I'm doing now. The first time she attacked, she did so in a lunging motion and bit my leg hard enough to draw blood. I actually thought maybe she just got scared of my leg movements and I stopped what I was doing and stopped exercising but she was still watching me and then flattened her ears down so I clapped in her face and she ran off. (Is this bad to do?)
Another day I saw her watching me and she looked like she was getting upset so I put her in the basement (the litter boxes, etc. are all down there so it's the only place I feel like I can put her with a door that she can still do her business). Then today she bit me again but I wasn't even exercising! I was between exercises just standing in the living room and she bit my leg again. I thought she was biting because my movements seemed aggressive or unknown to her, but I was just standing this time and she bit. Does she really hate my sweat pants that much?
I have been trying to diet her for quite awhile but it's been months since I started doing that so I'm not sure if that could be why she's in a testy mood? She always acts starving even though I feed her enough. She sometimes even bites the bottom of garbage bags and has been bad by getting up on the counters recently and biting on my bag of bread! But she's an overweight cat and I am dieting her but not at the extreme since I know a drastic change in food would be difficult to deal with.
Normally when I punish the cats I clap or make a loud sound and they go to the basement. Sometimes I will just physically pick them up and put them in the basement. However this is also where they go when no one is home. Should I be doing something else?
I've seen some other topics discussing reasons why cats bite but I'm not quite sure what category it falls under. Aggression? Play? (It certainly doesn't seem like play). She also hasn't seemed sick or injured at all.
I'm at a loss. Please help, give some advice, or even thoughts on why she is doing this?!
Lulu on the other hand has always been a more independent cat. She often slinks down away from you if you try to pet her. She doesn't really make eye contact. She does come cuddle sometimes and purrs happily but not as often as Callie and not so needy about it. Even if a cat comes to the back door Callie will go ballistic while Lulu is more calm.
However, lately Lulu has been biting! I have started doing regular exercise routines in my living room. I have exercised in the living room in the past but not every day like I'm doing now. The first time she attacked, she did so in a lunging motion and bit my leg hard enough to draw blood. I actually thought maybe she just got scared of my leg movements and I stopped what I was doing and stopped exercising but she was still watching me and then flattened her ears down so I clapped in her face and she ran off. (Is this bad to do?)
Another day I saw her watching me and she looked like she was getting upset so I put her in the basement (the litter boxes, etc. are all down there so it's the only place I feel like I can put her with a door that she can still do her business). Then today she bit me again but I wasn't even exercising! I was between exercises just standing in the living room and she bit my leg again. I thought she was biting because my movements seemed aggressive or unknown to her, but I was just standing this time and she bit. Does she really hate my sweat pants that much?
I have been trying to diet her for quite awhile but it's been months since I started doing that so I'm not sure if that could be why she's in a testy mood? She always acts starving even though I feed her enough. She sometimes even bites the bottom of garbage bags and has been bad by getting up on the counters recently and biting on my bag of bread! But she's an overweight cat and I am dieting her but not at the extreme since I know a drastic change in food would be difficult to deal with.
Normally when I punish the cats I clap or make a loud sound and they go to the basement. Sometimes I will just physically pick them up and put them in the basement. However this is also where they go when no one is home. Should I be doing something else?
I've seen some other topics discussing reasons why cats bite but I'm not quite sure what category it falls under. Aggression? Play? (It certainly doesn't seem like play). She also hasn't seemed sick or injured at all.
I'm at a loss. Please help, give some advice, or even thoughts on why she is doing this?!
