Cat Nips/Bites

[TardisDance]

I adopted a 1.5 year old male cat Monday night which I have named Kirby. We have a 4 year old resident cat named Sango. Introductions are going great and we have already started letting him out with Sango for an hour or two at a time. The first time she hissed and growled which is to be expected, but now he is able to sniff her face and she didn’t even smack him.

Here’s the problem. The fosters/volunteers warned that he has a tendency to nip when his back right side is touch. He was a stray that got mixed in a feral colony and was found with a bite wound on that side. He had surgery about a month and a half ago and they think he has some PTSD from it. That’s fine, we avoid that area. However, it seems to be more than that. He is super friendly and craves attention, goes on laps and rubs and everything. However, if you pet him for a bit too long, he nips. I warned our house guests, but alas, they got nipped by him when he was walking in their laps. I believe this is caused by over stimulation and the fact he doesn’t know us yet. We are now trying to give him 5 pets at most and stop.

There was an incident today when Sango was in my lap and he wanted on. I was a bit worried that this could cause a fight and I would be in the middle of it. So naturally I tried to push him a way, but he didn’t take well to that. He turned and took a nip at me and flipped on his back and went into attack mode. Immediately I disengaged and he calmed down.

Does anyone have suggestions on what I can do to stop the biting/nipping behavior?

The nip/biting is especially making my husband super nervous. He’s never been comfortable with cats on his lap to begin with (Sango’s always go in my lap anyway) and now he’s even worried about him going underneath him under the couch. He thinks that Kirby will attack him (doubt he would but still we don’t know this cat well yet).

 

[rubysmama]

Is the nipping/biting breaking the skin? Or just warnings to "back off". If breaking the skin, make sure you watch them, as bites can become infected quickly. Here's a TCS article with more info: Ouch! More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About Cat Bites – TheCatSite Articles

When he bites, make sure you say "owwww" preferably in a high pitched tone, as that is how another cat would let him know he's hurting them. Of course, if he's still sensitive on that part of his back, continue to avoid that area. And, if it continues to be sensitive to touch, maybe mention it to your vet.

Also, try not to show nervousness around him, as cats can pick up on our feelings, and sometimes if we're tense, they may become tense as well.

Here's a couple more TCS articles, these ones on cats and aggression. Hopefully you'll be able to "nip it in the bud" so to speak, and he'll become a lovable snuggle bug.

Cat Aggression Toward People – TheCatSite Articles
Why Do Cats Attack? – TheCatSite Articles
How To Stop Playtime Aggression In Cats – TheCatSite Articles

It sounds like the introduction between Kirby and Sango are going well. However, I'll also post the How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide | TheCatSite article in case you want to scan it for tips.

 

[TardisDance]

It’s really just a nip, but I’m a little freaked out by it because it’s new to me. I can pet Sango for hours on my lap and she loves every second of it. I’ll try to say “owww!” next time to Kirby.

Kirby has a wellness visit coming up later this month (I wish I could get sooner, but my vet is booked solid for the next 3 weeks. Good idea to ask about his back leg - hopefully it healed up correctly and this is just behavioral.

Sango is not perfect by any means, she turns into a banshee with nail trims or vet visits (I found trimming her nails while she sleeps works perfectly). It‘s just getting used to this new cat’s personality. My husband is trying to get over the fear and agreed that we need to be positive around him. We took him out again and stayed calm and Kirby just slept on a window perch while Sango slept on the couch nearby. There’s some hissing at the door of Kirby’s room but not major.

 

[rubysmama]

Saying "owwww", or even just "no", anything to let him know that biting is bad, should hopefully help.

As for the hissing at Kirby's door, that's totally normal. It's very rare for a new cat and resident cat to hit it off immediately.

 

[TardisDance]

As for the hissing at Kirby's door, that's totally normal. It's very rare for a new cat and resident cat to hit it off immediately.

I've actually been surprised how okay Sango is with him sniffing her right in her face. I would have totally smacked him if I were a cat LOL