Clyde Bites When Picked Up

[ArtNJ]

My cat Clyde likes me quite a bit and doesn't mind being picked up. He was born in a foster home and handled when young, and he always tolerated it even if he didn't usually purr. Purring is when he comes on the lap.

Anyway, somewhere along the way, he somehow decided that if you pick him up, your hand is a scratching toy. He isn't generally a biter, as long as you avoid rubbing the belly and that sort of thing. I am good with the shoulder carry, works great with most cats, but I can't even get to that because he goes for the submission hold on the hand/arm immediately. Its not an angry don't pick me up thing at all, its play, but it hurts.

As far as I know, there is nothing I can do but say No, which doesn't phase him (can't get too loud, can't scare him when I'm holding him), don't move my hand, wait till he calms down, then keep holding him and talking to him. But its painful and I don't see progress.

I think I just have to give up picking him up entirely. Unless anyone has some clever technique to try?

 

[abyeb]

I think it sounds like a bit of playtime aggression, like Clyde thinks now that when you're picking him up, it's time to roughhouse. There are some steps you can take to reduce this. I'll attach an article that explains how in detail: How To Stop Playtime Aggression In Cats

 

[CatsAreTheBest]

My cat use to do that too sometimes. Try ignoring him for 5 minutes after he bites. Also how old is he? It seems like he is young. This works better for kittens than adult cats that don’t care.

 

[Brian007]

What's a "shoulder carry"?

I'd just leave him on the ground for a while and gently try picking him up at a later date. Some cats simply don't like being picked up and if he doesn't need to be, I wouldn't. And cats can spontaneously decide they do or don't like something, especially when young adults. You could check back in with his pick-up-ability now and again to see if he changes his mind but I wouldn't stress him out about it.

It sounds as though he likes sitting on your lap though. Enjoy that closeness with him instead. Not every cat likes sitting on laps.

But when you do need to pick him up, gently hold him to your chest, with his back legs supported at all times.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

When I pick my cat Milly up to swung her over onto my shoulder, I use both hands and gently, securely wrap them around the barrel of her rib cage & then lift. I don't even try putting a hand near her belly area during the pick-up. The closer I move to her belly or back legs during the pick-up and subsequent swing over to my shoulder, the more chance she will double up and just attack my hands or wrists.

 

[ArtNJ]

When I pick my cat Milly up to swung her over onto my shoulder, I use both hands and gently, securely wrap them around the barrel of her rib cage & then lift. I don't even try putting a hand near her belly area during the pick-up. The closer I move to her belly or back legs during the pick-up and subsequent swing over to my shoulder, the more chance she will double up and just attack my hands or wrists.

Maybe that is it, but I don't think so. I always try to position my hands up just under the front legs with another behind the butt, and then putt the front legs over my shoulder if they want, with the hand under the butt. I do have to be extra careful though, Clyde is only 7.4 lbs or so and long, so has no padding if picked up wrong.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

lol, I think we are nerdy wonks with this picking up topic! Milly's butt ends up in the crook of my bent left arm, as she drapes over my right shoulder. She on the lean side like yours, so it's like dealing with a wriggling feline if things go "wrong".

 

[rubysmama]

Some cats just don't like to be picked up, and my adopted girl, Ruby, is one of them. She is a snuggle bug, and will nap on my lap, and sleeps right up beside me at night, but HATES being picked up or restrained in any way.

I've basically accepted it as part of her personality, or perhaps a reaction to something that happened to her before I adopted her. I do occasionally pick her up, just to "test the waters" so to speak, and sometimes I can hold her for 10 or 15 seconds before she starts wiggling and squirming, but I know she is simply putting up with it, not enjoying it, so I don't push it.

So I don't have any suggestions for you regarding your Clyde, but I can commiserate. And I guess we should be happy that we at least we have lap cats.

 

[ArtNJ]

Thanks all. I'm pretty sure Clyde doesn't actually mind. For example, he used to give a little chirp if you pick him up wrong and get some of the belly. Now he just thinks being picked up in any fashion is a cue to play rough. I like Pushpurr's idea of adjusting my carry in theory, but it really seems like he just contorts to get the access he wants so he can go to town on the hand and arm! I dunno, I think I'll give up on this for a bit, he is only 2 1/2 and maybe he'll just grow out of it.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Well, I just know that if Milly has any muscles tweaking her or a leg that's in pain (she's spent a year and a half recovering from leg surgeries), she will bite me if she feels pain when I pick her up. I just leave her alone then. So, the other thing you just might want to double check is if Clyde has any pain/possible injuries anywhere. That's probably less likely, though, for most people, and so he just might be Fiesty Clyde.