My cat bites

zephyr care

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Can anyone offer me some advice. My male cat, Cole is about seven months old. I adopted him from an animal shelter along with a five month old female, Mimi Rose.

Cole has this thing for biting. I am sure it is not aggressive but rather rough play. Never the less, I don't like it. I have tried sternly saying, no! He will stop then-but only for a few seconds, then he will start up again. I have also tried making a yelping sound in a high pitched voice- then ignore him. This seemed to do some good, however later he would start again.

Both cats are very active and are always playing together. I am trying to teach Cole that his playful biting with people is not acceptable. Again I say playful because I honestly think he is not trying to hurt me. If he wanted to he could really bear down on me. Also, there is the fact that he has never drawn blood.

Is this behavior something that he will grow out of ? I have had cats before and none of them ever acted in this manner. By the way, Cole also chews on bags etc.

Another thing I noticed that may or may not be a factor in all of this is that his upper teeth are very long and will sometimes stick out like fangs. The vet didn't seem too concerned about his teeth so I didn't worry much. However I am now wondering if it could be a cause of his biting.

Any suggestions offered would be very much appreciated. Thanks.
 

tulosai

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How do you play with him/have you tried redirection? Can you give an example of when this is likely to happen? This might be obvious but if you are playing with him using your hands you have to stop doing that.  If not/that seems very obvious to you, sorry but this is a mistake a lot of  people make.

Regardless, if you thin, he is doing this to play, one of the best things to try would be to have interactive toys in SEVERAL parts of the house where you can mostly reach one quickly if necessary (or to carry one with you). If he bites, immediately redirect him to the toy.

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If the loud yelp was working you could also go back to that if you'v stopped. When initially training a cat it's important to be as consistent as possible and do something every time. You could also try making another loud noise, like shaking a tin can full of coins,

I am sure others will be around with more suggestions! I am sorry you are going through this :/  An article that may apply to your situation is here:http://www.thecatsite.com/a/playtime-aggression
 
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zephyr care

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Thanks for your reply. Yes, I realize this- about me playing with him using my hands. I don't do that. When we play I usually do what he likes, which is to retrieve his mouse (his favorite toy) or his ball. They are both small and he likes to carry it in his mouth then place it down beside me. His play though is mostly with his sister, Mimi Rose. They are very active and always together.

Cole doesn't only bite when I am playing with him but also at other times, too. Sometimes he trys to bite when I go to pet him. There were times when I will be sitting on the sofa and he will come up on the back of it and bite my neck, or try and bite the temple piece of my glasses resting behind my ear. I would be unaware of him being there and then get startled. Then there are the good times when he wont bite. He is so lovable. He will cuddle near me and purr. He sometimes just sits content on my lap.

It is a good idea that you gave me about having a toy handy to redirect his attention. I will do this and also countinue with the high pitch yelp. My kids need to adjust to their new home, new life, each other, and me. I also need to adjust to them, too. They are still young and full of energy. For many years I had older cats- one for fifteen years and recently one that passed at seventeen. One thing is for certain Cole and Mimi Rose are both loved very much. Thanks much for you input.

 

2catlady

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Are you spending enough time with him playing with him?  I would think his coming up and biting you or trying to bite your neck are his attempts to get your attention.  He probably wants to play.  When you are playing with him and he bites you-- I had a cat that would do this-- and I would tap him on the nose with my finger and say NO Biting!  And I would leave him for a few minutes-- then resume play and if he bit me again-- I would again tap his nose and say firmly NO Biting and walk away.  You have to be consistent as with a child and never let him get away with biting.  I broke my cat of this habit by taking extra time to play with him and always scolding him promptly when he went to bite me and or just walking away from our play time if he did not heed my warning.  But it seems like maybe if you schedule enough play time with him and tire him out - he will be a calmer cat when you want him to be.
 
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