OLD CAT KEEPS BITING ME!

[taraconnor777]

OK, I'M OLD,73 and my cat is at least ten or more years old.We have a lot of stress.Bella comes over,while I'm on computer then she bites me.Or after I give her treats she glares at me and bites me.I say,"NO BITING!"and slap her.Am I not paying enough attention? Our lives are really stressed out.out in the world and so isolated in a couple rooms.STRESS, I'm not all that well(.I have Medicare and there's no therapy on it.or ENT ECT ECT.IM DUMPING MEDICARE ADVANAGE ,GOING back to basic Medicare.i'm on soc.sec).Bella came to me when she was three,a beautiful Burmese.I don't like to hurt her.But she can't bite me.I know you can't let an animal bite you.i wish I could let her out in back yard but she got FLEAS TOO MUCH

. So that's out.Our lives are isolated and
Stressed out.i'm not a happy person. Its not a fun world any more.im missing even walking around a Costco(which is now lousy,I hear) and being AROUND PEOPLE. SOCIAL NON-isolation! EVERY Social thing is gone.my sister in California can't get FOOD.She's 72 yrs old.And I tried emailing meals on wheels to help her.

CALIFORNIA DOES NOT LIKE OLD PEOPLE!Sorry for extra stress.

 

[ArtNJ]

Sorry your having a tough time. Did your cat used to bite you, or its a new thing or what?

Don't slap your cat. A loud no, or slap the desk, or clap your hands, all those are good training tools. Slapping your cat is bad unless you want it to dislike you.

 

[game misconduct]

OK, I'M OLD,73 and my cat is at least ten or more years old.We have a lot of stress.Bella comes over,while I'm on computer then she bites me.Or after I give her treats she glares at me and bites me.I say,"NO BITING!"and slap her.Am I not paying enough attention? Our lives are really stressed out.out in the world and so isolated in a couple rooms.STRESS, I'm not all that well(.I have Medicare and there's no therapy on it.or ENT ECT ECT.IM DUMPING MEDICARE ADVANAGE ,GOING back to basic Medicare.i'm on soc.sec).Bella came to me when she was three,a beautiful Burmese.I don't like to hurt her.But she can't bite me.I know you can't let an animal bite you.i wish I could let her out in back yard but she got FLEAS TOO MUCHView attachment 362152. So that's out.Our lives are isolated and
Stressed out.i'm not a happy person. Its not a fun world any more.im missing even walking around a Costco(which is now lousy,I hear) and being AROUND PEOPLE. SOCIAL NON-isolation! EVERY Social thing is gone.my sister in California can't get FOOD.She's 72 yrs old.And I tried emailing meals on wheels to help her.View attachment 362151CALIFORNIA DOES NOT LIKE OLD PEOPLE!Sorry for extra stress.

i am in california if your sister is in los angeles i can try to get a way to get food to her if she is able to prep meals herself if she is minutes away then i can easily make extra when i cook dinner then take it to her

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I would also try giving Bella more attention, and maybe she can help you to relax a little as you try to relax her. I am guessing the stress is likely why Bella is acting out. She can sense your stress and it makes her stressful. If she likes to play, play with her more - only right now until she is more calm, don't use your hands to play with her. If you have wand type toys, use those. If she is more of a lap cat, then maybe find some TV you enjoy watching and just let her hang out on your lap.

Is there soothing music you like to listen to? If so, try that too. Some cats enjoy the music as well.

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

Hello, I am so sorry to hear that you are so stressed out and it is affecting not just you, but your cat as well. This has been a doozy of a year. I hope there is someone or an organization who can help your sister. These lockdowns should not reach the point where it is doing more harm than good. There has to be a better way! Please keep reaching out. Maybe a church nearby can delivery food to her from their pantry. My thoughts and are with both of you.

In regards to Bella. Cats are sensitive creatures who do read into our emotions. Your cat feels stressed right now because you are stress. You need to talk to Bella in a soft, calming voice. If she bites you let out an exaggerated "Ouch, that hurts!" She should get the message. Some cats give hard "love bites". Whatever the cause the behavior must be corrected right away. Keep a spray bottle with water and vinegar on hand and if she keeps up this behavior and doesn't listen to your response to those bites, then spray her on her fur.

It is also important to give your cat attention. Spend time petting and praising Bella, but before you do that spend time playing with her. Use a feather wand or even better a laser pointer and play with Bella for at least a half hour each day. Cats can have unused energy pent up and if they don't release it through play they can get frisky or aggressive. Another thing to note is that cats don't deal with change well. Try to minimize that if possible or comfort your cat. If she has a favorite item keep it around for her. Let her be around as many familiar things as possible. Also let her have a safe hiding spot if she feels she needs to lay low for awhile. Soothing music may or may not work. There are calming sprays at the pet stores you may want to look into that.

One last thing, I want to mention is this behavior might be due to a medical ailment. When you are able to have her looked at by the vet to rule this out.

Well I hope you find my post helpful. Keep reaching out, you are not alone. Have a good day.

 

[FeebysOwner]

T taraconnor777 - while I agree with just about everything everyone else has to say, I beg of you to NOT use a spray bottle on your cat as a form of training. It is pretty much the equivalent of slapping her. Cats do not make a connection of what they are deemed to be doing wrong and these subsequent corrective actions. At least take the information in this TCS article (see link below) into consideration before you choose to use a spray bottle. There are also links in this article discussing behavior modification and related reasons/causes for its need.

5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat [Or otherwise punish them] – TheCatSite Articles

 

[cataholic07]

Play with her a few times a day with a wand toy and give her plenty of attention. You do not EVER want to slap a cat. That's a sure fire way to get your cat to fear you or hate you. Cats don't understand there is a pandemic, they don't understand why people are always home now, money problems and fear. I would talk to your sister daily even facetime or zoom call to just talk with someone, and talk to friends on the phone often. Just talk with someone to help with your stress levels. You could look into harness/leash training her and take her for walks so it burns off her energy and gets you out of the house to help lower your stress levels. We can't change the world we live in currently, but we can change how we feel about things at least. Find a hobby you could enjoy at home, like knitting, puzzles, games, just something to get your mind off of things and keep in contact with all your friends and family.

 

[game misconduct]

i forgot to add this please dont slap/smack or hit your cat its not going to understand even worse it might get the idea ok this is how we play rough and will end upwith bad results for you and the cat both its going to take patience,time and love to teach,train your cat the correct behavior kinda like teaching a loud bad tempered spouse/gf/bf/partner the correct way to resolve issues is in a calm manner and to communicate

 

[susanm9006]

Not related to your cat but to your Medicare issues. i would recommend you NOT drop your advantage Plan. One very very important benefit you get from Advantage plan is an annual maximum out of pocket after which the plan pays 100% of your expenses . Plain Medicare does not have this annual cap on your expenses. This means that if you have a bad health year or multiple hospitalizations you could pay thousands of dollars in co pays that you wouldn’t under your Advantage plan. Plus most Advantage plans also include drug coverage whereas plain Medicare does not. So you still end up paying a premium for a Part D drug plan. And lastly, if you leave an advantage plan and go to plain Medicare it may be difficult to get back on if you change your mind in the future.

 

[Jcatbird]

You have come to a good place. Many here are in similar situations to you and your kitty. If kitty is just feeling your stress and reacting, reassuring him can help. Biting is not okay but it is a form of communicating to you that kitty needs something. I have a biter too. He does it when I am writing here, on the phone or when there is something important he is trying to tell me. He is very smart but since he can’t talk he gets my attention that way. I use many things to turn his attention. No hitting though. That breaks your trust with him. The first is just to acknowledge him. First a firm ,” No.” Then, when he is not biting, I pick him up and hold him or brush him a few minutes. If he persists after that, another No and when he stops, I toss him a kicker toy. Sometimes he does this to show he is hungry. Of course he has had his meal but he is a grazer. I keep a little pile of dry food beside me and I toss him single pieces to chase and eat. That serves three purposes. He gets a snack, he gets a little undivided attention and it is sort of a chase game for him. It also usually gives me a smile as he chases the food bites. It’s a stress reliever for a few minutes for us both.
As for your sister, that is awful! Does she have any dietary restrictions? I am wondering if we can find any resources near her. Don’t give her address to the public but please tell us a little more. Is she in a rural area? Near any cities? I’m going to see if I can spread your thread around a little more.
Please stay in touch with us. You are not alone!

 

[jefferd18]

Would Medicare Advantage through AARP help? I think you pay about 35 dollars a month for that plan. Medicaid can help with Meals on Wheels in California and that might be an option for your sister. Also please consider calling a case worker for the elderly because he/she will step in and deliver food to your sister.

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

I am leaving some web pages with contact numbers for help with your sister's situation.
Programs | Catholic Charities of California
Open to all. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the program and contact #.
Find Services in My County - Consumer | California Department of Aging - State of California contact numbers for their food programs

I hope this helps. I wish you and your sister all the best.

 

[maggie101]

OK, I'M OLD,73 and my cat is at least ten or more years old.We have a lot of stress.Bella comes over,while I'm on computer then she bites me.Or after I give her treats she glares at me and bites me.I say,"NO BITING!"and slap her.Am I not paying enough attention? Our lives are really stressed out.out in the world and so isolated in a couple rooms.STRESS, I'm not all that well(.I have Medicare and there's no therapy on it.or ENT ECT ECT.IM DUMPING MEDICARE ADVANAGE ,GOING back to basic Medicare.i'm on soc.sec).Bella came to me when she was three,a beautiful Burmese.I don't like to hurt her.But she can't bite me.I know you can't let an animal bite you.i wish I could let her out in back yard but she got FLEAS TOO MUCHView attachment 362152. So that's out.Our lives are isolated and
Stressed out.i'm not a happy person. Its not a fun world any more.im missing even walking around a Costco(which is now lousy,I hear) and being AROUND PEOPLE. SOCIAL NON-isolation! EVERY Social thing is gone.my sister in California can't get FOOD.She's 72 yrs old.And I tried emailing meals on wheels to help her.View attachment 362151CALIFORNIA DOES NOT LIKE OLD PEOPLE!Sorry for extra stress.

Are you at the computer more than you used to be?does she like chasing things like if you throw a ball? Have you tried trixie puzzles. My adult cats still like chew toys. Does she have a window to look outside? And no slapping unless you want to be slapped back

 

[riley1]

T taraconnor777 - while I agree with just about everything everyone else has to say, I beg of you to NOT use a spray bottle on your cat as a form of training. It is pretty much the equivalent of slapping her. Cats do not make a connection of what they are deemed to be doing wrong and these subsequent corrective actions. At least take the information in this TCS article (see link below) into consideration before you choose to use a spray bottle. There are also links in this article discussing behavior modification and related reasons/causes for its need.

5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat [Or otherwise punish them] – TheCatSite Articles

I agree entirely! Cats do not respond well to punishment and you can ruin your relationship quickly. And they start to act weird when you are stressed! It makes them worried. Maybe some deep breathing exercises or a relaxation CD would help the owner. Many of these are on YouTube for free. When I raise kittens if they bite me I just get up and leave. Then totally ignore them. As someone said play does reduce stress for cats. Also, laughing at their play will help the owner I would hope!