Conference misery::feline_v1

Karen,

Note 728 discusses biting and some ways of dealing with it if you're looking
for what's been said in the past.  

One of my cats is a biter as well and nothing I've tried has worked.  In fact
one of the suggestions (to stick a finger down his throat when he bites)
actually aggravated the situation because he would then bite, hiss, and try to
swat me.  It's so strange because Shamus usually bites me when he's cuddled up
beside me getting his tummy rubbed and purring away.  

At first I thought that maybe he was trying to groom me, since when he grooms
himself first he licks and then he bites his fur.  But I watch him when I
pet him and I can see his expression change before he bites me.  I don't
think it's because I am hurting him or touching a sensitive part either,
because I've become very aware of that.  

Sometimes he just wants to gnaw on a finger and I'll let him if he just
nibbles.  In the morning when I get out of bed, he likes to nibble at my
ankles and I'll let him do so until he starts hurting me.  Sometimes in
the morning when I do my exercises he'll come up to me all affectionate
and purring and start licking an arm or leg, which is quite endearing
until he starts chomping.  So far he hasn't drawn any blood by biting me.

Pam

    I've just read 728.  All I can add for the benefit of the ragdoll
    owner is that Holly occasionally nips,
    under two circumstances:  (1) she doesn't like the back part of her
    body touched (like some cats don't like their tummies being touched),
    and (2) she seems to get too excited some times when we're playing and
    then she nips.  As someone else said, I can tell when she's about
    to bite in the latter case.  I have also heard that attacking ankles
    is a symptom of boredom;  cure, another cat.
    

    We had a cat once who was very lovey until I became pregnant then
    he was really different.  Everything would start out with loves
    and purrs and suddenly, he would turn on me and start biting and
    attacking.  The vet said that my chemistry (body odor) changed due
    to the pregnancy and the cat saw me as a threat and responded in
    kind. The behavior stopped as soon as I had the baby. It was scary
    for 9 months and finally had to make sure I was not alone with the
    cat.  He never did it in the presence of my husband.
    
    If a change in body chemistry can do this I would think any change
    of chemistry not necessarily connected with pregnancy might trigger
    the reaction.
    
    Just food for thought.
    
    Mary Ann

    
    My cat bites my SO and just about everyone else.  Then my SO noticed
    that she only bit when his hands came near her, but if he
    kept them behind his back she would sit on his lap and give him
    kisses.  Yesterday he was fast asleep with his hands hanging over
    the side of the couch.  She came up and sniffed them, backing away.
    She wanted to sleep by him but it was is if his hands were a barrier.
    
    Maybe hands smell differently??
    
    Sharon
    
    

    
    Mocha bites with no provication at all. If we are sitting on the
    couch he will come up to one of us and looks all the world like
    he would like to be loved and lunges forward and sinks his teeth
    into the first contact point before you can blink your eye.
    
    Since we have only had him 3 1/2 months and know nothing of his
    back ground we just keep talking softly, and showing him all the
    love we can.  He seems to be very content, and gets along with
    his buddy (for now) our Saint/B.  He is does so many cute things
    and is sooooo beautiful that we are trying to overlook his short
    comings.  I only put it in the note as a warning that if he is
    typical of his breed, I sure would not want to see someone with
    small children consider a Ragdoll as a pet.           
    
    Thanks for all the replys.
    
    Barbara

    Barbara,
    
    Mocha is not your typical Ragdoll.  A friend of mine breeds Ragdolls
    and they have great dispositions and relatively non-matting coats.
    
    Good luck,
    Frank
    

    re:  biting hands
    
    Does your SO use/work with anything scented that may leave the scent
    on his hands?  Maybe the cat does not like the scent.  
    
    Bernice

    I've just read note 2.151, and the description of Mocha sounds exactly
    like a cat that used to live across the road from me, which was
    a Birman.  This cat was quite chunkily built (British shape, not
    oriental shape), with a long fine coat, colouring as described,
    with the white toes, which I believe are characteristic of the Birman.
    
    I suppose if the vet does know a Ragdoll when he sees one???
    
    Helen.

    
    
    	I know this doesn't sound like Mocha's problem, but I read
    somewhere that some cats bite when they are being petted because
    they `get so excited they don't know what to do with themselves',
    and biting out is a mis-directed reaction. FWIW.
    

    Milo bites me because he loves me.  I know this because he purrs
    and chirples and kisses the whole time.  Mostly he nibbles.
    
    As he's going through adolescence at present, he occasionally gets
    a bit over zealous and I have to correct him.
    
    Rick says that when the boy goes in next month to be changed from
    a tom-cat to a tim-cat we should experience a slow-down in major
    incidences.
    
      Annie

    What's really strange about Mercedes, is that if I pick him up,
    he immediately starts biting my hands and wrists - and I mean he
    tries to get as much of my flesh into his little jaws has he can!
    
    If hubby picks him up, he cuddles and lets John pet him and scratch
    his belly!  I guess he's just a daddy's boy?!
    
     ^_^
    (>.<)
     ) ( Jeannie

    re .7
    
    Nope he works at DEC so he only touches computers and he doesn't
    wear cologne...
    
    

    Punjab also bites when we are petting him.  When he does, we freeze
    and he will stop, look at us, flesh still in mouth, and start licking
    us.  We've always considered it some kind of "love bite".
    
    Nelson