Have you tried squirting him with water from a spray bottle every time he
bites or scratches. You have to be consistent and do it every time. But that
often works, and it's not harmful to the cat (except maybe his pride...)
Judy F

What's he doing?  Is he biting or clawing or both?  How old is he?

If he's a kitten, he ought to calm down a bit as he gets older.

If he's clawing, trimming the ends of his claws so they aren't pointy may
help.

A little discouragement (e.g., a squirt from a water bottle) may help
temporarily.  If he's just got a lot of energy and wants attention, a
second cat can help a lot.  From personal experience: first we got one cat.  
When he got bored (especially when we were watching TV), he would
occasionally nip at our toes (not breaking the skin, but annoying).  Once
we got a second cat, they'd play with each other, and the nipping stopped
(except when we forget to feed him).

That's good to hear.  Because with an already aggressive cat, he would more
than likely become a biter.  Cat bites can get very seriously infected.

What is the cat doing when he scratches you?  Do you use toys to play with him
instead of your hands?  Are you watching for signs that he's had enough petting
(swishing tail, ears back, looking agitated)?

Lauren
________
See my cats:  http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

What have you done to try to train him? How old is he?

Flicking or "plunking" (index finger and thmb together, then flick)
his paws when he puts his claws out makes him retract them. It does
not hurt but startles and they don't like it. Preceded by a loud "OW"
this did it for my babies.

Have you read about Soft Paws?  They are clawshaped plastic tips that
are glued on the nails  -- Vet  can do it.  I've had two sets put on
my cat (last about 2-3 months) and now she doesn't seem to need them
anymore.   The Soft Paws cost about $25.  With help, you could do it
yourself.  I'm sure you could read about them on the internet. MLB

I had a bitey foster not so long ago, and used two methods to teach him not
to bite. I tried the 'push' method, which basically means when he's gnawing
on my knuckles, I stiffen my finger and push it back into his mouth. It's an
uncomfortable sensation, and had much success with a coworker's foster, but
not so much with mine, and it seems to me that such a thing could make a cat
wary of fingers, and particularly difficult with medicating, if the need
ever arises. Still, it's a possibility. The second method was the 'puff'
method, since I'm obviously nearby whenever he would gnaw on me. This being
an attention-mongering cat, it was easy to positively reinforce. If he bit,
I would puff in his face. The sort of hard, brief puff of air that
accompanies a forceful 'p' sound. It startles every time, and as soon as he
would stop, he'd get "goooood boooooy" and lots of gentle scratches.

Take little Bratface into the vet for a nail trim - and learn how to
do it yourself at home.  Trim those nails often.  Buy some interactive
toys that do not need direct contact for play - a CatDancer and a
Turbo Mouse are two that are essential.

Your cat may be becoming overstimulated - to the attacks happen after
a petting session?  If so, then you are petting the cat too much or
for too long of a period of time.  Limit petting to a minute or so, at
most, per session, unless the cat is sleepy and completely relaxed.

Do not use "punishment" like squirt bottles - all that will do is
excite and agitate the cat more.  If he scratches and/or bites, yell
"OUCH!", IMMEDIATELY separate him from yourself (scruff himif you have
to), and ignore him - put him in another room for 5-10 minutes.  Then
let him out and ignore him still, and give him a toy to play with, by
himself.

Best of luck to you - this behavior CAN be curbed, with patience and
persistence!

-L.

My first cat (years ago) was feral, and he would often "attack" my ankles as
I walked by.  It was actually somewhat frightening because he would use both
claws and teeth.  At the same time, he was not really in attack mode or I
would have been badly injured -- it was *play* for him but *painful* for me.
What I did was this (and I was very consistent):  every time he did it, I
would say "no" very firmly, pick him up, and deposit him in another room.  I
would close the door and leave him locked in there for about 15-20 minutes,
then open the door and let him out again.  There was no mistreatment, but he
soon associated that action with him being isolated for awhile.  The
episodes soon began to decline -- first they would be farther and farther
apart, and then they stopped altogether.

We also have something now that wasn't available then, and that is Feliway.
I suggest that you buy 2 or 3 of the plug-in Feliway diffusers.  Feliway is
used for behavior modification and can be very useful in reducing stress.
It is available in plug-in diffusers (with refills available) and as a
spray.  I suggest that you use the plug-ins so it can be working all the
time.  ValleyVet (http://www.valleyvet.com) has better prices than most
others, and there is no extra charge for shipping.  They list Feliway for
$29.95 for a diffuser with one bottle of Feliway.  It is also available as a
spray for $15.95.  The spray is excellent for an occasional use, such as
spraying the carrier about 20 minutes before you take your cat to the vet,
but the plug-in diffuser is better for long-term use because it releases
continual premeasured doses.  Refills can be purchased for the dispenser.
One bottle lasts a little more than a month.
MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly:      >'o'<
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")

Declawing would probably make his aggressive behavior worse, not to
mention the fact that it is a cruel and abusive practice.

You have a couple of options. The one I would recommend first is that
you get your cat a buddy. It's clear from your post that he is bored and
isn't being given enough stimulation, and this is why you're seeing this
seemingly aggressive behavior which is in reality more play based, it's
just that we humans aren't well equipped to deal with teeth and claws in
play like a cat is. ;-)

I would suggest you contact local foster based rescues. The cats they
have for adoption are living in homes where they are in a more relaxed
environment and the behavior they exhibit is more likely to be the norm
than the behavior you would see a cat in a cage at a shelter exhibit.
You really need a specific type of cat and you have to be careful to
make sure you stick to that and don't fall for a kitten or some other
cat that might be cute and sweet, but have a personality that will be
entirely the opposite of what is necessary for you and your cat's
situation.

For your particular situation, the best match is going to be another
male that is similar in age, personality, and activity level. Males, if
introduced *slowly*  and properly (which is a *critical* step), usually
tend to buddy up, and will get rough with each other and wear each other
out, alleviating your cat's boredom and saving your skin in the process.
It's a win-win situation that not only will result in everyone being
happier, but will give a cat in need a home and make room for the foster
to take in another.
There are many here that can testify to the fact that adding a second
cat does effectively eliminate aggression problems.

You can find excellent instructions on how to introduce a new cat here:
http://www.catsinternational.org/articles/getting_a_cat/good_introduction.html

In the meantime, there are steps you can take to minimize or avoid
aggressive incidents. The most important thing is to NEVER use methods
that are aggressive. This is includes squirting and hitting your cat.
It's not only maen and cruel, but will cause your cat to lose trust in
and fear you and even retaliate with *more* aggression.

Since your cat is so playful and active, it would be wise for now (until
you can get him a buddy) to set aside a few times during the day or
evening for some heavy play using something like a wand with feathers or
a laser pointer. This is really all your cat wants, and giving him that
will help to stop the attention getting aggression he exhibits. You also
want to be careful to not overstimulate him during petting sessions.
Watch him closely and learn to recognize his signals telling you he has
had enough. These can include something as slight as a muscle ripple, or
a twitch of the ear or tail. If you see this, stop petting him and
simply walk away.

If you do happen to get bit or scratched, you can quickly cry "ow" in a
high voice, but then simply ignore him and walk away, or quietly put him
in another room without reacting in any way and, again, walk away. He
bites/scratches to get attention and, just like children, cats will
accept *any* attention, even negative, if that is what they are looking
for.

Consistently removing yourself from the situation and ignoring him will
result in his learning that the aggressive behavior does not get him
what he desires and he is going to have to figure something else out.
You can also learn to recognize his body language and anticipate when an
incident is about to occur. When this happens find a way to distract him
and take his focus off of you. A toy, laser pointer, or even a wad of
paper thrown in a direction away from you will work.

Having a few easily accessible small cans of treats around the house are
also helpful as a quick shake of the can will quickly change your cat's
focus. :-)

Also, adding a Feliway diffuser in the rooms where you spend the most
time will probably help. (http://www.valleyvet.com is the best place to
get them) Feliway is helpful in keeping aggression levels down, and
although the positive effects may seem subtle, most people here that use
them report that when the diffuser goes empty the difference is quite
noticeable!

While this is going on, also make sure to praise and make a big fuss
over him for every instance where he is being sweet and gentle so he
also learns to associate really good things with good behavior. You will
have to be patient and persistent, but this can be done. It may take
several weeks or even a month or two, but is well worth the effort.  The
key rule here is to treat your cat with *only* understanding, kindness
and respect, and do nothing to harm him or put him on the defensive.

Megan

                                   

circa 5 Dec 2003 08:00:45 -0800, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav,
Leonessa (LeonessaViola@operamail.com) said,

I'm sure you've gotten tons of good advice (feliway, etc.), and I've
not yet read all of the responses, but I've found that one of the
best ways to deal with a cat that gets overstimulated is to walk away
from the cat when s/he gets out of control. Immediate denial of
attention teaches the cat that his/her behavior is hurtful or
undesirable. Say "no" to the cat, then walk away from him, and do it
consistently. He'll learn. Honest.

Laura