Bitins and ambushins

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Maria Teresa Chupacabra - 20 Dec 2003 22:53 GMT

My kitty is about eighteen months old. She's Siamese / Himalayan, came from
the shelter at about four months' of age.

She bites. Not just little nips, but puncture wounds sometimes. I don't
tease her, restrain her or pet her to distraction. She'll come to me, roll
her head over and butt it against me to pet her, and when I do pet her,
sometimes my reward is a snake-like strike and scrapes or bleeding puncture
marks.

I used to pick her up and pet her, but she started punishing me for that
behavior. She'd immediately turn, stand up with her front legs splayed out,
hit me like a boxer, turn her head sideways and bite either my shin or my
stocking foot. She'll sometimes hide out behind a piece of furniture and
attack me from ambush in a similar fashion even when I haven't picked her up
or broken any other of her rules.

She's a pretty cat, and a good companion otherwise. Mostly now on her
terms. I have a feeling she's trying to assert dominance and be the Chief
Kitty in what she considers a two-kitty household -- her and the Assistant
Chief Kitty who is me.

I've tried squirting her but she's pretty quick, and I don't carry the
squirt thing around waiting for her to do something like this, so there
isn't the immediate feedback. Funny -- her feedback in reaction to being
picked up was immediate, and I learned quickly. Pity I can't do the same
for her.

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Karen - 21 Dec 2003 00:44 GMT

> My kitty is about eighteen months old. She's Siamese / Himalayan, came from
> the shelter at about four months' of age.
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> picked up was immediate, and I learned quickly. Pity I can't do the same
> for her.

Well, have you tried the yelling REALLY loudly and then ignoring her or even
giving her time out in another room for several minutes? It's really calmed
the behaviour of my nipper down. Although, I must say, she never bit really
hard.

Karen

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Jenny Torango - 21 Dec 2003 03:36 GMT

Hi Maria..heheheheh Chupacabra- I like that.

What you are experiencing is actually a common thing. I had a cat long ago
that did the same thing- I would be petting him and he'd be purring and head
butting and then all of a sudden I would get a paw swipe across my
face....SHOCKING! I was confused about this until I read the book
"SUPERCAT: Raising the Perfect Feline Companion" by Michael W. Fox....here's
the excerpt... Someone wrote in with the question: My cat will suddenly
bite and scratch and then run off sometimes when I'm petting him. Is he
schizophrenic or what? It seems as though I can't trust him anymore. He
Answered: Some cats will suddenly attack while being petted, or withdraw
abruptly, clearly showing that they don't wish to be touched any more.
These sudden changes in temperment are often misinterpreted as being,
variously, a mean streak, wildness or schizophrenia, aloofness or
unfriendliness. In the first instance, the cat, as it relaxes, (especially
when it is on its back while its belly is being stroked), may suddenly feel
vulnerable and act defensively by scratching or biting. The seemingly
"aloof" cat withdraws because stroking can be overstimulating and actually
uncomfortable when the animal is tense or has been fully charged with a few
strokes and has had enough. So don't overstimulate your cat, and when it is
in a potentially vulnerable position, avoid contact!"

I've also read somewhere that cats are sometimes feeling vulnerable (like dr
Fox said) and will bite or scratch as if to say "hey, I can hurt you. I
don't want to but I want to let you know that if I needed to, I could"....

I suggest Dr. Fox's book to anyone who owns a cat- it's a fountain of
information...there are even little tests you can set up for your cat to
check it's IQ....My cat was completely disinterested in anything to do with
the measurement of his IQ...which I think proves that he had a superior
intellect...hahahaha

Has anyone else read this book? What did you think?

-Jenny

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