# Rescue Cat Bites for no Reason



## mhairi13 (Feb 5, 2014)

I'm in desperate need of help as I can't find something close to my cat's behaviour on line to help me.

I have a 2-3 year old rescue stray. Background unknown. Happy, friendly cat at shelter, took to wandering around our house quickly. He wasn't castrated, so I had this done when I got him. He had been at the shelter around 6 months.

The cat is loving and friendly. As of yet he stays on the floor, will not sit on any furniture in the house, but will go from person to person for attention. The problem is for no apparent reason and with no warning, he will suddenly wrap his claws around your arm and sink his teeth in to you. It is not linked to petting for too long, there is no hissing or aggressive noises before hand. He can walk up to someone, rub his head against their leg so they bend down to stroke him and suddenly attack with no warning. My partner looks like he's been in a knife fight with multiple deep scars from these attacks. So far he has gone for me, my partner, my father-in-law and the vet. We have children in the house and as we cannot predict these attacks, we are really worried that he will just attack one of the children, or a visiting child without provocation. He did this to me on the day I picked him up, but I can now tell a bit better when to walk away and leave him alone. It seems to be playing, rather than aggression due to lack of noise and no ears back, but I'm at breaking point with this now as I need to stop this behaviour. I hiss or shout no and walk away if he tries to do it to me, and you can then go back 30 mins later and he's fine again. I need to stop this behaviour completely so that when he is eventually let out, or we have people visiting us or children playing, they do not just get a cat firmly attached to their arms by teeth and claws.

He attacked the vet today when the vet stopped petting him to talk to me. The vet thinks this is why he was re-homed, but as far as we know he was a stray. The vet seemed to think it was a Alpha Male grooming attention attack, when he started talking to me, the cat attacked him. I honestly can't say that is when he attacked my partner or my father-in-law, because the attacks seemed to be unprovoked and very quick. They haven't been after prolonged sessions of stroking.

If anyone has any advice on how I can stop this behaviour then please help me, because Strider is the most loving cat most of the time and I love him, but it's getting to the stage when I now panic if anyone comes in to the house, or we go to the vets. I'm constantly watching for signs that he is in "that mood".

Sorry this is long - hope that's enough background. The behaviour hasn't changed since his castration. He attacked before and also still does.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

How long have you had him and how long since he was neutered? It can take some time for the hormones to settle. 

What a shame the shelter didn't have him done as soon as they took him in. Don't understand how they could live with the smell of tom cat pee!


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## mhairi13 (Feb 5, 2014)

I've had him 12 days, he was castrated 9 days ago. Despite being there for over 6 months, they hadn't noticed until we went to collect him. They handled him well in the cattery, and he was friendly when we saw him so had no idea this was coming until I got him home and the last 12 days have been full of germoline and plasters. If it is just setting down, I would be over the moon because his is a loving cat most of the time.


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## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

Which is doing the worst damage? the teeth or the claws?

I can remember my cat when she was young doing this, but it wasn't proper bites just a bit over zealous with the playing, but they don't realise how sharp those claws are and that does hurt. She did grow out of it. Have you got a scratching post for your cat?


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## mhairi13 (Feb 5, 2014)

They are about equal- both teeth and claws draw a lot of blood, the claw marks are worse due to the size of them, the bit marks are small. Luckily no-one has been infected from a bite yet, as they are deep. He does use claws first though, biting seems to be secondary. When he does it, it is scary. He wraps his claws around the arm doing a lot of damage as he does this, and then sinks his teeth in. You end up with a cat firmly gripping your arm.

We have a scratch post that is unused. He currently scratches the sofa, and various parts of the carpet. I do have a pet spray to spray the area he is scratching to try and stop this, and I have cat nip to try and encourage the scratching post.


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## Jesthar (May 16, 2011)

I've only got girls, but I believe it can take several weeks for the hormones to settle after castration.

Do you think he would tolerate you trying to clip his claws (with proper claw clippers)? It would at least reduce the damage he can do to both you and your furnishings.

It might also be a plan to stop using your hands with him for a bit, and only use wand and dangly toys instead. I know it goes against the grain not to pet him, but it sounds like he needs to learn that hands and arms are not playthings. The Flying Frenzy dangly toy comes highly recommended around here!  He's probably not had much of a chance to learn how he needs to behave with humans, so you'll need to teach him that. Persevere with removing him from the sofa and carpet and putting him on the scratching post if he scratches elsewhere, too.

Finally, what are you feeding him? Sometimes food can affect the mood of a cat, particularly dry or anything with grain in it (most supermarket foods), as they are un-natural foods for a cat and can mess up their metabolism.


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## mhairi13 (Feb 5, 2014)

I really like your suggestion of keeping hands away from him and restricting petting him. The vet did say about Alpha Male pack tendencies, so that would make sense to reduce that if he does see himself as the alpha male of the house. As he was a stray and then 6 months + in the cat shelter, I think you are right about lack of human interaction. Let's just hope you can re-train a 2-3 year old alpha male.

As for food, I've got him on natural food (Orijen, Applaws and Purely complete wet food). He did seem to have a problem with the grain based food when we first got him and the house smells so much nicer now he's on more natural high protein based food.

I'm wondering if my vet is brave enough to try trimming his claws after today's events. I'll ask as his next appointment, if we aren't banned from this practice! 

Thank you all for your help with this. I really want this cat to settle down and be happy with us.


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## Jesthar (May 16, 2011)

mhairi13 said:


> I really like your suggestion of keeping hands away from him and restricting petting him. The vet did say about Alpha Male pack tendencies, so that would make sense to reduce that if he does see himself as the alpha male of the house. As he was a stray and then 6 months + in the cat shelter, I think you are right about lack of human interaction. Let's just hope you can re-train a 2-3 year old alpha male.
> 
> As for food, I've got him on natural food (Orijen, Applaws and Purely complete wet food). *He did seem to have a problem with the grain based food when we first got him and the house smells so much nicer now he's on more natural high protein based food.*
> I'm wondering if my vet is brave enough to try trimming his claws after today's events. I'll ask as his next appointment, if we aren't banned from this practice!
> ...


All cats stink on grain laden food - I don't know how people stand it! 

If you can, I'd suggest ditching dry as much as you can and feeding mainly wet food. Cats doesn't need biscuits down to graze from, and adults are just fine on two or three good size wet meals a day (split the feeding recommendation over the meals). You can use dry in puzzle feeders and treat balls to make him work for his extra and keep him occupied, though, though, I know quite a few who do that. 

A good range of grain free foods can be found online at Zooplus - be warned, that site is addictive!

You could also try him once or twice a week with some raw meat, like a raw chicken wing (NOT cooked, bones MUST be raw or they are dangerous) - my 8yo loves them (she is part raw fed on Nutriment anyway), and my 8 month old is finally coming around to them too. Keeps them occuplied for ages, as they really have to work at eating them


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

mhairi, I am shocked to hear that a Shelter left your cat unneutered for 6 mths
In that time he should have had a checkup with the vet, who would surely have noticed the cat was still intact. 

This behaviour - grabbing you, biting, sinking his claws in, has been learned as a response to something within his previous environment that has probably frustrated him. It may possibly have been learned as a response to being shut in a pen with other cats for 6 mths. (Imagine how difficult that must have been for a cat with raging hormones and a huge territorial drive. )

Or more likely it is behaviour he learned as a kitten, caused by frustration perhaps due to boredom or lack of attention, and it was either encouraged by the owner, or at least was not corrected early on. 

So what I am saying really is that it will need patience and commitment (of which I am sure you have loads) to train him out of this behaviour, and may be a longish term project. 

I agree with the advice given by another, about not initiating touch. Allow him to come up and rub against you and give him your full attention, speak to him affectionately and sometimes give him treats. But don't stroke him. If he does come up and suddenly grab your arm and bite or dig claws in, if you can possibly bear not to react at all it would be great (not easy I know if you're in pain), but the more you react the more he is likely to try and get your attention that way. Because in the past this was maybe the ONLY way he could get the human's attention. 

Basically the idea is to reward good behaviour with your full attention and heaps of praise, and ignore bad behaviour.


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## jill3 (Feb 18, 2009)

Maybe get a felliway plug in too. Suppose to relax them


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## Kotanushka (Oct 25, 2013)

It might be just his way of playing. He might have been separated too early in life from his mum and litter mates. 
Its they who teach kittens how to play. He bites his brother, the brother bites back - oh, it hurts! Maybe next time I should not bite so hard!
Even with my lovely Burmese girl - when sometimes she gets carried away and bites me - I just carefully bite her ear and hold it until she lets me go. She got it straight away. 
Not sure you could use this technique on your rescue cat though.


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## mhairi13 (Feb 5, 2014)

Thank you so much, I am so glad I found this forum and then joined. I am getting Feliway to try and help, and everyone in the house has been instructed to not approach the cat to pet him. He has started going for the teenagers, but luckily they were too quick and got away before he managed to grab their arms. He wants attention and to be the dominant male just as the vet said today. Thanks to all your advice this will be taken off him and he will be praised for his good behaviour and when he is his usual normal loving self. We believe he was taken away from his mother too soon, as he does bite hard and it's not done in a vicious way. The problem with taking in a stray is the unknown background, but that's half the fun of giving a loving home to a shelter cat, you get to change their life and they get to change yours.

We were surprised when we were told he hadn't been castrated. I will see if his personality settles down over the next few weeks as his hormone levels drop. He also hadn't been vaccinated, so that is why he was at the vet today. We are back in 3 weeks for the second and I'm hoping that by then he won't attack the vet. This vet is close by and lovely, I would like to have a cat that isn't excluded for bad behaviour 

I suppose it is lucky for Strider that he was at the cat shelter for so long, because he has ended up with a family that will spend the time he needs to be shown how to behave differently and to stop biting. 

I'm also looking at mixing his diet with the raw diet too. He seems to prefer the wet food and eats very little dry food now he has been here a while, so am currently reading up on this forum on everything that has changed since I was last owned by a cat. This forum has so much on it, although I may be blocked from Zooplus after next month's bank statement arrives.

Thank you all, I feel positive that given time and effort, we can stop Strider biting for attention.


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## jill3 (Feb 18, 2009)

Now how about some pictures of your loveable Rascal


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## AubreyGecko (Feb 1, 2014)

Kotanushka said:


> It might be just his way of playing. He might have been separated too early in life from his mum and litter mates.
> Its they who teach kittens how to play. He bites his brother, the brother bites back - oh, it hurts! Maybe next time I should not bite so hard!
> Even with my lovely Burmese girl - when sometimes she gets carried away and bites me - I just carefully bite her ear and hold it until she lets me go. She got it straight away.
> Not sure you could use this technique on your rescue cat though.


I know these are different species but we used this on countless rescue & non rescue horses they responded well 
We also used it on rescue dogs and worked well

Depends on your guy really


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Hopefully it's a mixture of hormones and not having been socialised by other cats & kittens when he was young, and it will gradually go away.

It can take some time for the hormones and behaviour to really subside, as much as 3 months I suspect but 4 weeks should make quite a difference.

Clipping his claws is a good idea as well. You don't want to take lots off, but taking the sharp points off his front claws should make quite a difference.


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## mhairi13 (Feb 5, 2014)

Well thanks to all the suggestions, the strict training for Strider has begun. Limited petting with him but talking to him. He has tried to grab me for attention once as I walked passed, but was promptly ignored. Also discovering Zooplus today (ooops).

Thank you all and I really hope I can get him out of his attention seeking bad behaviour.


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

I REALLY hope this cat soon realises what a truly lucky guy he is to have found such a wonderful new family who are prepared to work at gently teaching him better manners.
Some great advice above although I am really not sure that biting an animal is ever going to be a good idea.
I took my Woody on after he had been in a shelter for about 6 months. he was a mature cat, so a late neuter but had been 'done' months before I brought him home as a foster (he had diabetes)
For most of his time at the shelter he had been very well behaved and was just starting to get a bit nippy when I brought him home.....where it soon developed into far more forceful 'attacks'.
I was actually quite scared of him for a couple of weeks, until I realised that he was grabbing me a) to snatch any food I was carrying or b) to stop me leaving him.
After years as a stray and months in a cage, he was literally starved of both food and attention. ( ps, not starved at the rescue, but he was food obsessed)
So, I second the advice to give him lots of interraction and praise without petting him.
I hope his hormones soon calm down and he becomes the happy and loving pet that you all deserve.


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

I am just SO glad he's found you - I honestly don't think he can have hoped for a more perfect home 

I'm sure with time and patience he'll settle down - it does sound as if he's a) being a bit dominant which should hopefully settle as the hormones disappear and b) that he's never really learned how to interact properly with people

I agree with the suggestions of letting him come to you and not bending down / stoking him until his aggression has stopped


Just wondering what you have in the way of toys?

Again, he may not have had these before (or much time spent playing with them) so they can also be a brilliant way of both bonding with your cat AND tiring them out!


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## mhairi13 (Feb 5, 2014)

It's actually great to hear someone else had the same issues. Just before we picked up Strider, he had started getting into scraps in the Shelter too. When they found he hadn't been castrated, they put it down to that. It hadn't dawned on me that it could be insecurity and not wanting us to leave.

Today we started with the just talking. It has gone well. He talks back to me, but contact has been restricted. He is happiest though when he is in a room full of people just doing homework, or chatting. It's when he seems to settle the most.

I'm am afraid for other people with him. I find myself watching him when others are around him in case he goes for them and hurts someone else. Today the worst he's done to me is to reach out and try and grab my leg as I walked passed a few times - nothing as aggressive as he has done. I know it's going to be a long journey for us, but most of the time Strider is just so wonderful.

Thank you for all your comments and stories. Knowing others have succeeded with this is a great confidence boost as we start trying to re-train him.


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Ohhhhh he's lovely 

(really like that mouse too!!)


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## mhairi13 (Feb 5, 2014)

I just wanted to thank everyone that helped me out this week. I have gone from having no idea where to turn to, to the house being relatively normal again within 4 days.

I know this is not going to be a quick win situation, but Strider has not attacked me now for over a week, and my OH for 4 days. When he gets playful and I'm around, I get little nips and claws well and truly in. He has started doing the same with my OH too. He responds well to being talked to and not petted and has just started to sit on the arm of the sofa to be closer to us. 

A week ago I don't think my OH would have believed this was at all possible. He carries the majority of the scars from our original alpha male encounters with Strider.

I am definitely the alpha male in the house now, which as I am a female engineer, most males just go along with after a short time of meeting me :laugh:

Thank you all so much for your support and suggestions. They were brilliant and we can now see that things will be different in the house as we take control back.

Anyone that is reading this as they have similar issues, then please do give your new cat time to settle down. I took on a 2/3 year old rescue cat and it is going to take time for all of us to adjust and trust each other fully. I would suggest asking for help and support on this forum, because it will change your household completely.

Thank you all so much.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

It is wonderful to hear of the progress that has been made already Mhairi! Well done to you and your family for your patience and sensitivity in meeting his needs:thumbup1: 

I am certain in such a kind and understanding atmosphere as your home he will continue to settle down and become an affectionate and non-violent puss-cat!.


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

mhairi13 said:


> there is no hissing or aggressive noises before hand. He can walk up to someone, rub his head against their leg so *they bend down to stroke him* and suddenly attack with no warning.


Hi Mhairi, welcome to the forum and by the sound of it to a much improved situation.

These are the words that jumped out at me. I see no petting is working well but I presume at some point you'd like to be able to do this, as will visitors!

I was going to suggest that gradually, as things continue to improve and he settles, if you do want to teach him it's ok to be petted ...

From a cat's eye point of view it may be the way the hand approached him that is a problem for him. I had a cat from a kitten that would never let you touch her if she could see your hand coming, but was the friendliest most loving creature if your hand was behind her. My latest girl Molly has terrible affection issues (she loves it but is afraid of it) and she needs to be on the floor facing away from me to be ok to be stroked for any time, very occasionally if she is on the chair but often not. She too has issues with furniture.

Anyway back to yours. As a next step, I would sit on the floor near him but not too close and hold a hand out towards him, not looking at him and not right in his face but just where it's an invitation to him. If he sniffs and rubs against it, praise him but don't make a move towards him or touch him, just let him get to know it's ok for him to touch your hand in a loving way. The idea is that he learns he has a choice of touch or no touch, and to slowly get a two-way communication going so that you both understand and respect each other. Not that I think you don't, but he hasn't got the complete message yet!

Once everyone seems comfortable with that, you can move to the next step of just introducing a small movement of your hand after he has rubbed against it, and see if he reacts positively or negatively if you move your hand towards his head from the front, from the side, etc. All very gentle small movements and if he does warn you off, say something in a calm voice and move away, so he learns it's ok not to want to be touched, that he will be respected. Gradually he will learn how to say no thank you instead of slapping you.

Sorry for the waffle but I hope it makes sense and something in there helps for the long term 

Oh sorry just to add, there is always a reason why a cat bites, we just don't always understand what it is.


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