Topic: Why might my cat purr at being stroked then bite me? (Read 7903 times)

snarf · « **Reply #20 on:** February 07, 2010, 10:33:07 AM »

spare cat wont bite or scratch anyone at all. whatever youre doing, if she doesnt like it shell run away, if shes being restrained (vets, medication) shell just bury her head in your clothing for maximum guilt!
lucifer does the over stimulated biting- very rarely and most when i go to stroke him when hes sat on the top of his cat tree (which is a play place obviously silly meowmy!) if i play dead he stops tho and hes not drawn blood.
when he was little i used to squeal if he hurt me which does seem to have registered, we play a game now where he hides in the bath/under the sofa and ill play spider and make scratchy noises and my hand pops out into his line of sight- he wins if he manages to slap my hand

hes never used his claws in this game but if my hands hidden he will do

lucifer also love bites which is completely different- hell hold part of the hand thats not activly stroking him and just hod it in his mouth without biting down. if he cant reach with his mouth hell hold my hand with his paws- claws visible but not hurting or breaking skin just gripping. as hell be leaning into the other hand, purring, i assume this is to keep me where i am and make sure i dont get any ideas about getting up or stopping!

msrisotto · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2010, 09:02:28 AM »

Thanks for the replies, I blow on her sometimes too which works pretty well, shame it doesn't seem like it'll stop but we'll see as she grows. She's fabulous so i'll forgive her this thing!

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #18 on:** February 06, 2010, 23:48:53 PM »

I've actually got the blowing thing down to a fine art with Freddie so that I only have to purse my lips to get him off work surface. Hasn't stopped him jumping up in 1st place though

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #17 on:** February 06, 2010, 23:37:13 PM »

I think blowing on them is a whole lot better than some methods people use to try stopping cats doing things.

But this biting lark being described isn't a habit thing which you can train out. This kind of behaviour is more linked to over stimulation through play or petting usually, so the way to avoid it is to limit play or petting sessions.

Personally, I put up with the odd chunk being taken out of me as I know it's a sign of affection.

I'm fortunate though because none of mine have ever been so intense with their biting or gripping with claws that they've caused much damage. I do sympathise with people who's cats do get so worked up it almost turns into an attack.

If anything... the thing that gets me mad and ALMOST want to slap back is when I'm drifting off to sleep and Tilly thinks it's fuss time.

She will dab me with her paw right on my face, sometimes she aims for my lips, and the merest tip of one claw pokes out enough to dig right in. And boy does she have sharp claws! Of course, she's telling me to 'wake up' and I have to adore her.

If it's my lips she catches, she usually draws blood and that certainly wakes me up!

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #16 on:** February 06, 2010, 23:20:33 PM »

Sorry but, if puds hurt me, I blow on them. I also blow on them if they are on kitchen work surfaces. They don't like it. Freddie and Dinah are worst culprits. I started this with kittens when they were very young and they very rarely do either.

Am I awful?

Neither Billy nor Noni ever get blown on of course as they never "misbehave"

CarolM (Wendolene) · « **Reply #15 on:** February 06, 2010, 22:29:10 PM »

I find this thread comforting in that others have cats who do this but disconcerting in that it doesn't seem to get any better with time. The advice from animal behaviourists is to ignore it but its a bit difficult when you've got an over-excited cat atached to your arm and you're in danger of bleeding to death.

Quote from: Pinkbear (Julie) on February 05, 2010, 17:58:38 PM

As for the biting... well I call them love bites. I think it's just over excitement.

Love bites - perfect.

My foster Penny is a biter yet she's really a sweetie and I've been struggling to write something concise for the publicity that will convey her character to potential adopters. You've just done it for me.

Skiddaw · « **Reply #14 on:** February 06, 2010, 16:17:33 PM »

The Munchkin does it too (he's 7 so they don't always grow out of it!) though more to OH than me. His favorite trick with me (other than pouncing on my legs and running away) is giving me a left hook with his paw when he thinks I'm ignoring him! Can be a bit disconcerting when you're trying to eat your dinner...

Bazsmum · « **Reply #13 on:** February 06, 2010, 07:26:25 AM »

My Baz does that still and he is 5 this year!

Its a usual thing here, have a few who do it.... They also seem to grab you harder as you try and move your hand away! (so I do it quickly when they have thought my hand had been deaded!)

Claire_smc · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2010, 21:31:15 PM »

Apparently a little nip is a sign of affection, Pepsi will often nip my hand very softly when she's purring and enjoying some attention. However, a few times she has gone a bit crazy on me for no reason, she'll claw into my sleeve and growl out of nowhere, so it's quite hard to extract my hand. Like tab said, I think she just doesn't realise that if she was unhappy she could just jump down and 'escape'. She'd be purring right up until she did it though, whereas if she's sat on my lap and stops purring I'll stop stroking her as she probably wants to be left alone to get some kip, or if the tail starts twitching I know she's had enough.

CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2010, 18:37:30 PM »

Chris

Mark · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2010, 18:35:56 PM »

Quote from: Christine (Blip) on February 05, 2010, 18:30:29 PM

Quote from: Pinkbear (Julie) on February 05, 2010, 17:58:38 PM
I think every cat owner is familiar with the situation you describe. It's so puzzling why they grasp you tight with the front legs but appear to push you away with the back legs. It's just a cat thing.

As for the biting... well I call them love bites. I think it's just over excitement.

That's my view.

Blip does this to my OH - but not to me, interestingly. We think this is because I'm meowmy - and so not to be tangled with - but he is 'brother cat'.

Same here - I can do whatever I like with Kylie but OHs hands get nipped

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2010, 18:30:29 PM »

Quote from: Pinkbear (Julie) on February 05, 2010, 17:58:38 PM

I think every cat owner is familiar with the situation you describe. It's so puzzling why they grasp you tight with the front legs but appear to push you away with the back legs. It's just a cat thing.

As for the biting... well I call them love bites. I think it's just over excitement.

That's my view.

Blip does this to my OH - but not to me, interestingly. We think this is because I'm meowmy - and so not to be tangled with

- but he is 'brother cat'.

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #8 on:** February 05, 2010, 17:58:38 PM »

I think every cat owner is familiar with the situation you describe. It's so puzzling why they grasp you tight with the front legs but appear to push you away with the back legs. It's just a cat thing.

As for the biting... well I call them love bites. I think it's just over excitement.

Mark · « **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2010, 17:55:38 PM »

A lot of cats do that. Kylie does and so did Willow.

Fire Fox · « **Reply #6 on:** February 05, 2010, 17:43:36 PM »

There is a condition called 'petting aggression' where the cat gets overstimulated, tho that does not sound like it is happening here as no aggression!

clarenmax · « **Reply #5 on:** February 05, 2010, 17:35:23 PM »

Both my boys have done this on a fairly regular basis, sometimes without any warning, especially when I'm going in for a tummy tickle

If you try and move your hand quickly the claws are more likely to come out, I normally engage eye contact with them saying No and it seems to calm them down, not sure why though !

tab · « **Reply #4 on:** February 05, 2010, 17:08:13 PM »

My cat Mogs used to do this although some times she'd thump me instead of biting. She was a rescue cat and I came to the conclusion that she didnt know she could just walk away when she'd had enough. After some time she realised that she could walk away and I wouldnt follow her and she stopped. Well she did thump me when Amber moved in but I think that might have been in punishment

I hope you find a way round it
love
Tab

JackSpratt · « **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2010, 16:53:22 PM »

She's just a baby.

My youngest does same....I know it's difficult but when she tries to latch on I've found the best thing to do with Little Man is just not move my arm because it's not interesting to him any more that way!

A lot of young cats act this way as far as I'm aware.

CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls · « **Reply #2 on:** February 05, 2010, 14:36:09 PM »

Some cats only like being stroked in certain places and when she's holding you she's telling you to stop

Maybe she only likes getting stroked untill she's settled, my Harry does this with me

msrisotto · « **Reply #1 on:** February 05, 2010, 14:24:46 PM »

It doesn't hurt at all, it seems more like making contact.
It's weird, she appears to like being stroked (is quite an affectionate cat in general) then she'll kind of hold onto me with her paw (claws not out) then 'bite' me. I stop what i'm doing and leave her alone when she does it. Sometimes she'll hold on more tightly and start kicking at my arm with her back feet and that scratches. She's about 7 months old by the way.
Does she not want me stroking her? Even though she seems to like it?

Author Topic: Why might my cat purr at being stroked then bite me? (Read 7903 times)