High Maintenace Tortie...biting!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-23-2004
High Maintenace Tortie...biting!!!
9
Thu, 07-07-2005 - 9:24pm

hello!

I have two American Shorthair cats - Tortoise Shell colored. Both sweet loving - everything you could ask for. One of my cats who is VERY tortie (in looks she has that black, orange, brown, white blend) is really really loving. She is KNOWN for being loving - crawling on everyone's laps, loving everyone. I love that she is like this...though I do find it a bit weird. I didn't know I would be so lucky to get a cat this affectionate!

There is one problem that is becoming increasingly annoying. If she sits with you and you are not petting her - she bites! Sometimes hard. Sometimes I tap her nose and say "no bite" often making her get off my lap. Of course, minutes later she comes back for more.

She was adopted from a shelter. She is just over a year old and came to me in early December - apparently she used to be a farrel cat (according to her paperwork) - so it's surprising she is SO loving.

How can I get the biting to stop? And what do you think of a cat THIS affectionate? Don't get me wrong I do consider myself VERY lucky and I ADORE my baby.

Thanks!

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-26-2000
Thu, 07-07-2005 - 11:41pm

Hi and welcome to the board,

Sounds like you have two sweet kitties! While it's unusual for a former feral cat to be that loving to everyone, it's not unusual for a cat to be very loving to it's owner. Both of my boys are very loving to me but only Gabriel will get on visitors laps and want to be petted. Zachary reserves that behavior only for his Mom! I have a friend who has two former feral kitties and they aren't loving with strangers at all but are absolutely nuts for both she and her husband requiring constant attention. They are just like people in that they are all individuals. Sometimes they start out being not so loving and end up being huge love bugs!

I used to have a calico cat that would bite when I was petting her, but not when I wasn't. She would jump up in my lap and I would start petting her and then for no apparent reason she would bite me and yes sometimes it was very hard. I now know it's called Petting-induced aggression. It's a form of overstimulation. You've got to get to know your cat and read the body language signals and stop petting immediately when you see that she's reached her max. Wish I'd known this when my Cali was still with me as I would have saved myself a lot of what I used to call "love bites". LOL Oh well, live and learn.

Take care, Lynn

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-07-2005
Fri, 07-08-2005 - 1:17am

My cousin adopted a feral kitten last fall, who is like that. He's completely white, though, not a tortie. But he will climb all over everyone, to get cuddles. Sunday evening, he was grooming my grandma's head...and grandma doesn't like cats!

** Noelle

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-07-2003
Fri, 07-08-2005 - 9:07am

Hi mssleepsalot and welcome!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-07-2003
Fri, 07-08-2005 - 9:08am

Noelle, you have my laughing so hard.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Fri, 07-08-2005 - 12:54pm

My Tasha (also a tortie!) is the same way. She loves affection, but when she gets too much petting, she does nip, sometimes quite hard (never enough to draw blood or anything, but she does leave indents in the skin). It seems like she does it when you STOP petting her, it's almost like she does it to tell you to keep doing it, but it really is overstimulation. Listen for changes in her purring, facial expression, body language, etc., and you will learn when to stop petting before you reach the "biting" point.

My Tasha loves strangers too! About 3 months after I brought her home, I hosted a Pampered Chef party. Tasha was not phased in the slightest by having 12 strange women sitting in her living room - she walked around, checking everyone out in turn, and even nonchalantly laid down under the table while the PC lady did her presentation. LOL!




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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2004
Fri, 07-08-2005 - 1:02pm

My Buster is a biter, as well, and usually it's when he wants to snuggle or boss me around (like if I'm supposed to be working out instead of sitting on the couch watching TV...or if he wants my seat on the couch :)


If he's snuggling and I attempt to scritch him and he pulls away and warbles a little mumbled mew, I know to leave him be.

Karen

"A pocketknife is like a melody;
sharp in some places,
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-01-2003
Fri, 07-08-2005 - 3:46pm
I have the same thing- but my guy bites because he's declawed- Not by me! I got him that way- poor baby can't express himself any other way sometimes- I watch him very carefully body language wise- if he starts to get the least bit frustrated- and I especially watch his tail- If it starts to swish- I stop- he's never broken the skin- but still I want to discourage the behaviour-
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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Fri, 07-08-2005 - 4:27pm

Hi Mssleepsalot. *Welcome* to Cats.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-23-2004
Sat, 07-09-2005 - 8:42pm

Hey All!

Many thanks for your advice on my Tortie - I have already used some of it (looking for signs and stopping petting her when she wants to bite) and it seems to have worked already! I am so lucky to have such loving cats!!!
Thanks to all of your for your advice.
And yes, the vision of a cat "grooming Grandma's head" has made me laugh all weekend!

Thanks so much! Mssleepsalot