# Why did my cat unexpectedly bite me?



## Kittybuns (Sep 19, 2012)

I need help figuring out why my cat did this! Sorry about all the background info, I just want to cover everything that may be relevant.

So, I have a NORMALLY very sweet approximately 1 1/2 to 3 year old (estimated age) neutered male cat named Declan. He is our first cat and the only one we have any real experience with. We adopted him from the animal shelter last September and love him very much. At first he liked me best, but then we went on vacation in early December and ever since we got back he decided he likes my husband best. Still likes me fine but definitely prefers my husband and spends hours each day sprawled on his lap and licking him and stuff. 

As for his temperament, he's a nice kitty. Like I mentioned above, he loves affection and snuggles and is really outgoing. Loves kittens and always wants to explore the vet office when we go. Usually he only bites or swats at us if we're touching him where he doesn't want to be touched (like his belly) and he will give us a warning before he does it. He did bite me about 2 weeks ago when I was trying to get him out from behind a shelf, but it wasn't very hard and didn't break the skin.

The only thing different than normal is that the night before last (Friday night) the threw up 5 times because he ripped the caulking off our shower when we weren't home and ate some of it. He acted perfectly happy and like his normal self this whole time though and was still hungry and everything. Didn't throw up at all since Friday night and seems to be back to normal.

Okay, so to what actually happened. I went into the bathroom and as he often does, he followed me in. Walked around the bathroom a bit purring, then flopped down next to the door, still purring. When I went to open the door so I could leave, I had to pause so I could between him and his litter box while opening the door without squishing him with the door (the entrance to the bathroom is narrow!). I was not talking to him or touching him, but I was looking down at him. A second after I opened the door, his eyes went wide and he sat up, let out a yowl of displeasure, then wrapped his paws around my calf and bit me! The bite was hard enough to break the skin and cause bleeding. I yelled in alarm and he ran and hid behind the toilet. Closed the door behind me when I left the bathroom (his water and litter box are in there).

I know for sure I did not step on his tail or anything, and the door didn't pinch his arm or anything either since it was only open an inch when he bit me. 

Does anyone have any idea why he would have done this? I am completely baffled and my feelings are hurt to boot  He must have had a reason, right?


----------



## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

The one thing that comes to mind is that he did ingest some of the caulking and it's possible it's made him feel a little "off". A cat can feel cranky if it's not feeling well and lash out as Declan did when you "disturbed" him. He didn't want to have to move but was forced to. Did you check with your vet if the caulking could cause him harm if ingested? I don't know why he's transferred more of his affection to your husband when you were his preference before you went on your trip. It could be something as simple that hubby has a warmer lap than you do that he's just discovered. Cats are often "put out" for a while when owners return from a trip. I always get the cold shoulder from my girl Alkee when I return, but after I've been home for some hours or even the next day I'm back in her good graces. Another thing you can try is to give Declan treats when he is behaving well, and lots of pets and attention when he asks for it. Cats are a mystery that's for sure and we can't always figure out the "whys". Hope some of this may be helpful.


----------



## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

If it's a one time thing I'd probably let it go. 

If it were MowMow I'd chalk it up to him being grumpy. 

If it were Book I would assume it was misdirected aggression. He scented a new dog/cat in the complex and was worked up over it.

Either way, I'd be mindful of it though and keep an eye on them to make sure nothing else is wrong (cats are very skilled at hiding pain/discomfort) to be sure it wasn't a symptom of a great problem.


----------



## Kittybuns (Sep 19, 2012)

Interesting idea that he didn't want to move away from the door. The door was barely open so it definitely wasn't encroaching on his space at all, and this is a cat that will lie down behind the door and get squished while we open it because he doesn't want to move! Doesn't seem to bother him, either, he doesn't meow in protest or anything. We've actually wondered if he doesn't have sensation in his tail because more than once one of us has sat down next to him on the couch, only to feel something move a couple minutes later and realize we're sitting on his tail! He just doesn't care.

I almost wish this had happened when he wasn't just sick the other day because then there wouldn't be a question of whether he did it because he still doesn't feel well and is cranky.

Thanks for the advice on calling the vet, Catloverami. The eating of the caulking, then vomiting it up, all happened within a few hours and he seemed fine after (and even during, vomiting aside!) so I didn't call the vet. Usually I think better than this and would have wondered about chemicals in the caulking! I just called the vet though and explained what happened to a vet tech and she's going to ask the vet, then call me back.

MowMow, we will definitely keep our eyes open for signs of other problems. I'm always very aware of what's going on with my pets. We've had Deckie for 9 months now but he's still kind of an enigma to us! I've had bunnies most of my life and know what makes them tick, but cats are very different.

Oh and I should note that I do not think Declan was playing (wanted to add this to the original post before the thread had any replies but my time for editing expired). He is very gentle when he plays- doesn't try to bite or scratch or anything. We NEVER play with him with our hands (I mean aside from petting him).


----------



## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

It didn't sound like he was playing. IM(not so very knowledgeable)O it sounds like redirected aggression. Whether it was because he doesn't feel well or he smelled another cat/animal outside I have no idea.

Hope the vet says the caulking isn't dangerous. That's weird he'd eat something like that.... you wouldn't think it would smell appealing.


----------



## wallycat (Nov 10, 2012)

Is he an outdoor cat? If cats hae been in a fight or injured, and you accidentally touch the area, they can snap at you. 
I would take him in to a vet. Cats eat grass to make themselves barf if they have an upset stomach. If he was inside and had no grass, he may have tried to find something to make him barf....but I am no expert.
Best to just check. A hurting, sick kitty will snap at you.


----------



## Kittybuns (Sep 19, 2012)

WallyCat, Declan is an indoor cat. He is not allowed outside. I actually had the ID tag on his collar engraved with his name and our phone number on the front, and "If I'm outside, call my owner! NEEDS MEDS" on the back because I'm paranoid someone will keep him for themselves if he gets outside since he's so sweet and loves people. We were actually talking about going today to get him a harness so we can take him outside but I think we will wait until we know he feels okay.


----------



## wallycat (Nov 10, 2012)

I see you are in Alaska...heat wave. maybe the heat affected him.
Is he really on meds or just printed that way to prevent theft? Maybe the meds are affecting.
Keep him cool and lots of water.


----------



## Kittybuns (Sep 19, 2012)

Hi WallyCat! He's not actually on meds. It's pretty cool here today and completely comfortable inside the house, even though I get hot really easily.


----------



## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

you already covered the two things I thought of: step on his tail slightly or pinch him somehow with the door. are you absolutely positive nothing like this could have happened? because the only time I've seen anything like this, once I was on his tail when he eating a treat. he started growling but he wouldn't stop eating LOL. I thought, "god how weird." then I noticed his tail. I was barely on it is the thing. the other time I was playing the piano with the girl cat sitting on my lap (trust me, I don't like it that way, it's pretty awkward) so I stopped and closed the keyboard cover. the minute I did that, she started growling and hissing and kind of scratching at me--then I noticed I had shut the tip of her tail in the cover. neither of these things were enough to make them bite me but that's all I can think of. wasn't much help, sorry. 

if it happens again I might be concerned if it's 100% for no reason, but otherwise who knows. he might be the only one who ever does.


----------



## Kittybuns (Sep 19, 2012)

I suppose it's not completely outside the realm of possibility that the door could have pinched him or I could have stepped on his tail, but the door was literally only open an inch (he was about 6 inches away from the hinges) and I was looking down at him the whole time to make sure I didn't step on him.

He's been acting pretty normally ever since. Ate his food like normal and has bee lazing about like normal. Will try having my husband play with him in a little while and see if he plays normally, too.


----------



## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

Ok, I read your post and the part were you were talking about the incident I took notice to something. You made a point of saying that he was purring as he came into the bathroom and found his place to sit.
Also he wasn't moving while you were trying to exit but watching you and what you were doing before he 'struck'.

Do you have any catnip toys? Do you think it may be possible that he was playing around with one and got a good sniff while playing and you got the end result?

I know my Sadie is as loving as can be, especially to her sister but if she has had a healthy dose of catnip then she will become very aggressive.

I have watched her. She will sit there looking fine while starring at her sister. Then, unprovoked, Sadie will lean in and start to bite Belle. Belle will try to back off but Sadie will "go for it". The stuff only lasts about 15 to 20 minutes, half an hour later you'll see Sadie back to grooming Belle and being her normal loving self.

The incident just sounds like something catnip endued. Perhaps your move or look meant something in cat language that he took it as "game on". Who knows your leg may have looked like a tasty fish, just then, lol. (they supposedly hallucinate on their high) 

I know it sounds crazy but it certainly does explain why it was temprary and what would have made him change his behavior.


----------



## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

I was really hoping that someone would have a good answer for this. My Lacey will occasionally lash out. Out of the blue she will just get a wild hair and bite. No forewarning, no visual indications at all. Really unnerves me when it happens and it happens only about once a month. Just about the time I start to really relax around her and think she has gotten over this bazaar behavior it happens again. She did it to hubby the other night, too.


----------



## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Marcia said:


> I was really hoping that someone would have a good answer for this. My Lacey will occasionally lash out. Out of the blue she will just get a wild hair and bite. No forewarning, no visual indications at all. Really unnerves me when it happens and it happens only about once a month. Just about the time I start to really relax around her and think she has gotten over this bazaar behavior it happens again. She did it to hubby the other night, too.


I wonder if the moon phases have anything to do with it, if it's fairly regular? OUr Malamute, Luna, was epileptic and no matter what drug cocktail she was on she would seize at least once during the full moon (I guess her name was prophetic).


----------



## Gwyneth&Cyrus (Jul 1, 2013)

Well, how did you walk up to him?
Because with cats, if you walk directly to their face they take that as a sign that your an enemy. The correct way to approach a cat is to walk to them at an angle, so you end up at their side, if that makes sense. Sorry, I'm not very good at explaining.
Also, has he ever thrown up before? Because you said he threw up five times, and for a cat that has never thrown up before that would definitely affect his temper.


----------



## pkbshrew (Feb 13, 2013)

My foster Tory (she of the AMAZING mothering instinct) behaves in this way as well. She'd be cuddling, purring and soakin' up the lerv then WHAM. I never figured it out. She used to do the same to her kittens on occasion... 
I visited her in the shelter the other day - yes, the poor thing is still waiting for the right humans to discover her awesomeness :neutral: Well, I was having a lovely smooch with her when she had one of her psycho flipouts and hooked me in the lip with one paw and in the forehead with the other. Someone else had to unhook her DEEPLY embedded claws for me = OUCH!!! So who knows what's going on in their little heads when they do this but I do know it's not 'personal' and that Tory always gives me a 'What's your problem' look afterwards hehe.


----------



## Kittybuns (Sep 19, 2012)

Thanks for all the great input!

Gwyneth&Cyrus, I'm not sure how I walked up to him. Just walked up to him. I wasn't aware there's a way to approach a cat before and he's never had an issue with how I've walked up to him until now. Also, he has thrown up before. Threw up I think 3 times when he ate some rubber back in December and has thrown up randomly 2 times between then and the big vomit incident on Friday. It doesn't really seem to bother him.

Cat Face, the catnip is a really good point! Declan IS one of those kitties who gets rather aggressive with catnip. He lashes out and scratches- has never bitten. We usually only give him catnip if we aren't going to be around. I'm not sure what he was going before we went in the bathroom since I had just come downstairs. He does have toys with catnip in them, but it seems to be only the loose catnip (like the kind you sprinkle on things) that gets him riled up. I suppose maybe he was huffing a catnip toy right before I saw him. Great theory!! Maybe we should cut out catnip all together. I only give him the loose stuff IN the bathroom with the door closed (rub it on his cardboard scratching post) because I don't want him to claw us or one of our bunnies. About 3 days before the incident I gave him catnip on his scratching post in the bathroom.


----------



## Kittybuns (Sep 19, 2012)

Darn, I edited my message above but accidentally didn't click submit and my time to edit has now expired!! I tried to edit it to say that I didn't know what he was DOING before we went in the bathroom (not what he was GOING). Also that catnip toys have never made him lash out before and his got his newest catnip toy at the end of May and it hasn't caused any problems. Okay he got another toy last week but it was out of his reach for at least 12 hours before the incident so I know that didn't cause it (just wanted to mention the new toy so you all don't think he is deprived of fun things!).


----------



## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

I would say it's one of two things:

1) Random attacking. This is pretty common in cats. My own cat does this and has his entire life, sometimes not for months on end and other times more than once in a day! It's hard to predict but you can learn the signs before an attack to minimize/prevent injury. Some people say there's a cause to this sort of thing, but from my experience, some cats are just... off. _If _there is a reason, it's not something humans can always decipher.

2) Medical issue. Some cats will only have the sign of attacking you as a reaction to pain or worrying that you may inflict pain. You may think they're fine besides some occasional odd behavior, so if this happens again I'd consider getting a full medical exam (meaning blood work) to rule out if the attacking is from a fear of potential pain triggers.

If it's not either of those things, I would say its most likely a one time thing and not to worry too much.


----------



## snowy (Aug 23, 2012)

I guess some attacks are predictable some are not, random attack like Carmel said, "Some cats are just off", lol.

I learnt my lesson the hard way and I kinda know when ET will attack, when he is super hungry and when being groomed, those were hard bites. He will bite when his is super hyper that day too, but just playful bite. Though he hardly bite now, but I will still have to watch out for the signs. If he block the door way, I'll have to find something to lure him away from the door, otherwise, I know what I will get, he will grab my leg and give me a playful bite, but accident can still happen. If he is outside the bathroom, I'll wet my hand, wave a few drops of water at him, that's enough to send him scurrying away, cos he hates water.

I worked around his hunger in the morning by preparing his food first before opening the door to his room. That had worked for a long time until some 2 or 3mths back when I tried feeding him new food. I didn't realise he didn't like the new food and he had begged for somethingelse, but I thought he was begging for kibbles which I had already added, so I ignored him and went about picking up his toys in his room. He probably was so upset, he bit me so hard and its just some 1-2mm away from visible veins on my arm. Had he bitten a little further in, I would be bleeding profusely.

I should have known, he doesn't beg very much unless he is hungry, he isn't a greedy cat, though a little finicky now, but he can be easily satisfied with just an addition of 2 kibbles. Occasionally, he will ask for more or when I decide not to give kibble that day, and when I decide to refused to give in, I'd better leave the room and close the door. Knowing I won't budge that day, he will finish his food. This method had worked well for me.

As for grooming, there is really nothing much I can do to prevent an attack, but he had learnt to tolerate grooming alot longer. He hadn't bitten or scratched real hard for quite some time, but yet I had to be on the alert all the time. Grooming is something I can't skip doing, so I just have to continue, cross my finger and hope for the best.

Sorry for going off topic, I do not have a full proof solution for you. A solution that works for one, may not work for another.


----------



## Kittybuns (Sep 19, 2012)

Okay, I forgot to say- the vet called back on Sunday afternoon and said that there aren't any chemicals in cured caulking that would poison him. Also said that if he isn't throwing up after every meal, he must have vomited it all out on Friday. My husband is the one who answered the phone so I wasn't able to ask her opinion on the biting incident.

This was totally bad timing on Declan's part. We were talking about adopting a kitten this week (the local rescue has a litter of black kittens!!), but now we're seriously reconsidering. Both because if he's sick/not feeling well, we don't want to introduce a wee kitten to the mix, and as much as we love Declan, we're kind of reluctant to bring another cat in if he's gearing up to developing a habit of biting a ton or other unwelcome things. Declan loves kittens and we think having another cat around may help with his tendency to get into everything and CHEW because he apparently didn't chew a single thing while at our friends' house for 2 weeks with their 2 kittens. Uh plus I totally want a kitten  Guess Deckie will have to wait longer for a little brother/sister though.


----------



## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

I think waiting is a good idea, until you are sure he isn't sick for sure. I have one of those cats that bite for no apparent reason. She has never bitten hard enough to draw blood although she has come close. My mom had a cat who was very, very vicious and it would bite or scratch to draw blood, it was the scariest cat I had ever been around. My feral cat at times will lightly bite my leg, totally unprovoked or bap at me with her paw. I think it's just a cat thing, most of the time, although I think for the kind of bite you got, the cat was either spooked by you....maybe it was engrossed in a spider or something and you alarmed it? Or like you said, it got pinched somehow by the door? When we first got Beep, my daughter was 5 at the time, Beep was looking out the back window at another cat in the back yard, and my daughter walked up to her to pet her and Beep FLIPPED, and attacked her. This happened in like 3 seconds, but in those 3 seconds, she had a bite on her shoulder, her chest and had a few BAD scratches as well. It was enough that we took her to an after hours pediatrics clinic. Beep did not mean to get her like this, she was just in "pounce mode", as we like to call it, and Laura startled her. I'm thinking maybe your cat could have been in "pounce mode" too, and was startled. 

I hope that's the last of it and all is well soon, and hopefully you can get another kitty....how nice!


----------



## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

For what it's worth regarding catnip and it's lasting ability. I bought one of those Kickeroo things by Kong about 6 months ago. No one was all that interested and it sat in the corner of the toy box never touched.

I moved it to one of the cat beds and BAM! Sadie started using it like she knew exactly what it was for.
Apparently the catnip inside was still very affective because she was about as high as I've ever seen her. 

Of course it was funny to watch her laying on her back and balancing on the top of her head watching whatever it was her stoned kitty eyes were seeing. lol
But as I said, she does get aggressive (as do _most_ cats) and although she means to play with her sister it doesn't come across that way and a slap battle will ensue. The end result is Sadie sleeping someplace totally weird like on one of the steps on the main staircase (like the risk of being stepped on never occurs to her).
I was really surprised that it hit her like that after all this time out in the air.

You say the scratcher you hang on the bathroom door is dusted with cat nip? Or that you give him cat nip in the bathroom? This incident happened in the bathroom? .. at the door, where he was laying, purring, and eyes big? Maybe I read all that wrong but it kind of falls together. 
The caulk and him getting sick aren't really related, just bad timing would be my guess.

I still stand by my theory LOL (I'm stubborn like that) 
Cats that have that 'nasty little streak' and lash out unexplained have a history of it and its not a surprise to the owner.

My oldest cat is the same,and she tends to draw blood. I don't think she really wants to it's just sometimes her wild side gets the better of her and instead of being patient she lets me have it. Like when I accidentally lock her out of the house. That will get me a swat for sure or maybe even an ankle nip but its just _her way_ and I half expect it.


----------



## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

All this is good information, but keep in mind you don't want to over react. It could have been a combination of a MILLION things and it may never happen again.

Don't freak out yet, just be mindful and keep an eye on him for any reocurrances. If and when it ever happens you know that you *MIGHT* be have a developing issue. 

SO far it's an isolated incident, lets not all decide that poor Declan is a savage attack cat who needs to be kept in a steel room.......


----------



## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

Lol!!!


----------



## Kittybuns (Sep 19, 2012)

Haha, don't worry Mow Mow, we aren't locking Deckie up! I've made a point to act around him just as I always do. He's shown 0 signs of aggression since the incident. We've been careful about not letting him in the bathroom with me, but that's it. I'm hoping this was a one time thing, or at least an only once in a blue moon thing.

I really don't think I hurt him or even startled him. He was basically paying attention to me the entire time we were in the bathroom, not looking out the window or anything. He wanted me to pet him. Right before he bit me, he was looking at me like normal, then his eyes got big and his ears went up and he jumped up. Thought he was jumping up because I was about to open the door!

Oh and I was slightly concerned about how my husband would react to this. One of our bunnies bit me 5 years ago (very badly, I have a scar from it) and my husband STILL has not forgiven him. He loves Declan though and is not holding it against him at all. When we adopted Declan, I had no idea my husband would fall for him so hard! It's very cute


----------



## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

I just read through the pages, so forgive me if I missed something.

I think the most likely causes are either cat nip (as everyone else has suggested), OR is it possible that his tail was near the hinge of the door? Some of his fur could have gotten into the mechanism, and if that was the case it wouldn't matter how far the door moved, it could pull on the fur.

Other than that...*shrugs*. I'm a firm believer that cats who do things like this always have a reason, but sometimes there's just no way of knowing what it is. Sometimes you'll figure it out months or years later and it'll be like a light bulb has gone off and you'll suddenly 'get it'.

Things that make my cats a little 'funny' (aka that they have odd reactions to):

-catnip. Jitzu is not allowed to have catnip...she gets a little snakey and she's already enough of a challenge, lol. Oddly, it only seems to apply to loose dried catnip, fresh or on toys doesn't have the same reaction.
-loud noises outside. Even if we can't hear them, cats have much better hearing. Strange noises outside can startle them or make them anxious. Example: Torri growls at thunder...I feel bad but it's adorable 'cause she's got this teeny little high-pitched kitten growl! Can't take it seriously, lol.
-Chlorine. I do not know why, but if I come home from the pool I have four cats sniffing my skin, licking, nibbling, then CHOMP. Then I get sheepish kitty looks when I object to being nommed. They can't seem to help themselves though.
-Strange smells in general. Once in a while you get that odd wind that blows a weird scent into your home...the cats all run around with their noses in the air sniffing like crazy. Weird.
-Angry kitty noises/kitten noises. Doesn't matter if it's on youtube or coming from outside, the sounds of other cats makes them all perk up and run around like idiots trying to figure out who's upset and why.

Basically, cats are weird sometimes...but there's always a reason.

As long as he's been acting completely normal for a few days (no more throwing up, eating normally, ect) I don't think you need to hold off on adopting. If you already know he likes kittens, and you're prepared for a bundle of fuzzy trouble, I'd just go for it.


----------

