# HELP! Newly adopted cat won't stop biting and meowing!



## cs53 (May 7, 2013)

My fiance and I adopted a 2-year old short haired polydactyl cat about 3 months ago from the ASPCA. He's generally a good natured, playful cat but we can't get him to stop biting us. He's spayed and the ASPCA told us he had 2 teeth removed (but they didn't have record of why). One of us is generally home most of the time, so he gets a lot of playtime. I would estimate about two half hour sessions a day, plus playing with his toys on his own. 

He bites both of us about 15-30 times a day, generally not very hard but sometimes he does break skin. It seems to be in a playful nature and generally mimics hunting. We have tried all the usual remedies-- spray bottle, hissing, blowing air, loud clapping, shaking a jar with coins and nothing seems to work. He either thinks its part of the game or he runs away and then comes back to bite a few minutes later. He also tends to bite any visitors we may have.

Because of this, we keep him out of the bedroom at night because it's not very pleasant to wake up by being bitten. He has started to meow incessantly early in the morning. It's not for food because he usually still has some leftover from the food we put out before bed. It seems like he just wants to play and won't make due with the toys left out for him. We don't respond to it so it doesn't reinforce the behavior, but we can't get him to stop.

He also doesn't seem to respond to catnip, so we haven't been able to get him to use a scratching post.

What can we do to stop the biting and meowing? Is this possibly just a phase? Thanks so much for the help!!!


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Ouch, I sympathize with you! I wish I could offer more help than what you have already done. Not every cat is a good fit for every home. ANY bite that breaks the skin can be potentially serious. I was bitten and ended up in the hospital on a morphine drip for a week. You need to use your best judgment at this point and decide if perhaps he is not the best fit.


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## Kbbargho (Mar 26, 2013)

Mika's a biter, it was how her previous 'owners' taught her to play.

She's six now (we've had her 4 years), and still bites us on a daily basis but she's nowhere near as awful as she used to be.

In the end we found that she learned it was ok to bite by simply ignoring her. If we were giving her affection and she went for us, we'd just stop. No firm words, just stop.

At one point she was very vicious. And heaven forbid she should grab you, as she'd just keep biting and kicking you with her back legs. She'd go for your feet as well.

Anyway, as I mentioned she still bites now but not as hard and not as vicious.

So from my experience, ignoring her taught her that if she wanted affection, biting us would take that away.

Also, try a water spray and keep it handy (finger water pistols are great for that) and when the kitty bites just spray it. I never liked this technique myself as I felt cruel, but it's just a suggestion.


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## svenden (Apr 9, 2013)

Well, at 2 years old its unlikely to be an adolescent phase. Not sure what to do about the biting. What is the meowing like? Is it a 'normal' meow, or a strange meow?

The only thought I have is whether another cat (or maybe even dog) would help? If you could find a good companion, perhaps they could play together, keep each other company when you're sleeping, etc.?

Does remind me of Tigger, my childhood cat. He used to stalk my mom's feet and attack her out of the blue. He was declawed, but knew how to use his teeth! Never did it to me, though. Part of how he and I bonded, I think! lol


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## Janz (Mar 26, 2012)

When does he bite? When he is playing with you, when you are petting him or when you are not paying attention to him? I adopted my younger cat, a former stray, from the SPCA and he was aggressive. I tried the things you have tried but nothing phased him. I eventually decided that I had adopted him, that made him family, and family is not perfect but you love them anyway. It took some time but he rarely bites now, has a sweet side and is a much loved member of the family. I hope you try to work it out with him.


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## cs53 (May 7, 2013)

He pretty much bites all the time at everything. It's not because he's not getting enough attention or because we're petting him. It happens when we ignore him and when play with him. He also doesn't really respond to scruffing, we tried a couple times. Ignoring him doesn't seem to phase him. Unfortunately, right now we can't handle a second pet, so a playmate is not really an option, we just don't have the space for it but hopefully in the future....


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## cs53 (May 7, 2013)

Also, the meowing is a normal meow-- he just seems to want to have some attention and be played with...


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

The reason everything you're trying isn't working is because he's never learned what he SHOULD be doing instead. You can say No, No, No all you want, but if he doesn't know what else to try he'll keep biting.

Rather than just punishing him, which obviously isn't working, you need to give him another choice. When you're petting him and he's being affectionate keep a large stuffed toy nearby, when you see him start to get excited shove the toy in his face (playfully) so he can bite and wrestle with that. Hold on to the back of the toy and wrestle with him, using the toy as a buffer. This teaches him 'don't bite me, bite this toy, and we'll play a game!' Much better than chomping you.

I think the biggest cause of your issues is that he's got too much energy. You need to play with him often to drain that energy, or he'll just keep being bad. think of a little boy forced to sit still and never allowed to run and play. Do you think that boy could behave and sit nicely? I doubt it. Just like kids, cats need playtime to drain that restlessness so they can behave. Without it he'll only get worse.

Try and do 2 play times per day, one in the morning and one at night. Use toys that keep his attention away from your body - wand toys and laser pointers work best IMO. Play with him for at least 10-15 minutes, until he's panting and won't chase the toy anymore. You might need to practice a bit to get some movements that he likes with boy the laser pointer and the wand, but once you know what motions he likes he'll get right into it. With the wand toy I try to make it mimic small birds, hopping, fluttering, ect. my cats LOVE that!

Everything that you're describing is not an aggressive cat. The problem is that he's never learned good manners, so punishing him when he honestly doesn't know any better isn't fair.

When he bites you try and get used to following this pattern:

-Petting
-Bite
-You say "No!" ignore him for 10 SECONDS as you grab a toy (try and keep them nearby) he'll hopefully pause in his chomping
-Stick the toy in his face, or throw it if it's a ball
-play a short game with him

The only way this will work is if you also have set play times. If you don't bother to play with him regularly it won't change a thing and he'll just get worse over time.


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

librarychick has some very good tips and points. Nothing wears out a kitty as good as a laser pointer or cat dancer.

Because he's already 2 yrs old and adopted it's likely that he was 'taught' by previous owners to play like this. Again, I also agree with librarychick that he isn't aggressive, just that he doesn't know any other way to play. It won't be an overnight success to re-train him, but if you do what librarychick has pointed out, it'll help set him on the right path and with time he'll get the hint.


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## cs53 (May 7, 2013)

Thanks so much librarychick. This sounds like what we've been doing, although we've been doing 1/2 hour play sessions morning and night with extra ones thrown in. He's got a bunch of mice and a laser pointer to play with, but so far it hasn't decreased his desire to hunt us. 

Do you have suggestions for when he stalks and bites hard, for instance hiding under the bed and jumping out at our legs or jumping up onto the couch to bite a forearm? It's hard to ignore it when he's got an arm locked in his teeth and won't let go.

Thanks so much!!!!


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## Janz (Mar 26, 2012)

> It's hard to ignore it when he's got an arm locked in his teeth and won't let go.


 Owww - whether we call it playing, hunting or aggression, it is not acceptable behavior. librarychick has good suggestions but you are already doing most of them. You need to let him know you are the alpha creatures in the house. This does not mean hitting or punishment. If you can anticipate his attacks you can move towards him and tell him no. If you don't anticipate his attack you should not back away. Push back a little bit (not violently), tell him no and be confident. Do not act like prey. He was probably allowed to play rough with people as a kitten.


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## Cat Lover Lennie (Jan 7, 2013)

I also agree with librarychick. The bad behavior is a result of bad habits learned before you got him. The name of the game is redirection. Stuffed toy, okay. distracting him with a treat is okay as long as you redirect and then treat immediately. Do you have free-roaming cats near your living quarters. Meowing could be in response to a cat, rabbit, whatever in his perceived territory....and early morning is hunting time in their heads. I end up being awakened by my "darlings" every morning between 5:30 and 6am. So I feed them their wet food breakfast. I'm lucky because I can go right back to sleep...and when I wake up again they are all sleeping around me. Just a thought...redirection again. I know this wouldn't work for everyone,but since you are awake anyway.....
Another thing to remember about cats....they are first and foremost prey driven. Once a cat starts biting you react by startling, yelling, etc and in general, acting like prey. The cat will sense your hesitation and fear. Does the cat give you any warning that he is going to bite. Are you petting him? If that tail starts swishing, stop what you are doing and redirect before the bite. Okay, my one tyoing finger is tired....good luck!


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Just to clarify, is he actually puncturing the skin when he does this? Or is he pressing down, but not breaking skin? There's a very important distinction, and different ways to handle it.

I'm glad you're playing with him, that's awesome. It may be that purely physical stimulation isn't enough for him, he might need some brain games too. Try getting some plastic or paper cups, and rather than feeding him in a bowl put put the cups upside down around your home with a few kibbles under each one. At first make them easy to find, and let him watch you setting it up, maybe even help him knock a few over so he gets the idea. As he catches on hide the cups better, put a rock on top, or don't let him watch. Clicker training, or just teaching him tricks might help too.

Right now he's using all his brain power to figure out new ways to hunt you. If you give him better thongs, more rewarding things, to do with his brain you might see him chance and pounce you less.

As far as getting him off once he has pounced, its kind of tricky. You don't want to immediately throw a toy, because then it IS a game. I'd do a two step approach; startle him into letting go, and then redirect him. If he'll get startled by a loud clap, or whistle, even shaking a can of pennies, go for it. Don't yell though, if it hasnt worked so far then he might be enjoying that as part of the hunt.

Once he's off wait a moment, then engage him in another activity, just like you have been doing.

The best way, obviously, is for him not to pounce you at all! You can buy fleece toys that are a few feet long, or you can rip up a towel or buy some fleece and rip it into strips; braid your towel/fleece and not both ends. You want something a few feet long (3-4),and get/make at least 2. When you're walking around and you think he might be ready to pounce drag the toy along next to you and wiggle it. If he pounced that enticing wiggly thing rather than you, awesome. Praise him and wriggle it for him as his reward for not pouncing you...I'd suggest not petting him while he's all excited though.

This will teach him that its much more fun and rewarding to not pounce you, but rather to hunt the toys.


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## coyt (Jul 15, 2012)

i totally agree with librarychick and i also wanted to add that if you dont have one already, get Da Bird. that toy gets most cats running/jumping around like crazy and wears them out. play with him before meal time, then feed him. it helps to fulfill his hunting/killing instincts. and afterwards he'll be worn out and full so hopefully in no mood to bite


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## Krista2882 (Jan 26, 2012)

Maybe it's just a phase- she might still be adjusting. My cat started biting after I had him for about a month. I would wake up in the middle of the night to him biting me because I moved my arms near him when I was asleep. Sometimes he would grab onto my leg as I walked by and would bite me. He was only that bad for maybe two months, though, and now he still bites but not as much. He randomly bites the top of my foot. Sometimes he still grabs my leg and bites me if I walk past him when he's sitting in a doorway. And sometimes he'll start biting the blankets on the bed when he sees my feet moving underneath. But he definitely doesn't bite as much as he once did.
When I play with him, though, he automatically goes after everything with his mouth. He just has a thing for biting that he must have been taught at a young age. I've only had him for 6 months and he was a stray before that but from some of his behaviors I can tell that he must have belonged to someone at one time and then abandoned.
Anyway, I just wanted to share that I went through something similar with my cat, but once he really adjusted to living with me he MOSTLY stopped biting.


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## cs53 (May 7, 2013)

Thanks everyone, there are some good suggestions here. We do have Da Bird, although he's gotten bored of it and we're back to balls, which are his preferred toy. He's still biting just as much as ever and frequently puncturing the skin. Doing our best not to act like prey, and hopefully it'll start working...


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