Biggie Time Out

[susandennis]

After weeks of no biting, Biggie took a chomp this morning. I knew he wanted to and I thought I was distracting him and fending him off but I was wrong.



This time, I did not spray him but looked right at him and said NO in a loud, commanding voice and then repeated it when he tried to come near me. He seemed to get the message and stayed on his side of the couch. Then I put a bolster up so his access to me was more difficult. He breached the barrier once and I told him NO!

For the next 10 mins or so he stayed on his end of the couch and just watched me.

I am sure now that it's a combo of his stress (Robby ran this morning and then I did the whole couch cover swap thing which confused the heck out of him) and his wanting something from me. When I give him my full attention, he seems much less bitey but today, he had my full attention when he chomped. So I don't know what he wants. I'm absolutely positive that unless wildly provoked, he would not bite anyone else. So it's a communication issue between the two of us.

I sent an email to the vet's office. Dr. Lewis there, is the one who said there were things we could try. I'm ready to try. Biggie has turned into the most expensive cat on the planet.

Comments

[mairi-dubh.livejournal.com]

Does Robby have the capacity to store two vacuuming routines (thinking of saving you a bit of time and maybe a lot of irritation)?

If so, would it pay to put Biggie in the bedroom (door closed firmly) while Robby did his thing everywhere else, and then reverse their positions with Biggie running or perching or noshing or whatever he's doing in the rest of the house while Robby vacuums that bedroom?

[susandennis]

I have no bedroom door. And even if I did, I cannot imagine that locking him would reduce his stress.

[mairi-dubh.livejournal.com]

...if you were in there with him, maybe? Bathroom---do you have a door for the bathroom, and not simply a doorway?
And again, that would be if you were in there with him.

Sometimes cats will surprise you. Former neighbors of mine did a lot of feral cat rescue so there were always temporary feline residents coming and going, and their own "permanent" cat was always tense, always wary, sometimes aggressive with those cats and with his people. Finally they simply shut him in their bedroom where he was, as Hamlet declared [Hamlet] could be, "...bounded in a nutshell and yet count [himself] king of infinite space," although that bit about bad dreams presumably wouldn't apply in the cat's case.
"Chilled right out," that cat's pet mama said. "Can't see the other cats, so therefore they're not in his space and so they're not a problem."
In his case it eliminated his stress.

[maju01.livejournal.com]

Ouch. That's a serious bite. Hope the vet can help.

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

oww!

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

Ouch. Biggie, stop biting! Hope that it doesn' t get infected. (My cat Zara bit my mom once, and it got infected.)

[rromantic.livejournal.com]

OMW, those are bite marks?! I was expecting puncture marks, but those look like the deep, bloody claw marks when I don't pay attention to my kids and don't move fast enough to get out of line of snatching. But bite marks that left lines drawing blood.. I've never seen it with a happy-home, pampered, domesticated cat, like Biggie definitely is. Something is definitely wrong. Sending both of you good thoughts that you'll be able to restore the communication lines again soon and that he can tell you what on earth it could be that has him so freaked out.

Damn cats

[gracegiver]

Ruby, the feral cat, does that to me. Once, way back, she tried to kill me. Seriously. She didn't know where she was (under the covers with me) and she didn't know what just landed on top of her (my leg). I have pictures. She went after my face. And she still makes me nervous.

BUT, she's the best snuggler cat I've ever had and sleeps with me every night, but she will occasionally put her open mouth over my arm or leg but not bite down when she wants something. Food, pets, play - I don't know. She absolutely hates the other two cats.

I don't really know what to do either, I mean, what are my choices? She's been with us for three years now and I'm cautious when she's with me. I suspect Biggie will have "issues" rest of his life.

Just like us!!!!

Re: Damn cats

[susandennis]

Biggie does that — puts his teeth on my arm when he wants something. I think in his case, it's just a lesser bite. Exactly. What are my choices? sigh.

[texasts.livejournal.com]

That's a puzzler all right. Apparently he does NOT care for the vacuum much.

That's a nasty bite. He'd be lucky not to get a flying lesson around here!

[carriea31.livejournal.com]

Oh no! That's quite a bite. Get a grip, Biggie.

[carriea31.livejournal.com]

Not related to this entry, but thinking of you now as I cook. Not sure if you've already tried it, but your bigger Dash would probably work quite well for quesadillas. I have a Dash waffle maker and it works perfectly, so long as you put the tortilla in catty corner so it fits.

[christalin80.livejournal.com]

Ouch, that looks painful.

Biggie, you have got to stop with the chomping.

[zippybeta.livejournal.com]

You might want to look for a cat behaviorist in your area, My son had a cat with issues and they really helped a lot.

[susandennis]

Oh that is so good to hear! I know of one behaviorist but the only thing I know about her is what is on her website. That's why I wrote to the vet. She's got experience with them and so won't be spending my $$ blind. But, seriously, it's great to hear that it might very well be worth it.

[terri gordon (from livejournal.com)]

Ohmigod Susan, i had NO IDEA his bites were that bad, That is way past serious. Over the 40 plus years I’ve had cats that bit but it was more playful and never broke skin that badly. Did you ask the vet about the possibility that he only ended up with a partial neuter? If he wasn’t completely neutered that could be a part of it.

Can you get a past history from the rescue you adopted from? I’m wondering if he came in as a feral kitten?

[pigshitpoet.livejournal.com]

meowch!!

[howeird]

I forget - did you try canned air instead of spray?

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD! That looks terrible. It looks like from a later entry you have the vet on the case — fingers crossed he'll find an answer. My only suggestion, and I can't remember if you've thought of it before, is Feliway. I find that fantastic for any cat stress problem I've encountered although that doesn't include biting as I've never struck that. Feliway seems to chill them right out and they obviously love it.

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

Aha, I looked up whether Feliway was recommended for biting and it is. So I feel a bit more confident in suggesting it. I just hope it hasn't already come up and I've forgotten it — apologies if so. If not: it's an artificial pheromone that mimics one coming from the mother cat. You plug a diffuser in and change it once a month. My cats get very anxious about the number of other cats in the neighbourhood and Feliway stops them from spraying inside.

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

we have fox here and in mating season the vixens let fly with that unearthly yowl. The windows are always open, and that would upset Bonnie. That's why I started using Feliway. Great stuff, highly recommended FWIW.

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's amazing! The only problem I have with it in NZ is that the refills are spectacularly expensive ($75, whereas Amszon has them for $15). On my last trip to the US my bags going home were stuffed with refills:).

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

yeee-ouch. I hope you can get to the bottom of the problem. I know you love Biggie. I am sorry. Please keep us posted?

[letmesaythis.livejournal.com]

Aw geez. Your responses to those chomps are far, far more generous than mine would be.

Biggie continues to be one of the luckiest, loved cats in the world.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Ouch! {{{hugs}}}

[picosgemeos.livejournal.com]

Oh dear... that looks like a bad bite!

[opakele.livejournal.com]

That bite doesn't look fun.

Did the biting start when Robby was introduced? Or had it been going on for a while?

[susandennis]

Oh yeah, he was biting way before Robby. Much worse biting actually but less often. Hopefully, his kitty valium is going to fix the problem.