Ankle Biter: cat advice

[hinakiba777]

So my cat Felix has developed a habit lately, that I don't really get. I'll be sitting at the computer doing nothing and he'll just start biting my ankles. At first I thought it was just play aggression but none of his toys or any of the games i play with him seem to spark his interest. He'll look at me for a moment and then just go straight back to biting my ankles. HARD. I mean, sometimes he will groom my arms or legs and then kind of bite gently, but that's not an issue. It's just when I'm sitting doing nothing and he starts to bite my ankles.

Does he need more attention? Should i spend more time with him? I tend to spend a lot of time cuddling with him each day. So i'm not sure.

Could it be that he is feeling stir crazy? I live in a bachelor apartment, and keep the doors to the bathroom and closet closed most of the time. Felix has been living here for about 20 months and never acted like this. But when i was home for Christmas, I stayed home for three full weeks, during which time Felix had the FULL run of the basement, stairs, and porch. Do you think three weeks with that much space is making him feel crowded here?

I love him dearly, but when he keeps biting me, I have no choice, but to crate him. Any advice?

[Kittish]

Try a no bottle. Spray bottle filled with water, set so it does a stream. When he starts, spray him and tell him sharply No!

You might also see about getting him a cat tree if you don't have one already, make sure it's sturdy enough that he won't be able to knock it over. You may find you need some weight at the bottom to insure it's stable. We've got 100 pounds of gravel in bags on the base of our tree cause the cats like to do this flying leap and hit the tree halfway up at a run.

It does sound like he's maybe kind of bored. You could also try some new toys. Don't have to be expensive. My cats LOVE paper towel roll cores cut into rings about an inch wide. Just like with kids, the found and improvised toys seem to hold more appeal.

Some catnip might also entertain him. Sprinkle some onto one of his toys if you don't have one you can put the catnip actually inside of.

[Chromatix]

Try a no bottle.

Does it have a picture of GrumpyCat on the side?

[protege]

Try a no bottle. Spray bottle filled with water, set so it does a stream. When he starts, spray him and tell him sharply No!

With some cats though--especially Maine Coons--a blast of water doesn't really do much. They tend to enjoy it. I've sprayed Baxter if he starts getting annoying in the kitchen, and it doesn't phase him. What he *doesn't* like, is being called a "bad kitty" plus the swat on the tail.

You might also see about getting him a cat tree if you don't have one already, make sure it's sturdy enough that he won't be able to knock it over.

If you don't like the idea of a carpeted tree in your favorite room, what about some "kitty shelves?" Get a few cheap shelves from Home Depot, bolt them to to the wall, and you have an instant place for kitty to climb. Many cats love to be up high, and love to see what's going on. Also, does the cat have a place near a window? Mine love to look outside, and see what the various critters are up to.

Some catnip might also entertain him. Sprinkle some onto one of his toys if you don't have one you can put the catnip actually inside of.

Ah catnip, aka "kitty crack." My cats love catnip, and will spend hours playing with their catnip-laced toys. Another thing you might want to try, is the catnip spray. This can be applied to any toy or scratching post.

Other toys I have, are the plastic rings from gallon milk jugs, wine bottle corks, balled-up paper, foil balls, and cardboard boxes. All are relatively low-cost and will provide hours of fun for kitties.

But, it does sound like the kitty in question is a bit 'cramped' after having all that space to play with. When I brought my first cat home, he wasn't too happy about being inside all the time. Before, he was an outside cat, and had 80 acres to play with. Then I brought him home to a 2-bedroom house., and kept him inside. Too many big dogs, idiot drivers, and other people to worry about. The first couple of days, he was constantly running around. Probably freaking out because he was "confined." He settled down after a bit when he got used to it. It probably helped that I'd leave the radio on.

[Mikkel]

My cat will bite me or set a claw against my skin to tell me that he need something. No water or dry food, or the catdoor is blocked. If I get up, he will run ahead, go to the problem and mewp.

I think he may be asking to go into the basement to play.

[wolfie]

This may be a bit extreme, but Douglas Bader (WW2 British fighter pilot) had a similar situation with a host's dog that was VERY possessive of a certain space under the dinner table. It bit him ONCE, after which it didn't express any objection to his stretching his legs into the dog's "territory".

[dalesys]

...Douglas Bader (WW2 British fighter pilot)...

Leg amputation to cure anklebiters? Seems a bit extreme.

Though some other amputations are recommended for *preventing* anklebiters.

[wolfie]

Still, a few pointers could be taken from the Bader case to make biting undesirable (dog didn't want to bite sheet metal a second time). Have you tried armour plate? Try wrapping a few layers of cardboard around your lower legs when you're in a situation where the biting is likely (bonus if you treat the outer layer with something VERY bitter).

A bachelor apartment makes this a bit difficult (large cardboard box, perhaps?), but people who've had their cats wake them up early (want to be fed) have trained them not to do so using a "boring room" (room with nothing in it of interest to cats except a water dish and a litter box). Takes a while to break the pattern of previously learned behaviour (human feeds me when they wake up - I want to be fed early, I wake human) to match the new circumstances (human feeds me at a certain time - if I wait for them to wake up, I have the run of the house, but if I wake them I get put in the "boring room" until it's feeding time), but eventually they learn. Cat bites you for attention? They get put in the "boring box".

[BookstoreEscapee]

Also, does the cat have a place near a window? Mine love to look outside, and see what the various critters are up to.

My parents have a bay window in the kitchen, which the cats are allowed to sit in, with a bird feeder outside it. My mom's sewing machine is also under the side window in their bedroom (she doesn't really use it; it's closed up and mostly used as a table). There's not much on it so the cats can get up and look out the window, and there are some small hanging bird feeders in the bushes outside. Kitty nature program!

They also like ponytail holders; my mom got a pack of neon-colored ones at the dollar store. (Doesn't stop them from stealing mine when I stay there, though...sometimes right out of my hair). And straws. We discovered this when they were little and the girl knocked the pea she was playing soccer with into a spot she couldn't reach into. I couldn't get it so I used a bendy straw to pull it out. They spent the rest of the night playing with the straw. Just watch for when they start to get chewed up.

[MoonCat]

Yep, boredom. Needs to have his energy redirected. The "no" bottle can work well (don't aim for the face though). You could also try redirecting his aggressive with a larger stuffed toy that he can kick and chew. Something filled with catnip is good but it doesn't always have to be. Some cats just like something they can grip with their teeth and front paws and kick the crap out of with their back feet.

[Seshat]

Another vote for boredom. People (human or pet-people) are the best anti-boredom devices EVER, as far as pets are concerned.

If your pets have enough 'pet stuff' to go ahead and do, they'll leave you alone to do 'human stuff' - provided you do give them 'us time'. But if they're feeling short of 'pet stuff' to do, they'll turn you into their plaything.
Or they'll find something to play with, on their own. Which can be their voice (nuisance barking/yowling), or your best furniture, or that ming vase.....

[Gravekeeper]

Yep, too much energy, not enough outlets. Your ankles are moving fleshy targets of amusement. If you're reacting when he chews on you, then he's getting entertainment out of it because you're playing with him by acting like, well, prey.

If you don't react when he does it, it will become boring. But if you react by trying to yank your ankle away, or trying to defend your ankle afterwards, now you're playing and he's thinking your succulent flesh is a toy. If you don't react or just gently push towards him with your ankle, or better yet just get up and leave the room and leave him there. Then its game over and he'll start to catch on you're not a toy.

But yeah, he needs some more stuff to do or more stuff in the enviroment to fark around with. My cat's a high energy lunatic. But any sort of box or plastic shopping bags will captivate her. So I typically just leave a box out from the recycling or give her a grocery bag after I come back from the store.

She has a ton of actual cat toys, but doesn't give much of a fark about them. The only thing that utterly entrances her is my laser pointer. Which is another good one and more importantly one that directs his attention away from your body towards another toy.

[fireheart]

They also like ponytail holders; my mom got a pack of neon-colored ones at the dollar store. (Doesn't stop them from stealing mine when I stay there, though...sometimes right out of my hair). And straws. We discovered this when they were little and the girl knocked the pea she was playing soccer with into a spot she couldn't reach into. I couldn't get it so I used a bendy straw to pull it out. They spent the rest of the night playing with the straw. Just watch for when they start to get chewed up.

Just be careful with the ponytail holders...we use metal-free thick-ish ones (not scrunchies!) to play with the cat.

The rings from milk bottle lids are also good for that and also make an interesting noise.

Although beware the "fridge" trap...when we moved the fridge aside for cleaning, we found about 20 ponytail holders under there...all courtesy of our now-deceased cat, who used to flick them under there.

[Gravekeeper]

Although beware the "fridge" trap...when we moved the fridge aside for cleaning, we found about 20 ponytail holders under there...all courtesy of our now-deceased cat, who used to flick them under there.

There is no appliance or piece of furniture in my house that does not have at *least* 5-8 cat toys or improvised cat toys under it.

On a side note the easiest improvised cat toy in the world is a Kinder Egg. Take the toy out of the capsule and just leave one small piece of the toy in it. Or stick anything small in there: A dime, a bead, anything. It will rattle when batted around. Should give you at least 15 minutes of peace before it goes under the couch. -.-

[Seshat]

Kinder Egg:

Toth gets the chocolate.
Seshat gets the toy.
Now-dead furball gets the capsule, with the wrapper balled up and stuck inside to make it make a sound.


I miss furball.