Feline Follies
- Thread starter Alienesse
- Start date
Oh, he is a biter for sure. But he's a love-biter. I've never seen him actually angry with the exception of when the vet put a thermometer up his ass, and then he didn't attack, just hissed and cowered.
He has intense play-aggression, though, which I am trying to train him out of. I don't think he was properly socialized as a kitten, and I suspect part of the reason he was surrendered was his biting. It's so clear that it's affection, though, because he never leaves a mark and doesn't use his claws. He shows no signs of anxiety or true aggression when he does it (no dilated pupils, puffy tail, hissing, or flat ears), and he often licks and grooms when biting. Still, I want to discourage the behavior.
I'm not using any negative reinforcement, just structured playtime so that he's not bored or lonely, and completely ignoring his bad behavior so that he learns he won't get any attention at all from it. He seems fairly smart for a kitty, so I think I can train him up. He's already learned his name, "up", "down", and his meowing for attention has gone from hour long sessions to about five minutes before he gives up. I'm assuming that his previous owners just didn't have much cat experience or patience (or maybe they had small kids, he wouldn't do well with kids).
He has intense play-aggression, though, which I am trying to train him out of. I don't think he was properly socialized as a kitten, and I suspect part of the reason he was surrendered was his biting. It's so clear that it's affection, though, because he never leaves a mark and doesn't use his claws. He shows no signs of anxiety or true aggression when he does it (no dilated pupils, puffy tail, hissing, or flat ears), and he often licks and grooms when biting. Still, I want to discourage the behavior.
I'm not using any negative reinforcement, just structured playtime so that he's not bored or lonely, and completely ignoring his bad behavior so that he learns he won't get any attention at all from it. He seems fairly smart for a kitty, so I think I can train him up. He's already learned his name, "up", "down", and his meowing for attention has gone from hour long sessions to about five minutes before he gives up. I'm assuming that his previous owners just didn't have much cat experience or patience (or maybe they had small kids, he wouldn't do well with kids).
My cat is an ankle grabber. You walk away from her and next thing she's got you by the leg. It's fairly gentle but she's a cat.. you never know when that claw is going to be there. She will bite and shred paper. Like she'll chew a bit of paper for a while and then spit it out. I don't think she's aggressive as such but just likes to play.
Glasgow is an ankle biter too. He just loves the taste of human flesh. 
We just started fostering the occasional cat for the Cats Protection. This is Lilly. She'll be staying with us whilst she gets better (heart mumur) and someone adopts her...
A lovely, tiny little pusscat that just needs a bit of love, which Mrs Rune and i are very happy to give
^ what a sweet little kitty!
I would love to foster cats, but I would probably want to keep them all! Hubby is barely OK with Junior.
I would love to foster cats, but I would probably want to keep them all! Hubby is barely OK with Junior.
Hugo, why are none of your pics showing up? 
Hugo, why are none of your pics showing up?
Because Photobucket su©ks. Seriously, the pics were there yesterday.
Photobucket is acting up today. Don't know why they suddenly don't want pics posted to other websites....kinda what Photobucket is, you know, FOR in the first place. I just moved a pic to a different album and it worked fine.
Never mind. Apparently, we can't use photobucket any longer.
Never mind. Apparently, we can't use photobucket any longer.
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Apparently, my lap is no longer Jim's favorite place to be. 
He's become quite the beggar. Instead of asking for permission to jump into my lap, he sits on the floor next to my chair and stares at me until I either a) give him treats, b) clean his litter box, or c) grab the feather toy and play with him on my bed. He also jumps at any chance to go into the bathroom with me so he can play with one of the girls under the door. They rarely do, but he's an eternal optimist.
He's become quite the beggar. Instead of asking for permission to jump into my lap, he sits on the floor next to my chair and stares at me until I either a) give him treats, b) clean his litter box, or c) grab the feather toy and play with him on my bed. He also jumps at any chance to go into the bathroom with me so he can play with one of the girls under the door. They rarely do, but he's an eternal optimist.
I wish this would become a thing (as in, required by law)
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/science/july-4-fireworks-quiet.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/science/july-4-fireworks-quiet.html
That probably wouldn't help as far as the idiot neighbors and the fireworks they get hold of.
Since my photobucket links in this thread are now not working, I HAD to post more pictures of my boy Junior to make up for it.
^ 
That's a GREAT picture.
That's a GREAT picture.
