Make sure your kitten doesn’t make habit of biting

Dear Cathy: How do I stop my 8-month-old cat from biting me? I think he wants attention, but that’s a lousy way to get it. He doesn’t bite my partner, just me. Also, are there any ways to keep the same kitten from pulling all the toilet paper off the rolls?

— Judy, Tucson, Arizona Dear Judy: An 8-monthold kitten is probably biting because he is teething, and his gums are sore. It’s likely just a phase, but phases need to be monitored and managed to ensure they don’t become habits.

Cat play is nothing more than a display of a feline’s hunting behaviors, which means they stalk, pounce and bite things when playing. To avoid getting bitten, never use your hands as playthings. Keep stuffed socks, feathered wands and other cat toys handy to quickly distract and play with your cat instead. This will keep your hands free from bites and your cat happy and content.

Some cats though, take biting a step further. One minute, you’re petting your cat and having a happy moment, the next your cat nails you with their claws or mouth. This is always a scary moment for the pet parent, who wonders what they did to deserve a bite or what’s wrong with their cat.

There is nothing wrong with your cat and the cat is not misbehaving. But as a pet parent, you did do something wrong. You likely stroked your cat above his level of tolerance while your partner may stroke the cat below his level of tolerance.

Cats are extremely sensitive to touch and other stimuli and when they are overstimulated, biting is often their go-to to tell you

Kittens often bite because they are teething and their gums are sore.

to stop petting them or remove the stimulus in the room. It’s called petting-induced or overstimulation aggression and is fairly common among cats. This behavior has nothing to do with how the cat feels about you, but with what is happening around them.

Be respectful of your feline’s tolerance for touch. Some cats might tolerate five minutes of petting, another cat may only tolerate five strokes, before they turn and bite the hand that feeds them. There are warning signs, like ears that twitch back, dilated pupils and a rigid, slow-moving tail. Learn your cat’s toler

ance for touch and don’t pet him one stroke more. It’s instinctive to want to pet your cat, but sometimes you have to override your instincts to abide by your feline’s wishes. Cats generally are content sleeping on your lap and maintaining contact with you in that way.

Pent-up energy also can contribute to overstimulation aggression. Exercise helps. Make sure your feline has lots of toys, a cat tree and at least 10 minutes of playtime/exercise, twice daily. If cats are tired from play, they are less likely to be aggressive and/or bite.

To address your second

question, there are covers you can mount on the wall to keep your cat from unrolling the toilet paper. You also can put the toilet paper on the roller, so the paper has to be pulled from the back of the roll, making it harder, but not impossible, to pull on. You also can place it out of your cat’s reach, like in a basket on the counter or on the tank of the commode.

Dear Cathy: About two months ago, our 5-yearold goldendoodle refused to go out on walks. She is slightly timid but has been eager to go out most of her life. We’ve tried everything, anxiety pills, treats, etc., but nothing works. I have narrowed it down to cars and their sounds. I read your column about the dog afraid of household noises. I’m wondering about the noise machine. I’ve never seen one but I’m wondering if I should try one, or is there some other approach you would try?

— Dick, Tucson, Arizona Dear Dick: If there is no health problem, then something scared her during a past walk. Stick with the calming supplements and buy an Anxiety Wrap or Thundershirt for her to wear on the walks. The first time she wears it, take her outside, but not for a walk, to let her get used to it. She should begin to feel more confident outside again. When she does, try to take her for a walk. The noise machine works great in the house to block outside noises and could provide some calming energy for her prior to her walk.

Cathy M. Rosenthal is an animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert. Send your questions, stories and tips to cathy@ petpundit.com. Please include your name, city and state. You can follow her @ cathymrosenthal.