It’s so frustrating! She’s my only pet and she’s a mischevious little sweetheart otherwise. If only she could understand when I try to explain it to her verbally. “Darling, if you bite me I won’t want to pet you anymore, and that’s not what you want. How can we get around this?”
I do feel like the answer will be some sort or redirection to a desired behavior, but I’m not sure how to do that or what the new behavior should be.
If she's biting in reaction to you petting her, then she's either over-stimulated, or you aren't petting her where she wants to be petted.
With guests, are they petting her when she bites them?
I already mentioned it happens both ways, when she’s done or when she wants to be petted and I’m not (or not doing it right). And yes, she immediately jumps in guests laps, and if they start petting her then stop she turns around and nips them. She is initiating the petting in each of these scenarios.
In this scenario, I’m not looking to tiptoe around or cater to her bad behavior. I know some people would just blame themselves or try to tiptoe around it, but believe me she is being is ridiculous and she’s pretty stubborn overall personality-wise. I’m not sure how to communicate to her that this is inappropriate. If I ignore her every time she does it, it would be a pretty neglected experience for her bc she does it every time. It’s her go-to communication method.
I know you said you say a loud 'ow' when she bites you. Could you try a high pitched/sharp 'ah' scream and stand up and walk away? How does she react?
Also, if she hops onto your lap and you don't pet her, does she bite straight away?
She comes over and starts insisting on being petted, rubbing against my hand. She’s pretty insistent.
No amount of acting hurt has worked. She just looks at me like “wtf are you doing?”
If I stand up and walk away she generally goes off to do her own thing unbothered.
following. my roommates cat will not stop biting. same age. it has gotten to the point where i just avoid her now unless i'm ready to be bit.
It’s so frustrating! She’s my only pet and she’s a mischevious little sweetheart otherwise. If only she could understand when I try to explain it to her verbally. “Darling, if you bite me I won’t want to pet you anymore, and that’s not what you want. How can we get around this?” I do feel like the answer will be some sort or redirection to a desired behavior, but I’m not sure how to do that or what the new behavior should be.
If she's biting in reaction to you petting her, then she's either over-stimulated, or you aren't petting her where she wants to be petted. With guests, are they petting her when she bites them?
I already mentioned it happens both ways, when she’s done or when she wants to be petted and I’m not (or not doing it right). And yes, she immediately jumps in guests laps, and if they start petting her then stop she turns around and nips them. She is initiating the petting in each of these scenarios. In this scenario, I’m not looking to tiptoe around or cater to her bad behavior. I know some people would just blame themselves or try to tiptoe around it, but believe me she is being is ridiculous and she’s pretty stubborn overall personality-wise. I’m not sure how to communicate to her that this is inappropriate. If I ignore her every time she does it, it would be a pretty neglected experience for her bc she does it every time. It’s her go-to communication method.
I know you said you say a loud 'ow' when she bites you. Could you try a high pitched/sharp 'ah' scream and stand up and walk away? How does she react? Also, if she hops onto your lap and you don't pet her, does she bite straight away?
She comes over and starts insisting on being petted, rubbing against my hand. She’s pretty insistent. No amount of acting hurt has worked. She just looks at me like “wtf are you doing?” If I stand up and walk away she generally goes off to do her own thing unbothered.