Is there a way to train your cat to stop attacking and biting ,?

[inej]

Can you train your cat to stop biting and attacking people she getting a bit out of hand .Would it be anything to do with her age ,she is 12 this month?

[smudge]

There are some answers on this thread that may be of help to you inej Here

Good luck.

[natalie_1982]

I was told to get a little water pistol and squirt them when they are naughty.

[inej]

thanks for your help Smudge but don't think i could get rid of her to be honest with you ,she is too old , I might try the water pistol idea thanks natalie_1982.

[smudge]

I didn't mean for you to give your cat away inej, I thought the website on that thread might have been of use to you. Have fun with the water pistol anyway!

[inej]

Sorry smudge got mixed up lol.

[keilo]

Hi inej, our cat who is now 10 has always attacked our friends and I'm not sure there really is a solution. A couple of vets have told me it's just down to personality and the training they get as a kitten. When we first adopted him at 5 from a home, he used to attack us but this disappeared once he once settled. Now it only tends to be when strangers try to pick him up or touch him when he's had enough. We now warn anyone to just leave him be, as it seems to be a stress reaction. But if this is a sudden change in behaviour, rather than a personality trait, worth getting him checked out at the vets - he may be ill, in pain, or losing his hearing which can make the world confusing. The water pistol technique may make everything a little more stressful for him. I find that if our cat looks like he's going to get agressive, I just walk away and leave him be, a firm no also works. I think it's important to reward, with words and cuddles, nice behaviour but just ignore the bad.

[drgnrdr]

Smudge: so glad someone else has seen that the website I've tried to give over and over is actually a really good site for cat help, Thanks.....:)

[smudge]

You're welcome drgnrdr - it's nice to be able to help where we can, although I'm no expert! ;o}

[inej]

Hi smudge i have been watching and she seems to be attackin more so if she doesn't like her food, she goes for your ankles if you walk past.

Also on a jokey note she as gone off whiskas duck flavour do you think she know's something we don't?

[smudge]

They do say cats have a sixth sense inej, so p'raps we'd better take heed!

I wish our Tilly had just gone for our ankles, but unfortunately it was the face & hands too - that's why we could no longer keep her, especially with having young Grandchildren - she was very unpredictable.

[Kilala]

Hi inej,

I have a 14 year old tabby, she was spayed as a kitten and has never shown any aggression, until she reached about 9 or 10. Then the morph started...

Now she is such grumpy mare! I think she's just old and cantankerous, growling and hissing, but getting the hump if you ignore her... I had her checked over at the vets as I thought she might be in constant pain as she was so tetchy, but she has a clean bill of health. Now she only eats cheese and tuna, and houmus. If you creep past her she hisses, if you stroke her, she growls, purrs, then scratches you. There's no rhyme or reason, but she's old, so she can do whatever she likes!

[inej]

Hi kilala , she sounds just like my cat, i had advice on here to try a water pistol which i did today, she kept following me scratching and trying to bite i got the water pistol and fired at her and she hissed at me. I did feel a bit sorry for her to be honest with you. Now she is all curled up like butter wouldn't melt. I don't know about your cat but mine loves men if we have any male visitors arrive she is all tale up rolling around the floor. she doesn't like women or children much. It sounds like i am nasty or hit her or something but she gets everything.

[funkymoped]

give it a swift kick... works with dogs !

[FelixtheDog]

While I dont really agree with kicking it, perhaps a bit of modified violence from you will do the trick. I think it needs to learn that you are in charge and it is supposed to be subservient to you, not the other way around. Animals that act violently towards humans have crossed the invisible line from 'companion' to 'dominant antagonist' and need to be reeducated and perhaps learn the hard way..this involves a lot of hard work and persistence from you and most people dont have the toughness, time or inclination to do so. Stick with the water pistol and perhaps even isolate it in a room for a time after it attacks. Be 100% consistent and it will eventually learn. But cats are arrogant creatures and I dont envy you the task ahead.

[inej]

Thank you for the advice , have tried the water pistol and that is working so far.