Expert: Dear Tabbi - 7/14/2008

Question
Hi

I hope you can shine some light on my cat's behavoir.

We got our cat, Fudge about 3 weeks ago.  He's an adult cat whos been neutered.  Not quite sure how old he is as I got him from a rescue centre as a stray (lady said about 4 years old).

He has a problem with nipping me (or anyone else) that strokes him for more then 5 seconds.  He doesn't get his claws out at first but gets his teeth into your hand and then grabs you with his front paws.  It can be a bit scarey (specially as we're still learning about each other) so far he's not really dont any serious damage but we all wonder what makes him do this?   Also he doesn't purr at all.  He seems very affection but doesn't really show it (sounds strange I know). He will follow me around the house like a little lap dog!

Any advice or information on this would be really really apreciated.

Kind regards

Natalie

Answer
Natalie,

It sounds as though Fudge may have been a feral cat, or had a feral parent(s).

They can be affectionate and loving, but it takes quite a while for them to reach that point. And when they do, they do not like to be held, restrained, and rarely petted more than briefly. There is human distrust inherited and inbred into them and they typically bond to only one person. They will never be a typical housecat.

Watch the ears and tail when you are petting Fudge. If ears go down or tail swishes...stop petting immediately!

Here is a copy of an article called
"Don't Pet Me Anymore Aggession"
from the Sacramento SPCA that you may find informative:

"Some cats will suddenly bite while they're being petted. This behavior isn't well understood, even by experienced animal behaviorists. For whatever reason, petting which the cat was previously enjoying, apparently becomes unpleasant. Biting is the cat's signal that she has had enough petting. Cats vary in how much they'll tolerate being petted or held. Although people often describe their cats as biting "out of the blue" or without warning, cats do generally give several signals before biting.

You should become more aware of your cat's body postures, and cease petting or stop any other kind of interaction before a bite occurs. Signals to be aware of include:

Restlessness
Your cat's tail beginning to twitch
Your cat's ears turning back or flicking back and forth
Your cat turning or moving her head toward your hand
When you observe any of these signals, it's time to stop petting your cat immediately and allow her to sit quietly on your lap or go her own way, whichever she prefers. Any kind of physical punishment almost always makes the problem worse, because your cat is more likely to bite either because she is fearful and/or because petting becomes even more unpleasant if it's associated with punishment.

If you want to try to prolong the amount of time your cat will tolerate petting, use some food rewards. When your cat first begins to show any of the behaviors described above (or even before she does so) offer her a special tidbit of food like a tiny piece of tuna or boiled chicken. At the same time, decrease the intensity of your petting. Continue to lightly pet your cat for a short time period while offering her tidbits. In this way, she'll come to associate petting with pleasant things and it may help her to enjoy petting for longer time periods. Each time you work with your cat, try to pet her a little longer each time using the food as a reward. Be sure to stop the petting before she shows any aggression. If a display of aggression results in the petting being stopped, then this unacceptable behavior has worked."

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I have 4 cats from a viscious feral mother that are over a year old. And even though I have had them since birth, they do NOT like to be held, have varying degrees of spookiness, and one still will do the pet-bite reaction. It's just the way ferals are and I accept it.
I also have a trap/release feral that wandered to my place that, when she wants something, will rub up against you affectionately. BUT when I go to pet her she will strike out with her claws. To them, a hand coming at them is a threat and a danger so they react by striking without thinking first. They don't associate it with affection.

Note: when you pet your cat, pet from behind the head, not from the front. And don't ever look into the cat's eyes directly, or stare. That is a threatening gesture to a feral.

That was very nice of you to take an older cat. Fudge is a lucky kitty. Just accept him how he is and respect that he doesn't like to be touched and you will have a nice cat.

I hope this helps.

Tabbi