Expert: Jessica - 12/8/2009

Question
I have an orange tabby that i have had since he was about 3 months.  He's about a year and a half now.  I have problems with him biting me.  I can just be sitting on the couch and his eyes get really big and he grabs for my arms and bites me.  If i holler at him he will go for my ankles.  He draws blood when he does it.  This has been going on for a long time.  Another thing is i can't get him to drink out of a bowl.  He wants to drink out of the sink.  Everytime you go to the bathroom he almost knocks you down so that he can run in there and jump on the tub so you can turn on the water.  I wish there was something i can do to change this habit.  Sometimes we forget we turn on the water and it runs and runs.
thanks for any help

Pam

Answer
Hi Pam.  My cats do the same thing with the water.  Usually, water from the tap is fresher and cooler than what's in their bowls.  Cats are also attracted to moving water, and for these cats, a pet fountain is an excellent choice.  Drinkwell fountains also have carbon packs to help keep the water fresh.  This might be a worthwhile investment for you.  You can also see if dropping a couple ice cubes into his water bowl a few times a day will stimulate interest and keep his water at a more desirable temperature.

As for his biting, this may be attention-seeking behavior.  See if placing him in the bathroom or a crate for 10-15 minutes each time he bites will help.  But try not to speak to him when he attacks, as even scolding is considered attention, and this could reinforce his behavior.  All of my biters have improved their behavior after a couple weeks of consistent time-outs.  If you see no progress, I would advise talking to a vet or animal behaviorist.  He may need further behavior modification, and in some cases of aggression, a medication may be warranted.  If he draws blood when he bites, it sounds like a pretty serious issue, and I wouldn't hesitate to put him on an antidepressant if behavior modification alone fails.  There are several choices, and many vets are favoring a medication called Clomicalm for use in aggressive cats.  A lot of patients only need to take the medication for about 6 months.  After this bit of help, along with the behavior modification techniques, many cats can discontinue medicinal therapy.

Best of luck!

Jessica