Expert: Becky - 6/7/2006

Question
my mom is about to get a cat from the vets office thats about a year old or younger.  The vet is going to give her to us for two weeks to see if it will work out.  He says that he thinks we may not like Corey (cat) because he bights but when he bites its like play biting and he doesn't break the skin.  If we were to keep the cat what would we do to help the biting thing?

Answer
Laura,
My Siamese, that is 8 months old, also play bites.  He never breaks the skin, but he likes to play "attack". It can really hurt!  LOL  This is what I do. When he bites, I tap him firmly on the nose and say in a loud voice "NO".  And then I take my hand away.  He will stop and look at me like I'm crazy, so I try not to laugh.  He is really not meaning to hurt, only wanting to play just as the cat you are talking about is probably doing.  I think with consistance, he will probably stop.  Mine still does it ever now and then, but not as much as he used to.
Good luck and God Bless!
Becky