Kitty Kitty, Baby Baby
Pat wrote me about her Ragdoll cat, Kitty Kitty, Baby Baby (Ragdoll of the week November 1, 2010), who has a slight biting problem. I offered to post it on the site, so that other readers might offer insight. Please read below and offer suggestions for Pat:
“I have a wonderful female Ragdoll, that I adopted 3 yrs ago. She was actually about 2 yrs old when I adopted her…..she loves to be scratched around her neck/collar area, but doesn’t like to be petted more than that and will quickly turn and try to bite me. I’m use to her behaving like that, but I don’t understand why she does it. She loves to sleep stretched out on her back, but doesn’t like her belly
Kitty Kitty Baby Baby
rubbed (which most Ragdoll’s love). I’ve wondered if other Ragdoll’s do this? Other than the biting, she follows me around like a puppy, jumps on my lap and stangers laps as well….she’s very social, running to answer the door and is curious about anyone that visits. I’m just concerned about the wanting to turn and bite?”
Pat
My reply, “I would think something from her previous experience causes her to bite.”
Pat’s reply, “I adopted her from Cathouse on the Kings, where she hung out with all kinds of kitty’s.
Kitty Kitty Baby Baby
She is so very loving, but has that urge to whip her head around and bite, not a vicious bite, but a bite, none the less. I believe you are right about a previous experience. Sometime I wonder if she were injured on her tummy, so she’s sensive there. ”
Please offer insight to help Pat with Kitty Kitty, Baby Baby’s biting problem.
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{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Many cats just have a hightened sensitivity to touch. Many declawed cats show this behavior,
but others do as well. Some have a “spot” on their body that triggers the biting. I think it’s more a natural reaction of their individual nerve system, than any type of aggression.
My girl does the same thing. I have read articles that say they are over stimulated and can find no other way to express themselves. That’s what they do when they play with each other, too. With Angel, the second I feel see her getting at that point, I stop petting her IMMEDIATELY. I can tell because her eyes get very big and her body tenses. She’s the most loving cat in the world and I’ve had her since she was a baby so somehow, I don’t feel that your little girl was hurt. Maybe it’s a trait of Ragdolls.????
I think you may be right about a certain spot of sensitivity. As much as she loves her neck and ears scratched/rubbed….there is a certain amount of time when she’s had enough. Thanks for your comment.
Pat
Hi, I too have a ragdoll rescue who will bite me regularly! He is neutered male, not declawed. He bites usually when I am rubbing his head and ears (fav spots) and hesitate for a second or 2…WAM! Bite! He will bite even my chest if it is closest! I have learned that If I use my other hand to maintain the rubbing, I can use my right hand to reach the keyboard or my coffee with out getting bitten…..
I am trained well, don’t you think?
Any suggestions welcomed! Thanks
Angel hasn’t been declawed, either. The only places she’s bitten me is on the hands and arms. Never my face, thank goodness. I just stop petting her and put her down. My girl doesn’t like to be picked up, either. She is the one who crawls onto my lap for loving. She’s gotten so much better. She’s six now. Everything on her terms. I, personally wouldn’t continue to pet him. It’s sort of rewarding bad behavior. This is just my opinion, everyone has to do what works for them, or I should say our bosses!
I’ve never noticed this with Ragdolls but it’s been common to many other cats we’ve had. Tummy and spine near the tail are both “touchy” places. Just avoid those areas and stop petting when you get BACK OFF signals. Probably these are “love bites” more than signs of aggression. Kitty Kitty Baby Baby is beautiful
Make sure you TIVO all the episodes on Animal Planet of “Cats from Hell”, it’s all about cat behavior problems and the great cat behaviorist who solves them. You should find something useful! My cats
don’t have any issues now, but I’ve learned a lot from this series. you might be able to watch them online at Animal Planets website.
Yep, go here http://animal.discovery.com/tv/my-cat-from-hell/, and all the episodes are listed and you can watch them.
Many cats will bite or scratch when they get too happy, I call it being overstimulated. Cats that are not used to a lot of love & attention can be even worse. I adopted a 3 year old female Persian & she is a lot like your girl. She loves being petted around the cheeks & head but gets agitated if you go any further & she will attack & scratch when she gets really happy. She has very expressive eyes & I can always tell when she is getting overstimulated & have learned to back off & leave her alone for a few minutes. Another thing that helps calm your kitty is looking at them & doing slow blinks, it shows them you are not a threat. The goal is to get them to blink back, then you know they feel safe.
Watch your kitty’s body language & eyes, they will usually let you know when it is time to give them some space. Love them on their terms & you will have a wonderful little friend.
I agree with your comments! We have to remind each other that when we adopt a cat that is no longer a kitten, like yours at 3yrs old, who knows wha type of life/atmosphere they come from..They could’ve been handled roughly, bothered in some way so there is a good reason for them to be oversensitive/agitated..
We have had many cats in my lifetime, and I’ve definitely seen when we adopted our Maude at age of 3-5yrs old, she came with issues from being abused near her backend by a young guy she lived with. My Mom rescued her as she was being given away at this family’s garage sale! We had to work with beautiful Maude (she was an Angora/Persian mix) for about 2yrs before we could pet her back and then later she would sit on us, near us and learned to trust us completely.
When we adopt kittens, we are the ones who handle them gently, and they do not bite or show these signs.
If we are patient with them like you said, and give them attention on their terms at least for awhile, they will learn to trust us as someone who will not harm or abuse them on any level.
Kitty Kitty Baby Baby could pass for my Andy. Her belly shots look just like his. He also lets us stroke his belly once or twice before making a toothy grab for the offending hand. He never breaks skin and I think this is ‘his spot’. He loves to have his cheeks, face and ruff scratched & rubbed. When we reach into his armpits firmly, his gives hand hugs with face nuzzles. He is an adoption from the street and I found him as a kitten (we thought he was older than he was).
With all of my cats through the years, I have always trained them to not have ‘spots’. By gently & briefly touching them all over their bodies briefly every day, we have successfully desensitized four cats who anyone could touch without fear. Andy seems resistant. I have wondered if this was a Raggie trait no one talks about. We will keep working with him because, though this behavior is bratty, the rest of him makes me laugh.
I am also very curious about this offensive behavior and will follow the posts. Thank you for raising the issue.
Pat, I agree with you completely. Cats can’t tell you, they have to show you. I do the exact things you do, even down to the blinking of my eyes. It is definitely overstimulation. They are so full of joy that they express it like that, kitty talk and behavior. I just watch my Angel and when she gets overstimulated down she goes. Angel will let me pet her anywhere but loves the back of the ear and under her neck. Love on their terms exactly. I think we need to respect their way of communicating. So when they bite they are communicating a message just like they would in their world. I’m not an expert, just voicing my opinion. Thanks, Pat for yours.
Most cats who bite have learned from a young age that it’s “okay.” For some reason people think it’s “cute” when kittens bite. If not discourage, this can easily (and often does) turn into a biting problem as an adult.
Most cats will use a gentle bite to tell you “no” or “enough”. My Ragdoll, Raina, does it occasionally to say “not in the mood for a pet”. She doesn’t use any force, but uses puts her teeth around my hand and then I know to stop.
Contrary to popular belief, many cats HATE to have their belly rubbed. This is a super-exposed place that in the wild would lead to their death if a predator got hold of it. For a cat to allow you to pet its tummy shows a lot of trust. Even though most Ragdolls like lots of lovin’, don’t fret about this.
I’ve never had a cat with a biting problem, and I actually never had anyone ever ask me about one during my years working at a shelter, so I’m not entirely sure what to recommend. You’ve probably done a general search online, but if all else fails, you could contact an animal behaviorist. However, depending how bad the problem is, you may be able to temper it with some gentle training…being receptive to her emotions as you pet her, sometimes leaving your hand on her just a bit longer than normal until she become complacent about it.
Best of luck–you have a beautiful cat!
Yes, Alissa! As a very experienced cat lover and Mom to our cats, I know they DO NOT like their bellies rubbed as a whole. It’s vulnerable to them and a position they are not comfortable with. Even the behaviorist Jackson Galaxy on the My Cat From hell show emphasizes this huge mistake some cat families make!
Dogs may like belly rubs, Cats do NOT. We should hold them upright, support their back feet and hold them close to our chest for stability and security.
This works for our six kitties, and always has. we do not rub or pet our cat’s bellies!
And if you have a guest who has a dog and tries to rub your kittie’s belly, we have to inform them this is not a good thing! We had to do this with a good friend of ours who thought cats were like dogs, and they are two totally different animals obviously…
@ Beth — there really are no such thing as “love bites.” Any biting beyond the normal “enough petting” bite should be discouraged.
Right on, Alissa, it is love bites I’m feeling! Love hurts sometimes. (; ; ) We all love our babies beyond words, don’t we?
I read your note wrong, Alissa. I do believe they are love bites, but they are for communication like: “enough, already” I do agree with you that any biting beyond that should definitely be discouraged. My girl lets me rub her belly so I guess she trusts me. Have a super day, everyone.
I believe with my experience with many cats, that this is usually over stimulation, or a way for them to tell us “stop what you’re doing” or “give me some space”etc. Make sure your kitty isn’t being roughhoused or chased around, followed etc. Just some tips that come to mind.
There is a wonderful new show called “My Cat From Hell” on Animal Planet with a cat behaviorist who is great, he gives much insight into these things, behaviroal issues and explains how cat’s minds work/think.
He made a great point about how some cat owners hold their kitties the wrong way, he can’t believe they don’t GET IT!
They were holding cats on their backs like we would hold a human baby, with their stomachs exposed..Cats never like this and it’s not a safe position to be held, so of course they feel vulnerable.
Maybe your kitty had some bad handling before you adopted her? If you didn’t adopt her as a kitten, it’s hard to know her background.
We adopted a Persian/Angora mix years ago who was abused and we could not pet her for close to 2yrs! We worked with her for that time, gently, patiently, and the KEY I believe, like this cat behaviorist says is to “let the cats come to us” too..Sometimes we overwhelm them with too much stimulation…I think this is a good tip.
I hope your beautiful kitty can be understood, and I’m sure her nipping will stop if you figure out why she’s doing it..watch what is happening at the time, where it happens,, you will see clues..good luck!
@Alissa: I agree that anything beyond a very gentle nip should be discouraged. When my youngest and most rambunctious kitty takes my hand in his mouth, I stop petting and he starts washing me. That’s my definition of Love Bites…
I too have a sweet lovable sociable female Ragdoll who loved to bite. It was her way of playing. When she gets stimulated and playful, she opens her mouth and I know I need to start hissing at her because she is ready to pounce and bite. I searched the internet for solutions and found one that works for me. When I hiss at her and immediately stop petting her, she learns that it is NOT OK to bite. She knows better now but tries from time to time to bite. You must be consistent and ALWAYS hiss and stop petting. She thinks she’s playing, but has learned that hands and feet are off limits. I substitute a toy and play with her with the toy. Sometimes I need to increase the volume and length of the hissing, but it works. It’s worth a try. I did give this suggestion to another Ragdoll owner and it worked for her too.
I never thought of hissing–funny, because I’ve always made purring sounds with my kitties. What a great idea, Diane!!!
I’m not so sure about hissing at our cats in these times? Hissing is a form of fear, a threatening sound or anger so don’t think it’s a good thing to vocalize to our kitties. I would just say, stop petting them, walk away, and let them come to you, back off, take it slow, let them teach you how much petting they want at the time, and you will learn what they like from you. It’s all about not overstimulating them I believe and giving them space when they are asking for it… makes sense to me!
This behavior is most likely telling you DONT DO THAT !! I DONT LIKE IT….and for some reason she does not feel comfortable with belly touching..Since she is a rescue kitty she may have been teased or petted roughly to get her stimulated to play.Most ragdolls I have owned have enjoyed belly petting, but this kitty has probably had a negative past with it…she is otherwise a loving kitty and beautiful at that…I wouldnt worry about this at all since she does not bite hard enough to hurt you…she is just telling you hands off my belly…No worrys… just love her..she loves you too….
Gail, I like your comment about the belly rubs. I think it might be a ragdoll thing. My girl loves it. After all, they do lie on their backs with the bellies exposed. Maybe Kitty Kitty is ticklish. I have to defend our babies and say they aren’t being mean. I know mine is a love bug. She gives little “quit it” nibbles but mostly just sweet kisses. Kitty Kitty is a sweet little thing. Beautiful, too.
Thank you all for your stories, help and suggestions concerning Kitty Kitty’s biting problem. I have taken alot of them to heart…..I am not touching her belly at all and when she shows me she’s had enough ear/chin/scruff rub, I stop. I didn’t like the suggestion of hissing, I also think that would have her fear me. I talk lovingly to her and let her control the shots, this is working well. I watched the video’s about
The Cat from Hell…which really helped also.
Pat
All excuses or reasoning asside… some Ragdolls bite. Period. And I believe that calling this “love bites” is a good term, because they don’t bite to start a fight, they bite for attention… and play is their favorite kind of attention unless you are lucky enough to get a lap cat… My female “Cherub” has done this since I brought her home. She loves to wake me by getting right in my face… and did lightly bite my noes once… but with her… she loves to bite my feet and attack my ankles while I am in bed… after being kicked off the bed a few times, she stops right when I say No now… But she still loves to use biting as a communicating thing, and has since she was a kitten. It didn’t hurt as much when she was a kitten… and I thought it was the more “dog-like” personality she had… she chewed and bit like a puppy would when they play with your hand. She also has strong kicks with her back legs~ VERY hard kicks. But this is how she plays. She was rough and tumble with her litter mate sister… they rolled and bit and yelped and played hard… adding the hard kicking of the back legs. She is eight months old now… and she has always played with my Chihuahua Angel, hard like this too… so hard that she has to let her have it occasionally right back! So I feel like this is more of that dog-like personality you hear that they have in them… Now Angel, the Chi is getting to the point of not playing with her as much anymore… and not just because she is three times her size now, but I think she sees this and misses it. When she wants me to play… she will just walk up, meow a little as if to ask for permission, then when I go to pet her she wiggles out from under my hand and bites me. LIke I gave her permission to bite! And Hard, too. If I allow her to do this hard play, she gets me in a tight lock with all her might and bites down hard on my my forearm… she has even drawn blood on me a few times… her teeth are razor sharp, so I can see where there might be some Ragdolls in need of adoption out there… but I think training them is better than getting rid of them. They are just like a puppy, I know she is just playing… I have raised puppies and a lot of cat people haven’t, so they don’t know this about the Ragdoll. She is not being mean… just having her fun with me. When young it starts as cutting teeth, then rough play, if it is encouraged. She even chews things like a puppy!!! She chewed through an adapter cord and always leaves her little teeth marks holes in the corners of my books and papers. (I am a stay at home college mom) So I train her like a puppy. I tap her on the nose with my finger and say “No!” and she leaves… it breaks my heart… but at least I don’t have to see sad puppy dog eyes! I would rather pick up her feather toy or ball and play with her in a better way… but I don’t because this would be rewarding her or accepting her biting me as a way of asking to play and getting what she wants. So I wait a bit… Now I make sure I play with her (using toys, not hands) as much as possible. If I could only get Angel my Chihauhau to play with her like this, too, I’d have it made. No, tying a string and a ball around Angel’s neck is NOT an option (LOL) I think Cherub is getting better… but she is still young and forgets often. So please don’t give up on your Ragdoll… get a puppy training book. They ARE more like a dog than a cat in personality… so it all makes puuurrrrfect sense to me!
Sorry about the typos… I should have checked before I sent since you can’t edit on this thread.