Ragdoll Cat Biting Problem – Reader Needs Help!
Originally published Jun 18, 2011 (I am re-running because I get a lot of inquiries about this)
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
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.
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.
Having problems with a Ragdoll kitten biting and being wild? Check out this discussion on our Facebook page to learn more.
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.
I have the RAGDOLL FROM HELL!!!!! Now 9 months old. Then into an angel and back again. I bought my mum an 8 week old kitten, which I know is way to young, but viewed the home and the mum and all good. Our little BUTTON actually will prowl to attack my mum on the ankles in such a fierce way that she has very deep bleeding sores from him (he was desexed at 12 weeks). He will follow her mostly and sleeps in her room. But will tear apart her arms biting
in the same way. He is in NO WAY affectionate. He will DEFINITELY NOT sit on her or anyone’s lap. He loves to chase ball is his fav thing. He has this last month started WHINGE MEOWING for like an hour…………desperate to go outside, or wanting to play ball. He is harnessed trained and had the run of the backyard until he learnt to jump fence!!!! I bought him for mum who lost dad last September, to be a lap cat companion. But he is just causing lots of stress. PLEASE HELP!
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… 🙂
Thanks Lyn, enjoyed reading that. My mums BUTTON (9 months) will happily allow me to hold him in the way you recommend. Mum, for some reason cannot quite get the same hold. Train the mum I guess!
@ 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!!!
Hey Diane, thanks heaps for that bit of info about biting cats. My mums 9 month old viciously attacks her. Mum starts saying in her nice sweet normal voice, STOP THAT BUTTON, THAT IS NAUGHTY…BLAH BLAH BLAH ! I have told her it is just reinforcing Button’s behaviour as he has her attention. I started meowing at him like I thought his mum might do (he was only 8 weeks when I bought him for mum). It works, but scares him. Perhaps the hissing thing we will give a try. Mum can’t quite get the MEOWING MOTHER CRY that I can do LOL.
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!
Thanks Lynn, but what if mum is not even petting him and he just maliciously attacks her for no good reason….then continues to do it. He actually prowls up to her feet to attack, several times – and honest to god draws blood.
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.
So glad I found this chat forum. It seems like our BUTTON is not the only – biting, not floppy, not lap cat, whinging meowing, not indoor kitten in the world! LOL
Hi Pat,
I had a serious problem with my Ragdoll Cici and with lots of research, patience, training and my trips to the clinic for infections from her bites, I have a success story. I have so many suggestions and would be happy to speak to you in person as there is so much information I would be willing to share with you. If you email me at diane1445@gmail.com and send me your number I could call you. Cici and I are best friends and I continue to address her biting, but it’s rare now. I hope you find the best solution for you and Kitty Kitty, Baby Baby. Diane
Dear Pat,
My previous message was meant for Rosemary and Button, not Kitty Kitty, Baby Baby. I’m sorry Pat and I hope you’ll forgive my mishap. And Rosemary, I’ll be happy to speak with you if you choose. Just email your number to diane1445@gmail.com.
Thank you all.
Diane
I just don’t get it. This is our second ragdoll we’ve purchased from a breeder. Our first darted out our front door only to never be seen again. Both have been males. Our cat now is neutered but not declawed. He’s very large for a 2 yr old cat. He not only bites us when being pet but will actually hunt down my kids and attack them. My son was sitting on the floor looking at books the other day and Marley just completely attacked him out of nowhere! He bit his face pretty bad. I feel awful when this happens and am not sure wat to do to prevent this. He wasn’t even being provoked. I know he loves us. He’s always right where we are but if something happens that’s not on “his terms” he lets us know real quick. What’s the deal with this breed of cats?? This does not line up with everything I read on the Internet about ragdolls when I decided to get one.
Oh no!!! I have had many cats and have always had similar experience. That is why I decided to get Ragdolls. I got two litter mates and they wrestle and fight with each other, but have NEVER bitten or scratched me or my husband. Our breeder told us to make sure we NEVER played rough with them when they were kittens. Every other cat I have owned when they were kittens we played “mouse” games with our hands. We hid hands under covers, etc., she said this would encourage them to play with us that way. She must have been right because we did not do that and everytime they have even looked like they would bite or scratch, we have told them NO. They are about 1.5 years old now, and are the most gentle cats I have ever seen. It might also help that they have each other. I had a poodle for years and our boy Leo asks just like her!!!!
I feel your pain but think it is unacceptable that he is biting your kids. Maybe you could try putting him in a “time out” type situation everytime he does this. I am sure you can break him of this with consistent training…
I don’t think it is normal for Ragdolls to act that way…..
I wish you luck!!!!
I have an adopted ragdoll (he), approx 3yo, and a domestic short hair (she), approx. 14 mths. Everyday, my ragdoll waits for her to come out of my daughter’s room. When they get together, the shorthair JUMPS on the ragdoll, and they start rolling around, biting each other. They are NOT fighting, though it looks like she is a tasmanian devil. I really believe it is their mode of playing and connecting. If she gets too rambunctious, he will give her a warning growl, and she backs off. Then she’ll curl up next to him and go to sleep. Maybe this is what your raggie is doing. He’s trying to release energy and have playtime. If you don’t have a chaser cat toy, those are also really good to have. Hope you find your answer.
Me too is a Ragdoll that doesn’t much like meez belly rubbed. Mommy has had me since me was 3 weeks old, so most likely not something from meez past. And me used to do the bitey and on occasion me furgets meez manners and will again. Mommy was in rescue and a vet tech fur lots of years many moons ago and learned to treat kitties the way other kitties would. When me tries a bitey, mommy gently bites meez ear. Not sumfin’ me likes much, and therefur, me ceases and desists. Mommy sez, don’t hurt your kitty, but let them know you’re there and biting hurts. Good luck to you all. As fur belly rubs…me only likes those in da meownin’ and at night when weez goin’ to bed and gettin’ up.
Luv ya’
Dezi da Doll and her sisfur Lexi da Mau
Interesting post, Jenny! I believe that Pat’s beautiful girl is doing the “I’ve had enough, thank you very much.” type of love bit. Not a hard bite but firm enough to get your attention to get her point across. Our Miss Pink Sugarbelle (who is so very gentle and loving) also gives those kinds of love bites when she’s being petted too long in one place (especially on the back of her neck area). (Now you can pet/scratch her forever above her tail and she’ll never complain…lol) Every cat I have ever had displayed this behavior, too. I also agree that her belly sensitivity may be associated with pain/injury or just a bad experience when she was younger.
Big hugs!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3
I “saved” my rag when he was abandoned (owners moved out and left the poor kitties behind). I have no idea what kind of life he previously had, or what kind of owners he lived with.
He came with serious issues, the meowing every 2 hours through the night (he was previously an outdoor kitty, but we trained him to be solely indoors), the aggressiveness (biting and scratching and attacking). I was sure he was just plain nuts, one moment purring and without any warning (that i can see), he attacks multiple times and draws blood while i am petting or just reading a book/napping. So much for “all rags are sweet natured” in this cat!
It has been more than a year since we adopted him and if it helps these are what helped me:
– Don’t give up on your kitty! They will get better sooner or later! My vicious kitty is now so so much better! It just takes time and oodles and oodles of patience. Every kitty is different and it will take a mismash of whatever you read online to help 🙂
– Like many of the readers said, Jackson Galaxy’s Cat from Hell really, really, really helps
– Don’t show fear; be firm!
– Many kitties don’t like to be pet on their tummies (mine certainly doesn’t and he showed me good… Haha~)
– I don’t know if this is silly, but my cat and i have have this system, i will only pet him if he is sitting and he boops the finger i extend to him. He gets 2 stokes with every boop and if he wants more, he will boop my extended fingers again. I know to stop when he stops booping my fingers. So no over stimulating. He has me trained well :p
– be firm when you say NO! and walk off. If the bites get serious, try putting some coins in a tin can or having a bunch of keys with you and shake it for serious bad behaviour.
– i do not allow “love bites” or “attention-seeking bites” as my kitty is aggressive enough. His “love bites” & “I want attention now! bites” are brutal and always draw blood and once he gets his teeth or claws in, he sinks them in deep and refuses to let go. I was advised to when the kitty does his “love bite” and refuses to let go, to (despite the pain) put some weight into the bite (as in push back). This will cause discomfort and kitty will release, followed by the tin can/keys rattling and a big NO!
– Always reward kitty for good behaviour (like if kitty allows to be pet a little more than previously; kind words, a pat or two or a little treat, etc);
– be the “Pay master”. Be the one to feed kitty at specific meal times so kitty associates you with food (to re-enforce that you hold the good things in life, food 😉 and is more likely to “listen” (insofar as much a cat “listens” ;)) to you.
– If the kitty has attacking issues (like mine has) i find that playtime with a wand and balls (away from your hands and feet!) really really helps. Just keep going at it and wear the kitty out (also helps with night meowing!). If the kitty tries to turn your fingers/toes/ankles as part of the game. Stop, stand up and move away slowly (if you run off, you become prey and open to more attacks). If kitty chases still thinking is a game, the keys/tin can is very useful. Only resume play later (about half an hour or so later) in order for it not to be a reward. Also consider clicker training and puzzle toys to keep them occupied and “hunting” everything but you.
Hope this helps!
My kitty is still a work in progress, but i am sure we will get there with one day him being the perfect rag (as stated in those articles….) that friends and family can cuddle without fear of being bitten or scratched!