My 1 yr old cat Maltesers likes biting my leg.

Malaysia
February 10, 2010 12:58pm CST
Malteasers has started biting my legs again whenever I am around (he lives outside). Its not anything hard but it sure hurts!. It'll only happen if I'm outside spending time with him for a long time. If I check on him once in a while, he wont bite me. But I i stay at the porch and play with him, soon i'll my legs end up being his toy. When he startes biting, I tend to move my legs away. Somehow this will make him more hyperactive and engaged in this biting activity. Just curious, do cats this age really go bitting their owners? Do your cats bite you? And have you done anything to stop it?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@donsky14 (5947)
• Philippines
10 Feb 10
Lol...I think his just being playful. Its kinda cute.
@donsky14 (5947)
• Philippines
13 Feb 10
Lol..well the purring is still pretty cute and worth keeping the spoiled brat, right?
• Malaysia
13 Feb 10
Hi Donsky14 When she was young, its kinda cute because she was so light and small but now sheis kinda spoil brat and she demands attention by trying to bite. Transition from wet food to dry food was particularly tough. Initially she refused to even taste the dry food (she has been eating wet food from the time we rescued her) We did everything to coax her to eat. Luckily after a while she tried and she loved dry food. However, the way she purrs every morning to wake me up is really cute :) Have a nice day!
@cryw0lf (1302)
• United Kingdom
10 Feb 10
Apparently when a cat bites its owner... it's supposed to be a sign of affection, but i don't know really. My cats don't bite.. but if its really a hindrance, go to your local pet store and ask if they sell anything that may be okay to apply to the skin to stop your cat chewing at you.
• Malaysia
10 Feb 10
Hi crywOlf (I like your display picture by the way) I have read on the net that it is indeed a sign of affection.It started when he was young, and sooner she started teething and her teeth got really sharp. Since then, we have been discouraging it. We had cats before and they don't bite at all. They were really nice with kids and never attacked any of us. I'll take your suggestion and see how things go. Thank you and have a nice day!
• Malaysia
10 Feb 10
Owh my I just realised that I used "her" but in when I replied just now I used "him" Its actually a "her" but i tend to use "him" because she acts like a tough cat and we all thought it was a male all the way long. Hehe. Hope you dont mind me referring to my cat both as a male and a female.
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
11 Feb 10
I have 3 cats, two old ones inside, and one that's a barn cat. The one cat used to try and do that all the time, but it doesn't try hardly ever anymore. What I did was: when she went to do that, I hissed (like a mother cat would do) and arched my fingers (like I was a cat too and hissing and showing my 'claws'.) I made the motions and sounds, but never touched her. While it sounds stupid, it sure worked on her lol. That's the only thing I did, and I did it each and every time she tried to bite my leg or fingers. I'm not sure if they're trying to be playful, like they'd do with other members of their litter, or if it's actually a 'love bite' like they'd do to their mother when they were a kitten yet. Anyways, that's what I did, and now she rubs up against my leg and no longer tries the biting bit.
• Malaysia
11 Feb 10
Hi Joyful One Sounds like an interesting technique. Haha I'll try it, my cat need behavior correction big time on this. Have a nice day!
@savypat (20216)
• United States
10 Feb 10
There is a spray to keep cats off of things, I guess you could use it on your legs for awhile. Or the old water spray bottle would work also. I wouldn't like being bit at all.
• Malaysia
10 Feb 10
Hi savypat I didn't know there was a spray that'll keep cats off of things. I'll try to see it at the pet store. I have tried the water spray too, although I am not too keen on trying it again. Maybe my cat is one heck of a stubborn cat. Thank you for your ideas. Have a nice day!
@calai618 (1773)
• Philippines
11 Feb 10
First off, I like your cat's name. :D I think it's just his way of goofing around with you. You should train him not to and eventually he will not do it especially if he figured that his owner dont like it. Maybe a little punishment will do because by simply taking your leg away may give him the sense that you just playing with him. Good luck!
• Malaysia
13 Feb 10
Hi Calai618. Sorry for the late reply. Haha thank you regarding my cat's name :) I know, I love it too hehehehe. When ever she does it, I'll usually instantly leave, wait around 20 minutes and come back to see if she still is in the biting frenzy. I have tried to move her jaws away physically (not too hard though, no intentions of hurting her) however, my hands will become its next biting tool. She has loads of toys, but she refuses to play with it. My leg seems more amusing. Working bit by bit with her to correct her behaviour. Hope it works Hehe thanks for the good luck. Have a nice day!
@kaylachan (58214)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Feb 10
That's a behavior that I personally wouldn't approve of. Its something I would strongly discourage from the animal. If the animal would do that, I'd tell it to stop and explain in a firm voice that my leg is not a toy. I had a cat once that was like that, and she tore a good chunck out of my leg. I've still got the scars to prove it. It wasn't until after she took a good chunck out of my right hand possibly damaging it even more then it was already,George decided to have her teeth shaved down some so that she couldn't rip wholes in me.
@kaylachan (58214)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Feb 10
George and I aren't very social people. So we don't have guests over very often. But, when she was alive, I'd become a target for her, and sometimes she'd attack other people. I think it is due in large to fact that she was taught by George, that bitting is okay and acceptable. He honestly thought that this behavior was okay, and she could destinguage the differenance between when it was "okay" to bite and not okay to bite. But, cats aren't like dogs and usually can't be trained in that way. Sshaving a cat's teeth doesn't hurt the animal. It prevents them from tearing you up with their teeth and puntcuring skin. It doesn't effect eating, what-so-ever.
@rosegardens (3034)
• United States
9 Mar 10
A couple of mine bite me. Lovie comes to bed with me and I pet him to fall asleep. He used to be really bad at biting me. He would get hold of the fat on my arm and shake it like a dog. He would get under the covers and bite my thigh. He would bite my back. Finally he is 2 1/2 and is sort of growing out of it. To keep him from biting my arm, I would put his head on one arm and pet him with the other. As long as nothing went past his face it was ok, unless he got a little friskie, then he would grab my arm with his paws and guide it to his mouth! To try to stop him from biting, I would say no bite momma, you kiss momma and put my nose on his nose for a kitty kiss. He likes to kiss, but he also likes to bite............ The other ones bite my fingers when they are playing but not hard. It does not hurt like Lovie would hurt me. lol. I do not know how to keep your cat from biting your leg. Mine will not bite my leg until I am laying down and totally defenseless. At least you can run. :D
• Germany
9 Mar 10
they said that a cat bites while playing, it is their play bite or love bite. the bite is suppose not to hurt. But if by yours it hurts then it should also be stopped. I think the water spray btl is a good idea ( as one response here says). Or place the cat in a room and close it, leave him there for some minutes. so much like a time out. I do that to my kittens when they misbehave. They seem to understand!