Cat help: biting
Aug. 22nd, 2015 07:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysobelHey, cat folk, I need some advice:
What do yu do if a kitten is playing too rough (bites and scratches, all shallow but painful) and *you can't move your hands*?
Loki (he of the major vet bills a while back) has started using my hands as prey during the night. It was tolerable when he was gentle (I tried not to encourage it, but I did let it happen, and that may have been a mistake but I'd probably be in the same position), but now it really hurts, and is leaving visible marks.
I've tried a deep authoritative "no!" but it does nothing. I've tried high-pitched yelps of pain but it does nothing. I've tried burying my hands under the sheet (or rather getting the sheet up over my hands), but he digs them out and attacks anew. I don't have the mobility to physically remove him, to physically remove *myself*, or any of the other usual suggestions for when playtime gets too rough.
I *haven't* tried whacking him lightly with the small backscratcher I use for face itches at night, just because I suspect escalating the violence won't help. But I've completely run out of ideas.
What can I do?
(And yes, I know to keep an eye on the bite areas and see a doctor stat if it starts looking weird, but I'd rather avoid getting attacked in the first place.)
Signed,
She who had a sleep-in morning interrupted by 6am kitten attacks grrr (which is ridiculous because I'm never up this early during the week so it's not like I've broken routine yet)
What do yu do if a kitten is playing too rough (bites and scratches, all shallow but painful) and *you can't move your hands*?
Loki (he of the major vet bills a while back) has started using my hands as prey during the night. It was tolerable when he was gentle (I tried not to encourage it, but I did let it happen, and that may have been a mistake but I'd probably be in the same position), but now it really hurts, and is leaving visible marks.
I've tried a deep authoritative "no!" but it does nothing. I've tried high-pitched yelps of pain but it does nothing. I've tried burying my hands under the sheet (or rather getting the sheet up over my hands), but he digs them out and attacks anew. I don't have the mobility to physically remove him, to physically remove *myself*, or any of the other usual suggestions for when playtime gets too rough.
I *haven't* tried whacking him lightly with the small backscratcher I use for face itches at night, just because I suspect escalating the violence won't help. But I've completely run out of ideas.
What can I do?
(And yes, I know to keep an eye on the bite areas and see a doctor stat if it starts looking weird, but I'd rather avoid getting attacked in the first place.)
Signed,
She who had a sleep-in morning interrupted by 6am kitten attacks grrr (which is ridiculous because I'm never up this early during the week so it's not like I've broken routine yet)
no subject
Date: 2015-09-10 05:03 pm (UTC)when the cat did this during nap time, I would get up and leave the room and lock him in. the key is that you immediately leave the cat alone - no words or noise, or touch. they soon learn that this ends their play session and they are ALONE which is not FUN.
last - lock the room door during the night and do some of the above during the day.
icon is of the kitten that we successfully worked with - he turned 1 year this month.