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First off, I'm not really going to toss him out the window.
Probably.
JJ has always had a habit of biting when he doesn't get his way. We've actually been to a behaviorist over this issue, and the advice boiled down to don't do the things that make him bite (like if he bites when you touch him...don't touch him). The problem is that biting is his way of saying 'feed me', and he wants to eat every 4 hours.
Before he was waking me up around 6am to eat (by biting my face). Since I get up then anyway, it wasn't a huge ordeal (though I never got up right after he bit me...I would kick him off the bed and wait ten minutes so he wasn't rewarded.) For some reason these past few weeks he's decided breakfast should be at 3 or 4 in the morning.
If biting doesn't work (because I hide under the blanket), he runs around the room screaming, throws himself against the door, and knocks things over (like my television). Last night I refused to get up, and it took a full hour before he stopped his tantrum and laid back down. I ended up getting about 2 hours of sleep.
The obvious answer would be to kick him out of the room when he starts, but he's not allowed downstairs unsupervised (as he is evil and will either hurt himself or break something). I'm afraid to leave him alone and sleep in another room for the same reason.
I'm really getting frustrated at this point...he's not getting his way, but this cat is amazingly stubborn and is still acting out after two straight weeks of NOT winning.
I know you feed him all wet food, but maybe you could keep a small bag of kibble in a nearby drawer? Just a few pieces might tide him over until 6, and would be easy to hand out without making yourself wake up. And/or, try feeding him, or feeding him a little more, right before you go to bed.
Hope you can figure out something that works!
Well, my Mom's psycho Siamese was like that. And she catered to him. She was gone, I was taking care of the little POS, he bit me, I smacked him across the room, he struck a wall, I vaguely heard a muffled "thump, meow". He never bit me again. Even the kids knew better than to wake up Mama.
However, in your case, I think maybe you need to cat proof a room for JJ to go night night in, with his cat bed, toys, crinkle tunnel, cat box, and food and water.
Or, stop feeding him so much food, whatever you feed him, he likes, and you are actually reinforcing behavior you want to extinguish. Change the food, dry only, he gets wet only at dinner time. He won't die.
First off, I'm not really going to toss him out the window.
Probably.
JJ has always had a habit of biting when he doesn't get his way. We've actually been to a behaviorist over this issue, and the advice boiled down to don't do the things that make him bite (like if he bites when you touch him...don't touch him). The problem is that biting is his way of saying 'feed me', and he wants to eat every 4 hours.
Before he was waking me up around 6am to eat (by biting my face). Since I get up then anyway, it wasn't a huge ordeal (though I never got up right after he bit me...I would kick him off the bed and wait ten minutes so he wasn't rewarded.) For some reason these past few weeks he's decided breakfast should be at 3 or 4 in the morning.
If biting doesn't work (because I hide under the blanket), he runs around the room screaming, throws himself against the door, and knocks things over (like my television). Last night I refused to get up, and it took a full hour before he stopped his tantrum and laid back down. I ended up getting about 2 hours of sleep.
The obvious answer would be to kick him out of the room when he starts, but he's not allowed downstairs unsupervised (as he is evil and will either hurt himself or break something). I'm afraid to leave him alone and sleep in another room for the same reason.
I'm really getting frustrated at this point...he's not getting his way, but this cat is amazingly stubborn and is still acting out after two straight weeks of NOT winning.
Help?
God, I love cats.
So get up and feed him. LOL
Biting is a very complex method of communication for cats. I find that sometimes I will be loving on one of my cats and for no apparent reason he will bite my cheek (not hard, doesn't hurt). I have no idea what he is trying to tell me.
If you get up and feed him, in time he will grow bored of this little game and find something else to annoy you with. Maybe it will not involve getting you up in the middle of the night.
Or, stop feeding him so much food, whatever you feed him, he likes, and you are actually reinforcing behavior you want to extinguish. Change the food, dry only, he gets wet only at dinner time. He won't die.
He actually would. Half of his face is paralyzed (he had a very bad ear injection that put pressure on the nerves and they never recovered). He can't shift his tongue well because of it and will choke on dry food. I've had to Heimlich him before, and that was the last time he ever ate kibble.
In the past when he was younger and this behavior was really bad, I tried the following:
Water gun: he drank from the tip of it
Hissing at him: He hissed back and bit harder
Smearing bitter apple on myself: he didn't care
Walking away whenever he bit: he would wait however long it took for me to come back, then bit me harder for leaving
Shaking a rattle can: he bit harder
Biting him back (look, I was desperate): he bit harder
These are not love bites by the way...he hurts. He'll pinch with his front teeth and try and walk away while holding on. I'm also afraid he'll bite my eye one of these days.
It isn't just the biting though, because I can just toss him off the bed each time...it's the running and the screaming and carrying on
I also tried an automatic feeder at one point, but once he figured it out he would sit in front of it all night 'staring' at it. Then he started attacking it and within short order broke it open.
He's actually starting now...I'm on the bed, and he was sitting on the desk screaming his lungs out. He ate at 9, but he wants his snack at 11 and he's getting upset. Then he jumped up on the bed and whined in my ear and tried to bite. I pushed him away and he went over to some papers and starting tearing at them (this drives me NUTS for some reason, I HATE the tearing papers thing). Then he was chasing his tail. Now he's trying to push between me and the laptop no matter how much I push him away and is biting at my face.
Take a breath. Put him on time out somewhere.
I know he has multiple issues, is he on calming medication? Could he take something? It seems necessary for him and you. I don't remember all the details of his health, forgive me if I've forgotten something.
I'm so sorry. My husband and I are laughing so hard at your misery.
My husband suggested a rolled up newspaper to swat at him (or actually make contact). Do you think that might work?
I actually feel sorry for him. He's got some kind of neuroses, I guess. Poor baby. You, however, are a saint for not taking him to a shelter or to be destroyed. The previous owners of our oldest were going to put him down because he had a UTI. I think that's just about the most despicable thing. He's the most wonderful cat I've ever owned. Anyway, kudos and blessings to you for trying to work with JJ.
Just realized the way I wrote my post might sound like I was saying YOU needed meds. I meant maybe you need for him to be on them! Of course, if you think they would help you too, go for it!
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I meant maybe you need for him to be on them! Of course, if you think they would help you too, go for it!
