My rescue cat bites people. How do I train her to stop biting?

This is a more aggressive breed of cat. When they get excited and playful that's when they bite and scratch. I recommend playing with a feather on a string or a laser pointer so you can play with him without touching him. Also teaching him to retrieve will tire him out and be a fun game. When petting him only pet him on the top of the head or under the chin. Male cats when pet on the back to tail will often flip over to bite and scratch. Also I recommend leaving the room if he becomes aggressive and hopefully he'll learn that he needs to behave to get more attention. He may never be a cuddly cat but you can still have fun with him when you learn not to set off his triggers to aggressive behavior. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Kitten behavior is very unpredictable, especially in those which were reared outdoors and have learned to fend for themselves initially, but they do settle down and tame with patience and gentle handling. Be very aware of the kittens body language and cues in relation to handling and petting - rub only the head/shoulders and do not force any petting of the belly/hindlimbs, do not try to hold or corner her if her ears are back, tail is swishing or eyes wide - allow her to come to you and sleep on your lap without any petting and call her often for small meals, petting around the head and shoulders as you feed her to strengthen the bond. Plenty of active play and chasing toys will help expend some of her energy also. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/cats/tips/cat_communication.html?referrer=https://www.google.ie/

Make sure she has her own safe space so she doesn’t become overly stressed (a large dog crate with food, water and litter box is perfect). Make sure all meal times are interactive and distract with food or treats when you’re trying to make physical contact. Take it slow and eventually she will become used to you being around. This website has some good tips: http://www.urbancatleague.org/TamingFerals

Hello! It sounds like you're already off to a great start by leaving him alone when he gets too rough- many people don't know to do that! I love the product Feliway for anxious or grumpy kitties. It's a natural feline pheromone that helps to calm cats. It comes in plug-ins, sprays, and collar forms, so whichever works best for your situation. I also like to get people to feed their cats outside of bowls if they can. Cats are natural hunters, and making them work for their food is great mental exercise for them. Putting part or all of his food into different toys so that he has to spend time working for it is excellent exercise for the body and brain and may help with some pent up energy and aggression problems. I hope that's helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If she was a stray, this behavior could be related to starving at times while on her own. It will take time for her to adjust and she may always worry about food. Here are some links which may help: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-stop-a-cat-from-jumping-on-the-counter/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-stop-your-cat-from-biting/ Make sure to always keep the food put up so that Minnie stops getting a reward when she gets on the counters. You may also feed her far away from the kitchen to help decrease an association with food. Be patient and positive. I hope this helps.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Jojo is very cute! This type of question is hard to answer based on your one statement. This is best answered in a consult where we can ask each other questions. My questions are: Is she attacking your randomly? Or just when you are touching her? Sadly most cats only like to be pet or touched around the face and neck and will bite if you pet them past their shoulder blades or on their belly. It is a rare unicorn cat that will let you pet them like a dog. My suggestion is to find where she likes to be touched and only pet her there. And most cats will only tolerate the petting for a certain period of time then bite. It is their world and we live in it. If she is randomly attacking you I recommend professional help: prozac and feliway dffusers. I hope this helps and I wish you and Jojo the best! http://pet-supplies.drsfostersmith.com/search?w=feliway%20for%20cats

It sounds like Ivan may be getting a bit overstimulated when being pet. This can happen in some cats, and others may also "bite" as a way of showing affection if they weren't taught not to as kittens. Stopping the petting as you are doing is a great thing to do already. You may also want to stop sooner than a bite if you see things such as a tail flicking back and forth, ears going flat, body stiffening, etc as these are all signs he is starting to become overstimulated. Interaction with a toy instead of petting, giving treats, or just petting "safe" areas such as the head or chin may also help you share affection without it getting to the point of biting.