My cat is really weird.. behavior question?

Question

Almost always, my cat will come up to me and meow and be sweet and rub on me and stuff, but for the last year, everytime I pet him when he stands up he's fine.. but when he lays down and rolls around on his back and stuff or even if he's sitting, if i try to pet him he'll bite and scratch me. I'm not doing in in a rushful manner or being scary or anything. Why's he do this? He's about 6 years old if that means anything.

Answer 1

I wouldn't put up with the biting or scratching....

REMEMBER YOU ARE THE ALFA CAT!

Say a loud "NO" and then push it away.  

It will eventually learn this is an inappropriate behavior.

Answer 2

Have your cat checked by the vet. I had a wonderful cat that would let me pet her but as she grew older, she started having a problem with being petted on the back. She would turn and attack if we touched her back. I thought she was just being peckish. Turns out she had cancer of the Kidneys and when we touched her back it was painful. Animal organs can be a lot closer to the surface than we ever think. To this day I feel awful that I did not have her seen by the vet until it was too late.

Answer 3

You need to be sure that medicaly speaking he's ok because it could be an allergic reaction that gets his skin more sensible or irratiated.

If the medical reason is out of the way then see if something has change radicly in the house. New boyfriend, animal, departure of someone, renovation. That might be the cause. If it is, you should resume a normal routine as soon as you can and in 14 days he will get back to a more normal behavior

Also, Like us, cat physiology changes overtime (most of the time every 7 years). For exemple, a taste you dislike 7 years ago might become good today. Or an allergy you didn't had 7 years ago suddenly pops up.

So your cat might have develop a sensitivity he didn't had before. Most cat have sensible area that, when stroked, overstimulate them. I'm pretty sure that you can identify thoses zones yourself. He probably bites you when you stroke him at a certain place. Most of the time, it's on the belly and on the rear flank near the tail.  Those zone, when stroke may be overstimulated. This overstimulation is simply too much for your cat. He needs it to stop on the spot and the only way he has to do this is by striking you.

Now here's what you need to do.

1) First, try to avoid stroking these area. There are many other spot your cat likes to be stroke so find these and help him.

2) When he bites you, you have to punish him by saying NO firmly and go away. Ignore him completely. Do not continue to stroke him. IF your cat realise that by bitting you, the fun of being stroke stop and he gets reprimended he will stop. To go over the board. Just a firm NO EVERYTIME he does it and you should see a big improvement.

Some cats will be overstimulated everywhere. In that case you need to proceed slowly by stroking him for a short time and when you feel he gets overstimulated you stop and then congratulate him. You can then get the stroking time longer and longer but that process is very long and you need to be very patient.

Answer 4

My cat will 'rub' up against me- wanting a fuss all the time when i am busy!

but when i go to stroke him, he rolls onto his back like yours and wraps his whole body around my hand and bites/scratches me but he is just playing with me. although it does hurt sometimes so i got a big pair of wooly socks and put them both over my hand to play with him.

I think your cat is just doing the same as mine.

hope this helps

Kimberlie

Answer 5

Well, it means your kitty really likes you and wants to play with you :)

Sometimes older cats get more aggresive, but I think your cat is just being playful. Most cats bite and paw at you when they want to play, and playing is also a way of saying that they trust you.

- JapaneseToast

Answer 6

Sounds like he thinks you are threatening him. I always yell at my cats when they start to do that. Or hiss. It usually alleviates the problem. You might check for skin conditions.

One thing you might not notice is where you pet him when he is standing you pet him in certain regions, like the very top of the head and neck, and maybe the sides. Whereas when he is sitting, or laying down, you pet him down the back.

My dad had a cat that was severely allergic to milk (took them years to figure that out) and hated to be touched because it hurt. When his skin finally cleared up they were able to pet him. Before it was only just on the very top of his head. You might check with your vet about that, after you determine what is different about how you are petting him.

4 days ago my cat would yell if I touched his head. Figured out he had a stuffed up nose. Now he is on meds and I can touch portions of his face and scratch his chin and ears, his 2 favorite places to get scratched.

Answer 7

the older cats get the more primitive they become but be patient and tactical by cooing and talking at the same time.rub only the fur at the back spine thru the head.

Answer 8

Hmm My cat used to do the same thing. I think it was because I would give her too MUCH attention. I started winding down and she became more affectionate. But some cats are just like that..don't forget to love him no matter what!

Answer 9

Hi, just wondering whether something has happened? Change of house / room / person / litter or any other small or large change?Change from indoor to outdoor or vise versa?

Have you been to the vet just in case there is any tenderness around his tum or any condition that needs to be looked at?  If not, I'd suggest you go v-e-r-y slowly and maybe give him a treat when he's good?

Also, if it's very bad you could say 'bad' very loudly and walk away and see if you can train his behaviour?  If he's been in a good pattern before then I can see you reistablishing it ok.

Another possibility - have you tried just ignoring him to let him come to you and see what happens?  He might just be playing it cool?