Sophia Yin, DVM, MS  December 10, 2009.

Clients frequently tell me that they think their cat or dogs like each other but they aren’t sure. They sometimes point out that their pets sleep together, but does that mean they’re best friends? It could but it doesn’t necessarily. They could just be sharing beds because it’s comfortable or convenient. True “friends,” actively seek eachother and hang out, play together, and perform affiliative gestures such as mutual grooming.

Here’s a photo of Jonesy and his bratty younger, but bigger sister, Lucy. Jonesy pretty much just tolerates her. Sometimes he puts up with her pestering, and other times he exercises his Sailor’s mouth. When she’s in the more comfortable bed he sometimes joins her because that’s the most comfortable spot.

Here’s Jonesy with Homer (tricolor JRT) and a visiting JRT. Homer would actively seek Jonesy out and lie next to him. That would sometimes make Jonesy grumble under his breath. Homer did indeed look up to Jonesy. But, as usual, Jonesy could care less about Homer.

Tell me about your pets who sometimes share a bed. Are they best friends or just convenient buddies?

By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS  December 8, 2009

Question:

We have a 2 year old female cat (Kachina) who is fully declawed and spayed. She will jump on the bed or sofa with my wife (Liz) and want to be scratched behind her ears/head. She purrs while this is happening then all of a sudden she will turn and bite Liz in the arm. This used to happen 1-2 times every month or so and now it is a few times a week. Kachina usually comes back to lay with Liz in about 30 minutes as if nothing happened and curl up with Liz. Liz was in bed last night and Kachina bit her arm and blood was flowing from the entry wound. I closed the door to our bedroom last night but we need to do something so Kachina stops biting Liz. Kachina does not do this to me.

Any suggestions?

–Doug

Answer

Doug, as you already know, unlike dogs who generally read like an open book, cats are a little more subtle and come with interesting quirks. For instance a hungry dog will follow you around the house even barking and whining until you give in. Hungry cats sometimes meow from their comfortable place, until you deliver the food to them. One thing about cats is that they don’t necessarily like being petted endlessly the way many dogs do. This could be the root of Kachina’s issues with Liz. So even if the cats solicit the petting, they may get tired of it after several seconds or minutes.

It’s like they’re saying, “Pet me now.” And then after a set time point, “Ok, I’ve had enough,” or ,”But not that way.”  The signs meaning stop may be subtle-a tail flick, ears bent to the sides. When, we humans are blind the cat has to give a bigger cue-namely a bite. In essence the bite says, “Hey! I told you to stop!” After this the cat may just figure out that the subtle signs don’t work. Better to go with the neon sign, a big chomp, first. Or it may be that the cat gets more irritated with each event. Like. “Geez, doesn’t she know I can’t stand being petted that long?”

In cases where the humans just can’t keep their hands of their cat or pet the cat in a way that their cat more aroused, cats have been known to proactively hiss or swat any time the human walks by. Or they bite and scratch seemingly randomly. To them it’s not randomly, they’re biting when they think the human may approach or try to pester them. Overall they become more irritable around people they deem bad petters.

So what if this is Kachina’s issue. What can you do? Safety first. Keep Kachina out of the bedroom at night. Next Liz should only pet Kachina for short bouts of petting, short enough so that Kachina will, for sure enjoy it. These short bouts should be paired with feeding so that Kachina comes to associate the petting with things he likes. For instance, Liz can either pet Kachina will simultaneously feeding cat treats or canned cat food for about 5-10 seconds and then stop both the feeding and the petting. Alternatively Liz could pet for  5-10 seconds and then follow immediately with a treat to reward Kachina for behaving well. I frequently start with method 1 and then move to method 2. In both cases, systematically increase the time that Liz is able to pet. The goal is that Kachina associates the petting with good thing (food /treats) and remains in a positive emotional state rather than becoming agitated.

If these techniques don’t clearly help, then it’s time to see a behaviorist. A list of veterinarians practicing behavior can be found at www.AVSABonline.org.

By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS   September 6, 2009

Q: I’ve taken in a stray cat that’s about one year old and has been spayed. She’s very affectionate; however, sometimes when I pet her she either bites or scratches me. How can I stop her from doing this?

A: Have you heard the joke about the patient who visits the doctor? The patient comes in and asks, “Hey Doc. My arm hurts when I lift it like this. What should I do.” The doctor replies, “Don’t do that.”

Sounds silly, but the same advice goes here. If your cat bites and scratches when you pet her, don’t pet her. I mean don’t pet her when she’s going to bite and scratch, not don’t pet her ever at all.

So what’s the deal? You’d think that if you feed your cat and give her a good home the least she could do is let you pet her at will. But just like people, cats can only take so much. They might like the petting at first. But when enough is enough, they’ll let you know. The tail will twitch, the ears will flatten, and the skin may develop a nervous tick.

At this point they’re screaming in plain Meow. Stop! I can’t take anymore! If you continue, they’ll give you a sign you can’t miss. A bite meant to hinder not to harm. If they’ve been punished for this behavior in the past, they’ll even dart off your lap to avoid the retribution that may follow.

Now why cats don’t just leave when they’re fed up I don’t know. Could be that they want you to pet them but you’re just not doing it quite right. In social grooming, cats groom others in short bouts. So maybe Kitty wants you to pet but only in spurts. Or maybe petting is good but only in certain places. Cats have definite areas they consider taboo. For instance, touch Kitty on the belly and she may tell you that area’s off limits.

Or it could be that they are comfortable where they are don’t feel like moving so they have to tell you to knock it off.

What if your cat has a low tolerance and you want to interact more? You can teach Kitty that petting is fun—it’s paired with yummy treats. Pet Kitty and give her a treat before she starts getting upset. For instance, pet her for 5 seconds while giving her canned cat food. Then stop petting for another 5 seconds. Then repeat the process so she starts to understand that petting is associated with good food. Or you can pet her in an area she likes and gently move towards an area that’s taboo. Only stay there for a sec and then give her a treat before she loses her cool.

If you do this carefully such that Kitty only has good experiences with petting, then you’ll actually get a cat that likes petting more consistently.

A version of this article originally appeared in Dr. Yin’s Pet Tales Column in The San Francisco Chronicle in 2000.

By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS    September 1, 2009

Question

What do you do with a cat who attacks everything and everyone? Our cat lurks behind furniture and then leaps out at people as they walk by. She never seems serious because she doesn’t bite very hard, but it’s getting annoying.

Answer

Picture this.

Through a deep silence, the young huntress surveyed her territory. The day was growing weary and she yearned for a break in the monotony. Then she heard it. A familiar thud in the distance. She froze. Crouched low. She couldn’t see it but she knew where to go. Pupils dilated with excitement, she oozed along the shadows until she reached her spot. Then she waited, patiently, ears slightly back, tail twitching like an itch ready to blow. A short jingle followed by a broad beam of light. That was her cue. A red shoe entered the room and like a dart the black ball of stealth launched her five-pound body.

“Yeow! Mommy! Missy bit me again!”

The fierce blur flew out of the room and melted back into the shadows where she could savor her success. Mission accomplished. The highlight of her day.

Sound like a vicious unprovoked attack on humans? Not quite. It’s just regular play behavior. Although cats have been domesticated for thousands of years, they still retain their desire to hunt. And to be a good at it, they need to practice, practice, practice. In the wild this involves pouncing on littermates, playing with captured rodents, and stalking hapless insects. In your home it means pouncing on you. Sure toys would be the logical choice, but they don’t move around and squeal the way humans do.

So how do you deal with your fearless, house-bound hunter? Do you send Missy outdoors to practice on the real thing? Unless you live on a secluded property overrun with rodents, this is not a good idea. Several things can go awry. First, instead of coming home with a furry, four-legged pest, Missy might return with the local avian Pavarotti. What’s the big deal? Nothing, unless you’re concerned about contributing to the possible demise of the local songbird population. If that’s not bad enough, be aware, Missy might not come home at all. While searching for a suitable victim, Missy might fall prey herself—to the big metal monster that stalks on four wheels.

Keep her occupied with more interesting play

No, for Missy, there’s a safer solution. Prevent the attack from occurring by keeping her occupied with safe play toys. These toys can be simple, like a brown paper sac, a ball made of scrunched paper, or a fortress of cardboard boxes. Or they can be more high tech like a motorized mouse or a feather on the end of a wand. Try different kinds of toys but don’t just put everything out at once. Use one to two toys a day and rotate them throughout the week. That way Missy won’t get bored. Better yet, take a 10-minute break and play with Missy yourself. Just be sure that you direct her play at a toy so that she gets the right idea.

Also consider a bird feeder placed in a location outside that she can see but that other cats can’t access. Some cats find this mesmerizing enough to satisfy their play needs.

What if you need to thwart an attack?

What do you do if Missy’s already developed a taste for human prey and you need to thwart an attack before or as it occurs? Here’s where it gets tough—pitting human against cat. Despite our larger brain size, this contest is no slam dunk. To come out on top, you have to be smarter and faster than your foxy feline. That means you have to anticipate her every move the way she’s been anticipating yours. Here’s the plan.

First, train her to perform more appropriate behaviors or cat tricks that are fun such as following you around and sitting for treats, coming when called, and playing the cat version of fetch by training her to touch a target with her nose. Then randomly play these games before she plans to attack. And if you see her starting to get into attack mode, break her out of it by calling her to come and play one of the more appropriate games. This trick training is especially important if diverting her attention with toys just puts her into a more aroused, predatory state.

Alternatively, if toy play works well to keep her engaged, the next time you come home, be prepared with a toy—one that Missy will find more enticing than a moving red shoe that squeals. This time when Missy hears the jingle of keys followed by the opening door, the next thing she should see is her new target. A feather dangling on a wand? Wiggle the toy while you stand completely still and Missy’s sure to take the bait. After playing with her or a minute or two you should be able to go about your regular routine.

What if she still likes your leg better?

Rule number one, when she hits her mark, don’t squeal or move. Both actions can trigger a stronger attack. Instead, hold perfectly still. The game’s no fun if the target doesn’t play back. Then, the next time, arm yourself with a glass of water or a pumped up water gun and surprise her just before she gets your leg. This alternative seems easy, but the timing is actually quite hard. But with a few well-timed showers and she’ll think twice before she attacks again. Of course, since she will still have the urge to stalk you, you’ll still have to redirect her play towards toys or towards games you have trained as in the last step.

A version of this article first appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle in 2000.