Aggression for no apparent reason?

[Phoenix]

Tom's started trying to bite me, he comes to sit next to me and even when I'm not touching him he thinks it's acceptable to try biting me. I don't know if it's aggression due to his arthritis making him grumpy and more likely to lash out or whether he's just in a grumpy mood, I've tried putting him in "time-out" when he goes to bite but that doesn't seem to be getting the "no biting" message through.

Ebony's tried teaching him no biting by smacking him with her paw when he tries to bite me but even that's not getting through (basically Tom worships the ground Ebony walks on, Ebony can do no wrong in Tom's eyes, he adores her). I'm trying to get through to him that gentle paw pats like Ebony does is the acceptable way of telling me I'm doing something he doesn't like.

I was typing a message to someone on a non-pet-related forum just now and he decided to go for me again, any ideas what's causing it? It doesn't appear to be pain causing it (it's intermittent aggression, sometimes he'll go for me like that and other times he won't), I think if it was pain aggression it would be if particular parts of his body got handled or touched but it's not a case of "you touched me in the place I don't like or I find painful", it literally appears to be for no apparent reason

What could be going through his head when he gets aggressive like that? He used to only show aggression like that to people he doesn't know (because they're strangers and he thinks he's getting kicked out of his home by them)

[PoshPuss]

Hi, how old is Tom? could he be starting his puberty? if he's un-neutered he could be showing aggression caused by raised testosterone. Otherwise I can't think of anything, I've only had girls sorry

[fecto's mum]

Sometimes Inky bites me when I stroke him but I think he is playing. Is he trying to get your attention? Fecto scratches at my leg or if I'm in bed he dabs me on the nose. He only hooks his claws in to wake me or if I don't see to him straight away.

I think biting with my cats is an attention getter. Is he really sinking his teeth in or just nipping? Sometimes Inky will just rub his teeth against my hand. All my toms will play bite if I am stroking them and then they grab with all four paws. Hurts too!

[Velvet]

Weve a couple do it, i think of it like an affection nip. Gets your attention & you respond.

If its something new maybe get wee Vet check up to make sure all ok. Cats are very good at masking pain or illness

[angieh]

My old guy Merlin used to lash out for no apparent reason. He'd be on my lap, being stroked and purring and then wham! He did this from a kitten, all through his life and was very unpredictable and as he was my first cat, I thought that was normal!

[Phoenix]

Tom's about 11 years old and he's neutered, he has stages of trying to bite (sometimes it's nips but it can be proper bites as well), he's currently grumpy (again) but this time there's a reason (Cats Protection volunteers were here) and he thought they were here to take him and Ebony away.

Ebony hid in the kitchen from them because Tom made her think they were there to hurt both cats, but she poked her head out to see who they were when she heard them passing by on their way out.

[Yulecat]

If he suddenly got aggressive, I would see the vet. It could be arthritis, but you know him better than we do.

[Peanutsfriend]

Biting isn't always a aggressive move
My Peanut latches on. Sometimes hard. I tell him he hurts, cry, got mad. He lets go faster when I cry.
It is just cats way to say I love you. they latch on to the female
Jill

[Elaine]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Tom's started trying to bite me, he comes to sit next to me and even when I'm not touching him he thinks it's acceptable to try biting me. I don't know if it's aggression due to his arthritis making him grumpy and more likely to lash out or whether he's just in a grumpy mood, I've tried putting him in "time-out" when he goes to bite but that doesn't seem to be getting the "no biting" message through.

[b]Ebony's tried teaching him no biting by smacking him with her paw when he tries to bite me but even that's not getting through [/B](basically Tom worships the ground Ebony walks on, Ebony can do no wrong in Tom's eyes, he adores her). I'm trying to get through to him that gentle paw pats like Ebony does is the acceptable way of telling me I'm doing something he doesn't like.

I was typing a message to someone on a non-pet-related forum just now and he decided to go for me again, any ideas what's causing it? It doesn't appear to be pain causing it (it's intermittent aggression, sometimes he'll go for me like that and other times he won't), I think if it was pain aggression it would be if particular parts of his body got handled or touched but it's not a case of "you touched me in the place I don't like or I find painful", it literally appears to be for no apparent reason

What could be going through his head when he gets aggressive like that? He used to only show aggression like that to people he doesn't know (because they're strangers and he thinks he's getting kicked out of his home by them)

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Tom's about 11 years old and he's neutered, he has stages of trying to bite (sometimes it's nips but it can be proper bites as well), he's currently grumpy (again) but this time there's a reason (Cats Protection volunteers were here) and he thought they were here to take him and Ebony away.

Ebony hid in the kitchen from them because Tom made her think they were there to hurt both cats, but she poked her head out to see who they were when she heard them passing by on their way out.

I'd like to start by saying that I think you are analysing things from a "HUMAN" perspective and impressing your own "HUMAN" thoughts and guesses at what he's thinking.
He is a cat and he thinks like a cat and he reacts like a cat.
http://catkin.hubpages.com/hub/cat-bites
http://www.moggies.co.uk/html/aggcat_people.html

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Elaine

[/b]


I'd like to start by saying that I think you are analysing things from a "HUMAN" perspective and impressing your own "HUMAN" thoughts and guesses at what he's thinking.
He is a cat and he thinks like a cat and he reacts like a cat.
http://catkin.hubpages.com/hub/cat-bites
http://www.moggies.co.uk/html/aggcat_people.html

I'm going by what happened to him in the past, what I said did happen to him and we know that because the rescue told us his history. Cats do remember their past and I believe they can dream about it (although obviously I don't know for a fact they dream about it)

Also Tom does follow Ebony around and watches her with a "lovestruck" expression on his face, which is where I'm getting the Tom loves Ebony thing from.