Help with My Cat/kids

I had this same issue with my cat and once in a great while he will still do it. If they do not have enough stimilus in play this could be part of it but I solved the problem by everytime he would do it I would flick his nose and and say NO!!!! After a few weeks it did the trick and we also play with him more so we are now a bite free family.

Squirt gun and tap on the nose with the pffft are good suggestions. Because it seems behaviorally based, does it happen mainly in a certain area of the house? You can try Feliway, which is a pheramone that is supposed to calm cats. Can't hurt...

Give your kids and hubby squirt guns and a quick squirt when she attacks might do the trick!

our cat does this too, but shes still a kitten, so im hoping she will outgrow it.

obviously, he hasnt differenciated between play and hurting. there has to be a consequence, yet you cant haul off and hit the cat. so what i would recommend is spend a weekend waiting for this to happen (hopefully to YOU and not your child) and squirt the cat with water at the moment that it happens. it shuoldnt take long for him to figure out that when he he does that, he gets sprayed. usually sprayers make a noise, but you can further accentuate that by hissing at him the way a cat would hiss you know?? this helps because USUALLY the moms will hiss at their babies when they are being bad. if your cat was separated from mom too early, he might not have learned that at all.

also, one more thought; maybe hes bored? you could consider getting another cat, or you could just make sure that you are playing with him more often during the day, or giving him opportunities to play, hunt and chase. there are cat toys that will hang from your door or something, my cats loved to "stalk and jump" at that toy ... until it broke LOL.
anyway good luck

This is hunting behavior. My big kitty is 7 and still swipes at me when he's on the cat pole and I walk by. Get some cat toys that are on a long string so they can be dragged around for him to chase and "hunt'. There are cat toys that have balls inside that they can chase around in circles, too. Also, another kitty would help--I always have at least 2, and they entertain each other alot. They're hunters and stalkers by nature, so help them out. Squirt guns are more to deter things like getting on the counters.

We also have a cat who used to bite and break skin, usually when we would be on the phone, on the couch watching tv or when we walked by...It took us a very long time to break him of this, about a year or more, but what our vet suggested is that we use a squirt gun - every time he bites, or looks like he is getting ready to attack, you squirt him in the face. It sounded cruel to me at the time, but it really worked! Also, we tried to incorporate more play time for him into the day, with a variety of toys ( his favorite was a mouse on a string) He learned that he could dominate his toys, but that the humans were in control - am happy to report he is now 9 years old and a VERY good pet!

This sounds like normal kitten behavior. If your cat is a bit older, you may have a behavioral problem and you might try calling the Cat Behavior Hotline for help (http://www.catsinternational.org/). It's free, and they're very helpful. However, if your cat is less than 2 years old, I think the squirt guns are a great idea, because you've got a kitten, and kittens do stuff like this.

Two things cats do hate are swats on the nose (it's full of nerve endings - same for dogs) and water in the face.
Both of those are good suggestions, but cats are notoriously hard to train. They're really indifferent.

I'd ask the vet if this is a normal behavior or not. I've had a lot of cats and not known one to do this. But, I also have a 26 lb cat that doesn't do much of anything (yes, he's been on prescription food for 10 years).

The FDA has approved cat and dog Prozac. Sounds silly, but they're mammals and subjected to the same physiologic issues as we are. I hope that's not the case, but if it is, there are products to treat it now.

He is letting you all know he is the top cat in the house. He doesn't do it to you because you probably feed him. Give your children a squirt gun or bottle and have them squirt him each time he tries to chase them. It will stop that behavior. What they don't want to do is run, cats are hunters and running makes them pray. Getting him fixed if he isn't might help with some of the aggression.

Another thing that might work is a rolled up newspaper which makes a loud pop. Have them hit it against their leg and it will stop him in his track. It won't take him long to figure out that he is no longer top cat.

Sounds like you have an overly playful cat. I have 6. Some inside and some out, and 4 kids. We have a cat that does about the same thing. She usually just wants some attention or is board. We got her a laser light toy and it occupies her and the rest for quite awhile and "poops' them out. ____@____.com is a great resource for cat info and toys. I get the daily newsletter full of fun stories and pet tips. When one of the cats starts getting an attitude or bad habit, I get out a sm toy squirt gun and give 'em a drop or two. They don't like it and get the hint that the bad habit will get them damp. Just an idea. The attachment with the kids is a good thing. Pets and the responsibility of them teaches compassion at an early age, I feel. You can tell a teen who has no feelings for animals from a responsible pet owner. In the long run, a furry friend's bad habits usually pan out with patience and consistency. A rough tongue on the cheek warms the heart.
____@____.com

I had a cat that would do that, bite only me, and it was because I never stood up to him. It lasted about a year, until I bought a squirt bottle and fought back! That and I think he grew out of it some! We played with him more and eventually got another cat that he was able to 'play' with! He turned out to be the BEST kitty ever, so be patient and teach your daughter to stand up to him :)

Your daughter, being 11 yrs old, should not run from the cat. Teach her how to grab it by the back of the neck and give it a light tap on the nose with her finger. Your cat is playing dominant just like a out of control dog does. When you (or kids or hubby) need to discipline the cat, by water or by grabbing a nose swatting, make a loud "psssst" sound or a hissing sound. Eventually, the cat will associate the sound with punishment and you won't need the water or swatting anymore. Teach the kids what to do. An animal thinking that it is dominant over your children will only be encouraged by their running......

The problem with a squirt gun in a case like this is, you never know when it is going to happen. Unless you carry a loaded squirt gun, chances are you are not going to catch him doing this. If you do not squirt him WHILE he is doing the action, he will not understand why you are doing it.

I completely agree you need a second, young cat. I assume your cat is young, this sounds like normal playful behavior for a young cat. Getting a second cat will give your cat someone to play with and someone that it is ok to attack. If that is totally out of the question, make sure your cat has lots of cat toys to play with. Also be sure to have play time with the cat every day. Make time during the day (your 11 yr would be perfect to do this) to play with your cat, with cat toys, cat nip, etc. This should tire him out and give him the play time he needs/wants. Good luck.
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I agree with Denise. A squirt gun should [hopefully] do the trick.

That is strange behavior. I suggest getting 4 month old kitten for it to play with. Depsite what you may think, 2 cats are always better than 1. They entertain each other.