Hi All

My 9 month old snow bengal has the habit of liking to bite feet/hands - not through aggression, but can be painful all the same. His teeth don't break the skin but his claws can when he grabs with his front paws. This can happen when sitting at the dining table and he isn't getting the attention he desires, or when we're relaxing on the couch - it's like he just can't help himself - like an urge he can't resist. He often responds to a growl from me, or a firm "no", but will sometimes pause before returning for more biting but sometimes with increased vigour the second time - pupils dilated fully with a 'crazed look'. Overall he's a good natured cat and we love him to bits - but sometimes this behaviour can make everyone in the household a bit wary of him at times (me, wife, 7 yr old and 5 yr old). He is attached to me most - and perhaps I get most of his 'action', but I am the main playmate too so perhaps he tries to get my attention the most. Any behavioural tips/Advice welcome. We got him from his breeder at nearly 10 weeks of age which I now know is a bit young - and have read can lead to socialisation problems (although was raised in a busy household with children so used to noises etc). I have had many cats in the past but this is our first bengal, I expect some scratches etc, but don't remember having to be quite so wary at times with my past cats. Thank you all. Jamie.

How does he interact with your children? Are they rough with him? Do they engage him in play? Bengals want attention 24/7. They will play 24/7. He's still a kitten so his energy level is extremely high. Make sure he has toys he can wrestle with and bite. They are usually larger and they can really go to town on them and save your feet. Have several around and give one to him when he starts to get into that biting mode. Currently, your feet are prey. There's a lot to learn about bengals. They aren't your ordinary cat. I got mine when he was six years old and he has never bitten or scratched me (besides the occasional time his claw catches my hand while we're playing). You can always tell him "NO" when he gets like that, but you're better off redirecting his attention to a toy he can attack.

I think you need to make sure that his doing that never ever results in immediate playtime or food or whatever. You don't want to fuel that association. And scolding him like you are is probably fine. But also file it away in your mind when he does it, that he probably needs some additional play soon, just not so soon as to have him think his actions resulted in that happening.

_________________
The little monsters 3

Do you play with him with your hands? My other half does this, and it does result in them thinking his hands are a plaything, and then he will try to do it to me as well. However with me, they are definitely learning that I won't tolerate it. I walk away if they attack my hands or feet and redirect them to a kickaroo or throw a ball or spring. Hands are for petting and fuss.

He sounds a bit like Jagger who goes 'psycho' when he is over stimulated. You will recognise the triggers and signs soon enough and then you have to try to work out how to calm him or change the play to something that will wear him out without any pain to yourself!

I do think they do start to grow out of it a bit as they get older, having said that Jagger went psycho last night - he got way over excited when I came home with bags of shopping and had that crazed look as he went totally bonkers lol

_________________
Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

When I first adopted my 4 month old kittens, one of them would attack my feet almost every night when I went to bed. No amount of yelling would stop her, it just seemed to make her more crazed. After a while she would settle down on the bed next to my head and sleep. Then she would do it again in the morning. One morning she woke me up out of a sound sleep and drew blood with her bite! She was an angel otherwise. I figured out they wanted more food so I gave them some dry food before going to bed and got up early to give them breakfast. The bed biting stopped soon after. She was just communicating I guess, and it worked! She is 7 months old now and foot biting is a thing of the past. Every week their behavior changes.

Thanks all for your helpful insights. My son especially plays with Benji, my daughter prefers to try and cuddle him - which he mostly tolerates. I think because he has nipped fingers before, when they go to stroke him - they do it in a sort of tentative way - which I suppose can make things worse in that it looks like they're dangling fingers in from of him then quickly pulling them away.

Sometimes I have quickly reacted to a nip and grab of my arm as a sign to start play - so perhaps I shouldn't do this quite so immediately. I think large 'attack' toys maybe a good idea too. He loves a toy bat on a piece of string I pull around for him to practice his pouncing - but something more substantial may satisfy the full on grabbing/kicking urges.

He is a good boy and feel somewhat guilty for painting this picture of him - just need a little tweaking of our approach that's all. He loves company and is well used to our noisy household.