Our female Maine Coon is very sweet and likes to get on our laps for a few seconds but if we try to pet her anywhere else, she bites us. And sometimes very hard like right now I have two holes in my han

-- Anonymous, June 11, 1999

Answers

I'm no expert on Maine Coons, but I have had lots of experience with biting cats. I'm quite familiar with the "vampire bite" marks that I suspect you are describing - two nasty little punctures from those sharp front teeth!

Many cats like to play "bite" - that is, they bite because they aren't in the mood to cuddle, they want to play. Biting is a big part of cat play. If your kitty wanted to really hurt you, it wouldn't just be two holes in your hand. Cats are capable of ripping a large rat's head off with one bite - if she had meant to seriously hurt you, she would have. She doesn't understand that humans don't have the nice thick fur that makes rough-and-tumble cat play possible.

The ways to deal with the cat who wants to play rough are varied. My cat is very playful in the morning and likes to jump into bed with an eye to wrestle, so I keep a small spray bottle of water nearby to let him know that I don't want to play before I have my tea. Also, toys that allow the cat to play aggresively can help kitty get it out of her system - the classic is the furry or feathered toy on a wire ("cat dancer"). Re-directing the aggression toward toys and games can help. Also, having another cat to play with often helps - both in giving your cat someone to play with and in keeping the cat from getting lonely and cranky.

The other possibility is that she is simply not in the mood to be handled and is giving you a "back off" warning. The way to tell if this is the case: if your cat pursues you with teeth or claws, she probably wants to play. If she just bites without any pursuit (particularly if she lowers her ears or growls), she is warning you that she wants to be let alone. If she's stressed out or angry, she may withdraw in this way (like if she's left alone a lot). Or she might just not cotton to being handled without her permission. In this case, the solution is to never approach the cat abruptly, but rather cautiously, unless she initiates contact. I put my hand near the cat's face (underhand, not over the cat's head) where she can sniff me and wait until the cat rubs me first when I'm dealing with a touchy cat.

Don't be discouraged by kitty's behavior. I've had cats who took a while to learn not to bite (and I've got the marks on my arms to prove it). Once I had to scatter small spray bottles around the house to get my message through, but this is a CORRECTABLE behavior. Water guns are good to, but you have to be careful - they make water guns that shoot fifty feet these days,and those are too powerful for this purpose. Oh, and don't strike the cat, however lightly, as she may interpret this as you wanting to "play rough". The whole "light swat on the paws" idea can backfire badly.

Just in case - unaltered cats are more likely to be aggressive in general, I've found. If she's unaltered and you don't intend to breed professionally, please get her altered ASAP. Since I've never bred cats, I don't really know how to deal over the long haul with aggression associated with being in heat. Any breeders want to field that area?

Get a spray bottle, get a cat dancer toy, be gentle when approaching the cat, and wear long sleeves whenever possible - that sums up. Oh, and good luck!

-- Anonymous, June 12, 1999

I had a biting Maine Coon for a while. Females seem to be a bit touchy in some areas, particularly around their bellies and rump. Instead of spraying her with water, try screaming in pain.

It sounds funny, but cats that bite don't want to hurt you, and they will stop biting you if you yell. Generally, Maine Coons will lick your hand after you yell, or run away; eventually, they will not bite as hard after a while, or not at all. Maine Coons can hold serious grudges, and may actually bite harder if you piss them off.

Give it a try.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 1999