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From: slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: cat claws and biting
Message-ID: <3313@drutx.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 21-Jul-85 13:11:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: drutx.3313
Posted: Sun Jul 21 13:11:32 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Jul-85 21:52:10 EDT
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver
Lines: 37

>I was wondering, has anybody noticed that declawed cats are more likely
>to bite when you're just trying to be friendly?  It's somewhat startling
>to have a cat come up to you begging for stroking, you oblige, and then 
>it bites you.  It's only happened to me with declawed cats. 

That is interesting.  Ours are declawed and do this sometimes.  But
they did it before being declawed, so I never associated the two.

Our cats do this, but the bites are not really a problem.  They are not
break the skin bites, in fact not even close.  It is more a playful motion.

I have found that if I whine a little when then do it (like a kitten,
just a little noise in the back of the throat), then they stop
right away.  Sometimes they lick the spot (to apologize?).  If I pet 
them more roughly, then they assume I want to play, and will bring 
the back paws up and chew a little more.  We can play like that for 
quite a while.  The bites are seldom painful, just playful.  I have 
noticed they do the same with each other--whine means let's be gentle 
and lick each other, fight back means let's play.

The only time I got a wound from one of them was when I was rounding
them up to take them to the vet for shots.  I tried for a long time
to get one out from under the bed.  Finally I gave up and just grabbed.
He took a good chunk out of my finger.
-- 

                                     Sue Brezden
                                     
Real World: Room 1B17                Net World: ihnp4!drutx!slb
            AT&T Information Systems
            11900 North Pecos
            Westminster, Co. 80234
            (303)538-3829 

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