My Pet World: Distract finger-biting cat with other amusements

ATLANTA, GA. -- These reader questions were answered at the 2015 International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants Feline Behavior Conference here, April 11-12. Speakers included veterinary behaviorists and certified cat behavior consultants on issues ranging from the social organization of cats to how to introduce an outdoor cat into the home. (To learn more about animal behavior, or find a behavior consultant at www.iaabc.org.)

Q: My cat likes to chomp my fingers. I've put on winter gloves, but she waits and bites them, too. This is very irritating. Any advice? -- M.M., via cyberspace

A: "This could all be a fun game to your cat, who previously learned that human fingers are fun to bite on," says certified cat behavior consultant Ingrid Johnson, of Atlanta, GA. "One option is to stop using the gloves, which may have become a cue to let the bite-the-fingers games begin, even more than previously."

"If you feel safer, then by all means keep the gloves on, but put lemon juice or vinegar on them (or spray them with a manufactured product such as Bitter Apple, available at pet stores and online)," says New York City-based certified cat behavior consultant Beth Adelman. "If the cat does bite down on you, say 'ouch!'"

"Gently push (the finger the cat is biting) into the cat's mouth (without gagging the pet). Don't pull out, or it may become like a tug-of-war game," adds Johnson. "Meanwhile, try to distract your cat with a (another) game, or maybe some treat-foraging toys (which the cat must maneuver to extract the goodies), or anything substantial to chew on and really bite into, which can enhance serotonin (a positive neuro-transmitting chemical found in the brain) -- not just a laser light game. Continue to reward your cat with these alternative and appropriate objects or food to bit, instead of your fingers."

Johnson sells foraging toys she's created on her website: www.fundamentallyfeline.com. Dozens of other choices are available at pet stores and online.

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Q: My husband and I are retired, and home most of the time. We're planning a vacation for about a week, the longest we've been away. More often, we go on one- or two-day trips. While we're away, a friend will come in twice a day to feed our cat, scoop the litter box, and maybe stay to keep the cat company for half an hour.

Our cat is on a very specific schedule, and I wonder if that matters. Will our cat miss us? Do cats have any concept of time to understand that this time we've been gone longer than a day? Our friends think we're crazy worrying about our cat but he's very attached to us. -- C.K., Buffalo, NY

A: It sounds like you're just as attached to the cat, which isn't a bad thing.

"To the best of your friend's ability, adhering to your general schedule will help the cat adjust while you're away," says Atlanta-based certified cat behavior consultant Ingrid Johnson. "Leave on the TV for background. I suggest a hockey game; you're in Buffalo, you're a hockey fan and many cats like to follow the puck. If not, a radio station playing soft music is a good idea."

Johnson continues, "Leave out fun toys, but have your (pet-sitting) friend rotate some of the toys, so there are new ones added daily, as old ones are hidden for a few days. Even something as simple as an empty box can enrich a cat's life."

Another great stress-buster is Feliway; you plug in a diffuser that emits a calming pheromone. Spraying scents such as lavender, rosemary or honeysuckle also relaxes some anxious cats.

"Cats don't wear watches," adds Beth Adelman, a certified cat behavior consultant in New York City, "But they know the difference between (you) being gone for a few hours and several days, especially if the absence is unusual. The truth is, the cat hasn't seen your travel itinerary and may even wonder if you're coming back. So, hiding treats in food puzzles and rotating interesting toys to give your cat something else to think about."

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Q: I adopted an American Shorthair cat in Taiwan, my first cat ever. Recently, I purchased your cat behavior e-book "Good Cat!" (available via Amazon. from Chicago Tribune publishing, $2.99) and it opened up my eyes, but also gave me reason to worry.

My cat has a balding belly from licking his fur. In Taiwan, the humid climate can cause skin problems for pets, but now that I'm in the U.S., he's still losing hair on his inner thigh and belly. Every two to three weeks, he gets a shower with special shampoo and cream. I also wonder if he feels pain in the bald spots, because petting him there is "off limits." Because he gets so traumatized by veterinary visits, I hesitate to take him. Any advice? -- A.K., via cyberspace

A: Seeing a veterinarian is suggested, says veterinary behaviorist Dr. Sharon Crowell-Davis, a professor of behavior and anatomy at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens.

"If it's too much a struggle for you and the cat to get to a veterinarian, perhaps a veterinarian can come to you who makes house calls."

When pet owners suggest something, they're often correct. And if you believe pain is an issue, you might be on target. Then again, it's not unusual for cats to tell us that petting their bellies is not their favorite thing.

Crowell-Davis assumes that allergies, including flea allergies, have been ruled out.

She says that even if the cat's skin problem was addressed properly in Taiwan, he remains entrenched in the licking behavior.

"Definitely, that licking can be a psychogenic (behavior) issues," says Crowell-Davis, "But before going there, though, I'd ask for a referral to a veterinary dermatologist to rule out any ongoing or lingering skin disease. If that is ruled out, indeed do see a veterinary behaviorist."

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