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My cat has tried to bite my 1 year old grandson twice. She hisses and lunges for him when he comes within 2 feet of her. Several months ago Missy (cat) would go and hide when he was in the house even when Liam was still in an infant seat. Not Missy stays where ever she is as if to dare Liam to come close. He lives with a gentle dog and loves the animals. Both times Missy has tried to bite Liam, I was right next to him and was able to scoop him up. If not, Missy would have inflicted a nasty bite.

Submitted: 199 days and 10 hours ago.

Category: Cat

Value: $9

Status: AWAITING CUSTOMER ACTION

Posted by Reani 199 days and 10 hours ago.

Info Request

Hello There,

How old is Missy?
Has your grandson scared her or startled her in any way that you know of?
Is Missy spayed?
Does she go outdoors?

Standing by to help...
Reani

199 days and 10 hours ago.

Reply

Missy is 10 years old and spayed. She is an indoor cat and never goes outside. My grandson did not startle her. Missy was on the sofa as he toddled around the room. Missy watched him for a good 5 minutes as Liam walked all around the room. It was only when he got close to her that Missy lunged, hissed, and tried to bite him. Liam was so frightened that he sobbed and trembled.

Answer

Great,
Thanks for the info.
It sounds like for some reason Missy feels threatened by your grandson, and this is even more likely if she has never been around kids before. She is protecting herself in her eyes.

Short of closing her in a room when he is around, there are some things you can do to relieve her anxiety. There is a product that Petco sells called Good Cat which is a liquid herbal remedy that is added to her water. It is like a St. John's Wort for cats and I have seen it work wonders. You can also try a Feliway Diffuser which emits a calming pheromone scent that cats find soothing and can help with this problem as well. It can also be purchased at Petco.

Be sure to talk to her when your granson is around and pet her to help calm her and make her feel like there is no reason to be anxious. She will in time get used to his presence, once she realizes that he will not hurt her. I would encourage you to not allow him to approach her as hard as that may be, but it is best to let her check him out in her own time.

I hope this helps you, please let me know how it goes.

Warmest Wishes,
Reani

Accepts:
Expert:	Reani
Pos. Feedback:	99.8 %
Answered:	5/7/2009

Cat Care Expert

20+ years experience with Cat Care and behavior problems, 3 years Pet Rescue

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