Dude

Question
My fabulous tuxedo cat, Dude, who just turned three yesterday has been throwing up in the morning - a couple times a week. It does not look like hairballs.  I weighed him this morning and he weighs 18 pounds.  I think he is overeating and that's why he is throwing up so much lately.  We brush him and we give him tons of attention.  He is left alone during the day because we both work, but when we are home he's with us all the time.  He is a really cool cat and everyone loves him as he is extremely well-adjusted.  However, his one flaw is that he bites.  I know he is just playing but sometimes he will come over for no reason and bite us on the ankle area.  I think it's because he wants to be picked up.  What can we do to train him to not bite like this?  He stays with my 87-year old mother when we are out of town and he loves to go to grandma's house as we got him used to going there right after we adopted him at one-year old.  I don't like him biting my mother as she is old and her skin is thin and he breaks the skin.  Any advice you can give me will be most appreciated.  I have an appointment with the vet tomorrow so will also be checking with her to find out about the throwing up problem.  We feed him Science Diet Indoor dry food (he has that 24/7) and he gets 1/2 can of Fancy Feast in the morning and 1/2 can in the evening and Temptation treats.  He is a very well-loved cat and he is a big lover.  Let me know if you want to see his picture as he is one handsome DUDE!

Answer
Hi
let me ask you a question. when he bites what do you do? I bet you yelp and speak or shout at him and then possibly pick him up or stroke him etc. Guess what he now associates the biting with getting good or positive reaction. the only way to try and teach a cat that this kind of behavior is not on is to give him a negative reaction. Unfortunately in the cat world a negative reaction is not a telling off etc it is no reaction ie silence and being ignored. So when he bites try to make no sound, don't look at him but quickly walk away from him out of the room. The more often he gets this reaction the better and hopefully over time he will realize that this reaction does not get him what he wants.
Also only give him positive reactions like talking to him, picking up etc when he is good. this will reinforce the good/bad reactions and he should learn that by not biting he gets what he likes.

best wishes
Kate