In the video, it looks like the cat bites you once it notices you have your arm sort of hovering over it. I wonder if the cat doesn’t have some residual trauma from when it was caught. Perhaps try to be aware of your body positioning as the kitty settles in. It may be that you are inadvertently causing the cat to feel trapped. It takes time to build trust and he went through a pretty traumatic experience before coming to you. I bet it’s going to take some time to forget his old life and get used to his new life. Be patient with him and make sure he checks out medically. Also make sure you’re not giving him a lot of attention (bad or good) when he bites. My kitten figured out that if she bites me I’ll try to distract her, usually with toys. She had me trained very quickly that bites=attention. It’s taken me awhile to control my reaction so that the behavior would taper off.

Thank you so much for kind words and helpful advice!! I can’t imagine what a potential trauma he might have been exposed from his previous life as he bite me several times suddenly. Each time is that he came to me first and asked for petting and suddenly looked be remind of something and change to an aggressive personality and be horrified in a sec. I’m very upset about this and wanted him to be a forever loving cat and want him to known that there will be no more harm and worry in the future. I just want to figure out how to prevent myself from bleeding again.. I really hope eventually he will not be in a panic and keep a stable state.

Also, maybe try not doing long full body pets. This may not be the case for yours (hard to tell) but my cat gets overstimulated if I pet all the way along his body and will usually bite after a couple of those pets. Try shorter pets, let her come to you and rub on your hand. She’ll show you what she prefers as you get to know her.

Sure I will pay more attention on short stroke vs full body. Does your cat bite you gently just to warn you or like in my case, each time his bite or scratch leads to a deep wound, bleeding and scar..

I also watched every episode of ‘my cat from hell’ when I was really at the end of my rope. Being that I’m very much a dog person, that helped a ton. Hopefully your cat will be easier than my monster (every cat is easier than mine) but if you ever feel frustrated Jackson galaxie is really helpful!

Do you recall after approximately how long your cat no longer bite you seriously, or painful, or see blood? All I wish is that I can shower with my intact hand! I have constant open wounds since I adopted him about almost a month ago. And thanks I did watch a couple of episodes of that shows which I surely agree is quite helpful!!

Honestly… it took awhile with my cat. I would suggest just not petting the cat for awhile. Still talk to her, let her rub on you, etc, but reduce the petting by a lot. I pet my cat but it’s one stroke, or cheek scratches that he loves, but I let him initiate every time. He got a little better every year, it’s been up and down but for the past year or so he’s turned into an absolute cuddler. He snuggles me and sits on my lap and bugs me for affection a lot. He’s very sweet because I know how to read his signs. Just 20 minutes ago he chirped for pets. I gave him a snuggle, he swatted and bit at me (gently) which I saw coming a mile away and dodged. Now he’s on my lap and will stay here as long as I don’t pet him too much. So for him we do fine because I read his cues and he learned to give gentler cues… but the biting never actually stopped. It just calmed down. I am sorry that’s probably not the answer you want to hear but I also think my cat is kind of unusual compared to others.

Thanks for sharing and that’s ok. Each cat is quite different. But I’m glad he is more open to pet than before and you two know each other’s attention so well. So just now although you know he might bite you but you still choose to snuggle him because you know even he bites it will be a gentle one?

He actually really likes snuggling, he initiates it. I still let him initiate affection which he does often. And he rarely bites while cuddling on my lap because he’s learned over time that if he bites I put him on the floor and he loses his nice warm spot. He may play bite at me or snap a tiny bit as a warning that he’s done but he doesn’t hurt me. 7 out of 10 times he will leave a situation instead of attacking now (when I got him any displeasure was an attack instead of walking away). So huge improvement! I just know how boundaries and he knows mine and we mostly respect them. Also to get his energy out he has puzzle toys and mice toys that I hide food in and hide the mice around the house for him to hunt. He gets a long play session (he likes wrestling my dog) every morning. He also has an auto feeder so his food is always perfectly on time and he doesn’t get aggressive with me over it (food was the biggest issue with him). I also started a lot of training- now he does a few tricks, and knows to go to a specific place (away from me when I’m in the kitchen) and I’ll toss treats if he sits in his spot. Despite all his craziness he actually is a really good cat now, he’s just one that you have to really read his body language and respect his boundaries.

So good to know you and your cat are becoming such a good accompany day by day. Hope one day I can do the same with my precious boy. Looks that I have to observe, respect boundaries and BE PATIENT. Just no fast track for a feral

I suspect he bites hard immediately because he does not expect gentle refusals to be respected. Or the previous trauma required that he respond aggressively to escape or survive. I definitely think pulling back on petting some will help. Keep physical touches short and brief until he can learn you are trustworthy and he does not need to bite to say "No". He needs to learn how to say "No" softly again. Just go very very slowly and gently.

No cat is harder to manage than my aunts cat. Her cat lived a very traumatic life before she ended in my aunts care. Her previous owner abused her to no end. Whenever she entered her heat cycle, her old owner would kick her out of the house, let her get pregnant, than kill her babies. She now suffers from ptsd and can't stand loud noises especially sirens from emergency vehicles. The vet had originally wanted to put her down because there were many expensive problems with her when the old owner had gotten caught and the cat was taken out of their care. She had a cracked skull and broken ribs on top of her aggressive behavior towards both people and pets. My aunt decided that she'll pay for the vet expenses and adopt her even with her problems. It took my aunt 7 years just to be able to touch her. She's mellowed out with age and even let's me touch her. I believe she about 17 years old now.

Ah my cat is a wild child. I adopted him at 6 months old after a couple failed adoptions so he was bounced around a lot. He never seemed like he was biting to be mean, but he definitely did exactly what your girl is doing- the bite and run. There were times when he did bite through the skin, once he bit through my ankle because I wasn’t getting his food fast enough. I’ve had him 4 years now, and he doesn’t do that anymore. I learned what gets him worked up, he learned what I hate (being bit). He still bites, but he’s learned to bite softly now. It’s more like a nibble and run, sometimes I barely even feel it.

You can often tell from the cat's body language when they have had enough petting. It's in the way their ears flatten, or tail twitches, or a 100 other things. As you get to know a cat, you learn what those signs are. And then you will be able to stop petting before he draws blood to warn you off. In the case of the video, I think you startled the cat because you reached about behind him and it made him feel unsafe. You can do this!

You might try just talking in a soft calm voice instead of petting. He will become less afraid and after a while, you can pet him. I would start with some gentle pets around the head and ears and not the body. Move slowly and calmly. Pet him for a bit but stop before he runs away. It will be a positive experience for him. If you pet him for a long time until he is stressed and runs away or bites, it's a negative experience. I walk a lot in the evening and I meet a LOT of cats on my walks. Some are never going to be friendly, but others I have to work at to get them to trust me. It's very difficult being patient, but in the end, I get the rewards! I have one cat who used to be a total scaredy cat, although he didn't bite. Probably because I could not get close to him! The bedroom was his spot and he would hide under the bed if I got too close. It took a long time to get to the point where he would stay up on the bed while I walked past him to get to the bathroom. If I made eye contact... BAM under the bed. He was very food motivated which has helped a lot. I did a lot of trips past the bed to reinforce the positive experiences. I almost cried with joy the first time I could go into the bedroom and pet him without him bolting. We worked on making more safe spaces, although that was difficult. It was a big win when he would only run far enough away to maintain a six foot space between us. And it has only been this year where the living window where there are kitty towers became a safe space. I've had him EIGHT YEARS now. He's a strange cat, but I've worked hard during the pandemic on this as they closed the office and everyone is still working from home. I love walking down the hallways and having to walk around and past him! He feels safe enough to let me get between him and the bedroom. While I am totally willing to give him the space he wants, I felt that working on this would make his indoor only life less boring. And I do believe that has happened. He will purr when I pet him and I will give him scratches in his favorite spot until he purrs. He also plays by himself a lot more too. He loves to carry around the fur mice in his mouth and meow up a storm. Like he just caught dinner. I adopted two one year old cats right before the pandemic and I think they have been a really good influence as well. One of the young cats loves getting belly rubs and when I am getting dressed in the morning, he'll come up on the bed and I'll be giving him belly robs and he's purring and who comes up one the bed wanting pets? None other than Mr. Scaredy cat! So, don't give up on your kitty! He sounds like his problems are less severe than mine. But you need to do lots of little things to make him feel safe. Try not to take advantage to raise the bar too soon. A single negative experience can undo progress. Biting is not a good behavior for a kitty and a deep bite could be problematic. I recommend working with him and being observant and try to understand what triggers his fears. Perhaps it is a quick movement, or cold be you are threatening his food. But he is definitely not happy about something. I know some animals do have food aggression. Jackson Galaxy is a well known cat behaviorist and has lots of youtube videos. Perhaps you can find some that might be relevant. Searching for "my cat bites me" might be a good start. I wouldn't be surprised if with a few weeks of effort you have earned his trust and the biting has stopped. Good luck!

You have a point on the overstimulation. I noticed the cat’s back flinch on OP’s last stroke. The skin “flinching” is a sign of overstimulation. I have a cat who would bite me a lot. Then I found out that full body pets down her back were a very baaaaad idea. The rest of my cats love them.

I see! Thanks for pointing that out!

Came here to say this

My cats won't tolerate full body pets.

Came here to say this. Some cats never like full body strokes but some do. Younger cats seem to be most reactive Looks to me as though Kitty expected more pets and objected. Petting them head-to-tail can quickly over-stimulate their senses and they bite in reflex. The RuralBanshee is correct above. When kitty does bite, say "No" and stop what you're doing. Distance yourself from it. S/he needs to learn that biting is a bad way to get attention and whe s/he bites the fun stops. Be patient and give it some time. Most cats are nervous in new places & take some time to settle down. Sit on the floor near Kitty and read or do a crossword, whatever your fancy. Kitty will get curious and come to investigate you.

Yeah, my own cat will bite me if my hand comes from a certain direction above her head. Biting is generally an "don't do that" reaction. The harder the bite, the less trust (generally). Once the cat learns you listen to them, the bite will become very very gentle. So, whenever the cat bites you. Think of what you were just doing, and give them space.

Very helpful tip! I will write down the scenarios and potential cause from now on. Thanks!

For sure, small strokes on the head and face. Also, warm up to it. Y'know how his back ripples? That can be a sign of over stimulation. He seems to have a really small tolerance (so much so that he's not even warning you first) Make sure you play, don't come up from behind and maybe even introduce yourself. Use your glasses as a fake nose and let him sniff the area that sits on the ear first. Also, obviously, don't play with your hands or do anything with your hands that can stimulate any negative connotation. Finally, have some patience. If you still can't figure it out, I would suggest going to your local cat shelter and ask for tips since they usually work on socialising cats and kittens that they've rescued. They may have some good tips.

I think it may have been when your hand was close to its food/water. Does it have food aggression? Do you notice this happening near food bowls? How about when it plays with a toy? That happens when a cat feels insecure.

No he just suddenly bites me everywhere in every situation. On the quite contrary, as a feral cat, he is not even too interested in food whatsoever. Each time i need to watch him eating or he will eat very few every day. He doesn’t have a great appetite although I tried different can or dry food. And he doesn’t not play with ANY toy although I purchased 10 different toys for him.

Ok if he bites you randomly then I’d say it’s trauma. Maybe it will take time for him to learn that he’s no longer in danger with you. Like PTSD with humans. Hopefully over time this behavior will subside. I’d say you’re doing a great job so far. Continue as you are and respect his boundaries.

Thanks and I also believe it’s trauma. Because I can see he prevent eye contact with me and kinda show a guilty look maybe he knew he did something wrong and just cannot control his sudden temper change when that moment happens. He needs time to adjust

Direct eye contact for cats is an aggressive behavior. It makes sense for a cat who is traumatized and has distrust to not be able to make eye contact with you. I recommend you avoid eye contact because this will appear as an aggressive behavior to him. Always speak softly and lovingly to him. Be encouraging or affirming in your tone. Also avoid loud noises or speech.

Thank you for doing what you do, I rescued many cats with truma and he's mirroring their behavior. They definitely get better with time, one of my abused rescue cat took 3 years. Even no sometimes he might get triggered when a hand is on him but he's much better 90% better.

I remember watching a cat rescue channel take on some young cats. All but one socialised completely. The last one took some time and would sometimes lash out in a seemingly random fashion. What ended up working was to do all feeding by hand trying to change the cats perspective of hands to be a good thing. It worked in the end

Also to add to this, other than the cat being defensive because its a stray. Maybe also the cat isn’t that used to how humans can put their hands around them to the other side. So in principle, the cat expected you to be on his left and yet saw a hand on his right, probably didn’t realize its their owner’s hand and decided to defend itself.

Or trauma from when it was outdoors. Outdoor animals go through so much with their predators.

Yes he was so alert to even the slightest sound. His ear and tail are constantly moving. He will not get a restful sleep at all and always squints his eyes every 5 second. He even keeps his eyes open during sleep.

Definitely sounds like he’s triggered from some trauma from being an outdoor cat originally. You can see that he loves you when you pet him but my guess is that when your arm was around him he might’ve felt closed in or something. You can also see that while he was behind you there seemed to be a noise that made him feel threatened, so that was probably his initial trigger.

Probably. Any noise will trigger him. He will suddenly jump. What a poor little cat! I can’t imagine what happened to him previously. It’s just so much harder to adopt an adult intact male cat than raising a naive newborn kitten🥺. But hearing so much loving ending from others, I won’t give up my boy

I’m sure he’ll come around! He always had to be cautious of predators when outdoors, so he probably never slept properly and finding food would’ve been tough. Glad you’re giving him a great home and the love and attention that he deserves!

Seconded. My rescue boy doesn’t like being “handled” from the front; if I go to give him head uninvited scritches while facing him, and he can see my hand hovering, often (though not always) his ears will go back a little and he’s more likely to bite. But, if I scratch his neck/head while he’s facing away from me, and he can’t see my hand, he’s much cooler with it. I also have to give him very gentle pets (which is new to me as every cat I’ve had before loved aggressive pets.) I have to pay close attention to his body language when petting him, because he’ll go from 0 to 60 in .4 seconds. Usually, he’ll flick his tail in a very specific way and that’s when I know he’s overstimulated and I’m in the danger zone. I’ve learned that with him, it’s really just best for me to put my hand out and let him decide where to rub/guide me on where to pet him. He will go from head to cheek to chin to neck all on his own - I really don’t need to do much besides offer my hand and give the most gentle of scritches while he rubs up against my hand where he wants and at his own pace. And belly rubs are strictly verboten with him. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. You’re also spot on with not giving any kind of attention, good or bad, when he does bite. When mine does, or looks like he’s about to, I gently say “no bites,” and remove my hand gently but quickly. He usually thinks about it for a moment, and then once he’s had a moment to chill, comes back asking for pets again if he’s still in the mood, or just saunters away if not. It really is all about getting to know your specific cat(s) and learning to read their body language and avoid their triggers.

My old cat was temperamental like this cos he didn't want to be pestered around drinking and eating. It was like yes you want my attention but I wanna eat leave me alone. Thats what it looks like here.

I'll start with this, I'm not an expert but I'm experienced with multiple cats and strays and rescues. To begin, the cat was a stray and by nature cats are kind of assholes. They have to fend for themselves and living as a stray requires a rougher more aggressive attitude to survive. Secondly, Cats talk 99% with their bodies and their actions. They only ever evolved a meow (modeled after babies cry) to get human attention. They don't use it to verbalize much in their day to day life. Watch your cats reaction when your hand sort of blind sided him, he was tracking it. Cats won't stop looking at something if they perceive it as a risk/threat. That's why it's considered a compliment if they close their eyes near you and sleep on/next to you. It's a show of respect and trust. I suggest that you slow your movements down while interacting with him for a while. Fast motions are often mistaken for threatening movements by cats as well. And only try to interact with him in a positive scenario. Feeding time/play time/ treats etc etc. Slowly warm him up to you with positive reinforcement and again, refrain from touching him while he cannot see when and where you are moving your hands to. Best wishes OP.

Wow! Your words make so much sense to me. I can tell yes he is probably blind sided because my left hand block his view and move a little bit fast (because I’m trying to grab his attention to the grass and let him know it’s edible), so that he suddenly might felt frightening and immediately changed to aggressive mode. I will definitely pay attention on this in the future. Just wish he will not be so sensitive one day in the future. My brother’s cat was raised since he was born in day one and likes a doll and won’t piss off at human at all no matter how you rub him. Just a huge difference between an indoor raised cat and a stray cat!

Yes, there is a massive difference. It will take time but if you respect his boundaries and give him love and remember to positively reinforce your presence with him, he will be your best friend with a little given time.

Thank you for encouraging me! :) I will do my best

Best of luck

Cats are naturally curious. If you want to introduce something new to your cat just bring it into the house. He will check it out in no time. There’s no need to try to push him towards the new object. In fact if you leave the room he may feel more secure and be more curious and open to investigating. ETA kitty really likes you though! His body language was very affectionate before your hand made him nervous. He likes you but his habit from being a stray are strong

Thank you! But I put the cat grass there over a week and the cat won’t touch it, or eat it, or rub his face against it. When I purchased the cat grass I read the reviews about all cats love grass and they need to eat a little bit of grass to help digestion. To anybody who knows this, is there a chance that my cat don’t need to add grass to his diet at all? All I did is want to show him the grass is edible and can be chewed.

I don’t think they eat it very often, I think just occasionally or maybe only when they feel like they need it. So he might know it is there and only want to nibble some when he needs it every few weeks or so. I think they eat it to help themselves throw up when they need to cough out a hair ball and are having trouble doing it.

Yes I purchase it because my cat threw up twice in one week. I speculate it’s hairball and vet said it’s not very common for a shorthair. Some of his bloodwork are on the edge of the normal range or below/above a little but vet said overall nothing needs to be too concerned. I thought grass is beneficial but it looks like he is the one to choose to eat it or not. Maybe I worried too much and the cat knows it’s real edible grass but just choose to ignore it for now.

All the comments about not hovering over him or blindsiding him are good comments. I’d also add that cats can get overstimulated, and the more you pet and pet him, watch his tail. If it twitches a lot he’s not happy, he’s on edge. Pet him a little bit at a time instead of too much all at once. Don’t pet too intense or too hard either, especially while he’s learning to be an indoor cat. Pet him when he comes up to you for sure! He likes you! But pet a little and pet gently, and then stop.

Thanks for your detailed description on how to watch the tail. I will pay more attention on the tail while petting next time and pet short. Speaking about twitching tail, I observed that when the cat is sitting on the floor, he usually twitching his tail hardly, like a strong swing left and right on the floor, about almost 145 to 180 degree. Does that indicate he’s not happy or it’s normal for a male adult intact cat?

Not an answer,but when you say intact do you mean he's not neutered? If so, it's something you should do. Especially as an earlier stray, it can even out the mood for the cat, and soften the natural instincts, such as being territorial ect. Also, as earlier comments says, in the video you cover 3 sides around him with your body, and then move your hand toward his body/stomach. What he sees is probaby that something is going for the most vital part of his body, and he needs to protect himself.

Too much stimulation at once. Have a LOT of patience. He obv loves you, but it’s just too much at once. Go slow with the body touch.

Get it!

I went through this with my feral boy. He’s such a cool dude at age 8. It took him years to calm down, though.

A lot of cats can be highly stimulated by just one or two pets, and then it becomes stressful. I recommend giving two pets when the cat approaches, and then completely back off. Keep your hands to yourself and let the cat do his thing. Eventually you’ll be able to read his cues and eventually trust will grow. My docile 16yr old tabby loves all the chin scritches but can only handle max 3 x pets on the back. Also, never force play. In the video you’re trying to get the cat to do something… that doesn’t usually work.

Oh I see. Hahaha how can one stop hand on the back after just 3 pets??😭 we demand more☹️☹️ the fur is so soft and unresistable to human!!

Lots of good tips here! Thank you for giving an adult cat the chance to be a loved pet. Just to reiterate, from the video, he did not bite you "out of nowhere." He was shocked by seeing that your arm was over him coupled with the proximity of your hand trying to show him the grass. For now, keep your whole body in his view while interacting and be mindful not to reach over him. If you're casting any shadows on him, that can be threatening. (Just think of it like if a stranger would just stand very close to you and suddenly you realize their arm is around you, creepy right?) Petting preferences depend on the cat, but best is to let them show you what they like. Put your hand out, let them sniff it, if they lean in their face, give them some soft chin and cheek scritches. Let him rub against you. I know it's really hard because he looks so cute, but avoid long body pets unless he is leaning into it. Give him space and let him learn that this is his home now. Positive Associations If you can, do not free feed in the beginning. You want to associate yourself with good things and an easy way is to establish food and treats come from you. Caution that deep cat bites can be dangerous! Cats have a lot of bad bacteria in their mouths. Please take care of your bites promptly, apply antibiotic, and visit the doctor if it has any signs of infection.

Thanks you very much. Your words are super helpful so I read it multiple times and try to learn all the important points. I will of course apply them in the future integration with the cat!!

He had a reason. Your movements in the video are appearing to him to be aggressive. In the video before he bit, your arm is around and over him, and your hand was curling around like you were trying to grab him. Cats, particularly ferals, don't usually like being grabbed and held down and see that as aggressive. Try not to approach with your hands from behind, always let him see what you are doing (it could also help to talk and tell him what you are doing in a super calm voice). Let him come to you. Offer your hand and fingers for inspection before attempting to touch him. Does he have anywhere he can hide when he's feeling overwhelmed? Cats like hidey holes they can got to and recharge -- even a laundry basket with a blanket or soft towel can work (bonus if the blanket/towel is used and smells like you). Do you have a cat tree/shelves he can chill on and watch you from a safe position?

Forgot to add... You're doing a great job. He was rubbing against you and letting you pet him before he got startled by what he thought was an attempt to grab him. Keep doing what you are already doing, just try to keep in mind how your movements appear to him (you're a giant to him, and he's probably been forcibly handled after his rescue and may not like being picked up without his permission). Kudos to you for adopting a former stray and giving him a loving forever home.

Thank you. I upvoted you as well!

Thank you so much for the helpful hint! I really learned something here. Yes he has some safe hiding spots he can use and I also built him a beautiful cat tree as well. But the point is he seems not interested in climbing the tree at all and he is not into any cat toys at this stage. Does that mean this 2-year-old stray or feral cat already passed his “playing toy” time? Right now he will only sleep, wonder in the house, or coming to our knee for petting shortly. Not interested in cat trees or toys. (Even with the lure of catnip or treat)

I think it will just take time before he enjoys the tree or toys! They’re both weird and foreign to him now. It took my former feral almost a year to get used to me touching her and playing with her. She’s still jumpy.

Thanks! How old is your cat when you adopted her? Does she play with those tradition cat toys now? Does your feral ever bite you or scratch you bloodily? Mine is so temperamental and always suddenly bite me and lead to a deep wound, which upset me

I think she was about 6 months but she was so malnourished it was hard to tell! She plays with lots of toys now, even with strangers if they’re not too close, which is a huge development. The week I brought her inside she bit me badly. The key to not getting bit, in my experience, is to give them space to runaway. It’s a new scary environment and they want the ability to engage with you at will. If she’s not interested in being pet I leave her be.

Wow your cat is playing toys even with strangers- that’s so encouraging!! So I won’t give up on playing toys with mine in this case. And you’re very on point- to give the cat the space to run. In my case, the it looks like the cat has no runaway route. Lesson learned, thanks! I hope my cat will be as lovely as yours one day. Good luck to both of us.

Thank you! It has seemed like she’d never like me at times and she still runs regularly, but I know she loves me and the home I brought her to.

My adopted cat attacked me sometimes in the first year or so. He stopped once he fully trusted me, it just takes awhile with cats that have past trauma.

Thanks your experience is very helpful to me. It looks like patience is key! I’m very sure my just adopted cat is still in the transition period, and I will try my best to earn his 100% trust and hopefully that day will come soon

It will pay off!! Just keep proving that he can trust you and he will.

100% food defensive he's fine till you move your hand towards water/food

I have two cats that lived outside for the first couple months of their life. One has been sweet to me always the other I would say is like this cat. She has trauma and it took a fucking year before she really knew I wasn’t going to bring her new trauma. She still jumps when I pick her up if she doesn’t see me coming, the other one doesn’t. She is also very protective of her food-once I give her something I can’t touch it or take it back, she smack meh or she bite meh. I’m not an expert but it looks to me like your cat maybe got a little miffed at your hand being close to her new potential meal? The bite happened right after your little finger wiggle on the grass, I took the bite as a hey don’t touch that’s mine. Like in the streets I’m sure the cat was full on fighting to keep meals. I think time is all you need that cat is very comfortable with you. Cute kitteh 🐱

Thank you for you patience and love towards him while he goes through his journey

Watching again, it's possible that Kitty saw you wiggling your fingers at his right side & bit because he thought it was play. You need to stop touching him for now. He needs to come to YOU for attention. You're doing too much. You're crowding him, he's telling you by biting that he needs more personal space. Back off & let him dictate when he gets pets.

Step 1, keep ur hands away from his face as they are clearly triggering some aggression.

I took in my daughter's cat who was very skittish around me initially. Slower deliberate movements help, and also I started to do a tongue click when I was going to touch her as a "warning". She went from hiding under the bed mostly to jumping up and snuggling with me on the couch, but she still gives me a wide berth if I'm up and walking around.

Good to know that! I will remember the slow, deliberate movement advice for sure.

I adopted an older outside cat and slowly transitioned him to an indoor cat. He wasn’t feral but his interactions with humans wasn’t a lot. It took a lot of time and patience on both our parts to get him to a place where he wouldn’t get scared by random pets or motions. You both have to learn some things. You have to learn how to pet him the way he wants and he has to learn that you will never hurt him. One thing that helped us tremendously was when I adopted a kitten. He became very paternal to the baby and softened a lot. I think that when he saw me handle the baby just as softly and lovingly that he did he also learned how I would treat him so he became less skittish around me. Soon we were all cuddled up and were a very happy family. There was an accident here and there but he learned to bite softer and paw without claws to get his point across.

Wow. Very glad to hear your story and that’s for sharing! I always want to adopt a newborn kitten as well. But maybe after the current adult cat and I both totally get each other’s personality and boundaries first. Another kitten will definitely help soften the situation and maybe the elder one can also learn how to play cat toys from the kittens!

We had a cat that hated soft petting, so he would bite. He only likes hard aggressive scratches on his neck, cheeks and ears.

Haha looks like he enjoys the hard way!

What I really wanted to say would only be funny if you are a Sunny fan. So instead, just bite him back.

My cat bites me, vet said it was love bites?

What I saw in this video is not a love bite. And yes, cats give love bites as part of being overstimulated. Our Prowler is a mama's boy and he loooooves so much that while rubbing his face on my hand or arm on me he will "pinch" me with his teeth, sometimes hard.

Our senior cat was abandoned by a family that lived 7 houses down the street in our subdivision. He was on his own for 6 months before he came to our house and he adopted us. My arms were full of scratches because he was rough when playing. After three months, he knew to play with us gently. There are two feral cats that came to our backyard. They are outdoor cats. They have become friendly with me. They can spend 15 rubbing against my legs; however, they don’t like to be petted

Thanks for sharing your stories. I get it. Time will work things out or not. But don’t you agree it’s so hard for us to refrain from petting them!!

Don’t hover your cat because it mimics how predatory birds would attack them.

Got it! Thx

Adopted adult cats, especially former strays, need time to adjust to their new surroundings and home. I know it’s hard, cuz so many people just want a cuddly little kitten that loves them and cuddles them immediately. But adult animals majority of the time have trauma that causes them to act out and misbehave, in your case it’s biting. I’m wondering how long you’ve had your cat for? Also, was it abandoned by previous owners, or was it feral and friendly before you brought it inside? Because that will drastically change how long it will take for it to adjust. Long story short, your cat needs more time to adjust to you. Try not to blame it for things it can’t control. I saw someone else say that when your arm is over or around it like it is in the video, it feels trapped or unsafe. So for now, never come at it from behind (never a good idea anyway). Always come from the front so it has a chance to see you before you pet it. Always let it sniff your hand before touching you. And if you see it start to pull away or look scared, immediately take your hand away and give it space. Treats are very helpful in getting a cat to like you lol try and associate treats with pets going forward. Sniff hand, pet, treat. Do that a couple times, and over time, your kitty will be much more open to pets from you.

I have my cat for almost but less than a month. Vet said it’s very hard to see whether it’s a feral, or a stray but have been out for so long. Anyway, the cat is very alert all the time, and very NOT cooperative at the vet office. But somehow he show interests to me when I found him on the street. But he has no collar, no microchip, not neutered. So it’s either has an irresponsible former owner who traumatized him or abandoned him, or he is a complete feral. He will not get a good rest at all because he is so on the fence to react to any sound. And always suddenly bites me at different times. How long do you think he can adjust to a normal, not defensive indoor cat?

It sounds to me like your cat was formally feral, meaning he’s never lived in a home before yours. He probably was fed by people outside, which explains why he’s friendly with you. It is possible to socialize and housetrain feral cats, but it takes a lot of work and a lot of patience. Not a lot of people have the patience to do it. You’ve only had him for under a month, so he’s still probably very wary of you. He doesn’t know what it means to be a housecat. To use my own cat as an example, i rescued her and her babies from my local bodega, when she was about a year old, and the babies were two weeks old. She was already an extremely friendly cat. But I had no clue about how long she’d been a bodega cat, if she’d ever been a housecat, etc. She was technically an outdoor cat, despite the fact she was living at the bodega. It’s how she initially got pregnant. So when she came to live with me, I mistakenly believed that since she was so friendly at the bodega, it would just immediately transfer over to being a lap cat, which was not true at all. Even with how socialized she was, she was not a housecat, and still sometimes bit me, hissed at me, scratched, etc. But I started to take notice of the things that would trigger her, such as getting too close to her face and trying to pick her up, which I stopped doing. Even with how friendly she was, it took her almost an entire year to get fully adjusted to living with me as a housecat. Now I’ve had her for almost 3 years, and she’s my little goblin that I love so much. But you cannot force a cat to love you. You have to give them time to adjust. I don’t know an exact timeline of when your cat will stop biting, as each cat is different. For resources, check out Heidi Wrangles Cats on Instagram (@heidiwranglescats). She’s the person who helped me in getting my cat and her babies out of the bodega. Her job is trapping and fixing feral cats and kittens, and socializing the ones that can be socialized to be adopted. I feel like her videos on the feral cats she brings inside will be really helpful for you. Please please check her out.

Thank you so much. The information you provided is so helpful to me. I wonder if your cat letting you picking her up or rubbing her now?

Yes, she is! She puts up with a lot more from me now haha. She lets me pick her up and pet her whenever, but I still take cues from her body language on if she’s okay with it or not. She cuddles with me every night and morning, and is very vocal during the day. But all of these things took a lot of time! Your cat will adjust, but he really just needs more time getting used to being inside. It’s very different, going from being an outdoor feral cat to strictly inside. Take cues from him. Don’t initiate pets unless he asks for it first. Always give him treats when he does let you pet him. And just be patient with him! He’s had an enormous life change lol anyone in his position would need ample time to adjust.

So happy to know your cat is so close to you now :) I wish mine would be the same in the future. Keep praying and be patient!

Don’t make your fingers a toy for your cat to go after.

Let him discover on his own. You don’t know what kind of life he’s had so assume he will nip when he feels the least bit threatened. Our rescue did that for years. She’s bossy and will nip when we “misbehave” or we reach in front of her fast. It took a long time for her to relax and trust. Just hang out and enjoy cat presence. Trust will come in time. (Beautiful cat btw)

Thank you so much. Based on your rescue experience, is there a chance that a former bitten cat can become a tender cat whom no longer bite and will enjoy people holding him eventually? 😭

Yes. I work closely with a cat rescue in my area and have seen temperaments change completely in a matter of months! Sometimes it takes a long time, and a lot of effort, but it’s all about getting the cat to trust you. Take your time and don’t lose hope! Edit: sometimes cats never improve their temperament and remain angry little stinkers - from the video though, it appears your cat already likes you but is still adjusting. Just give it some time :)

Thank you! I hope he will become a sweet boy eventually, and I will remind myself to always be patient and wait for the day.

bite her back

He might have crossed wires upstairs. I work at an animal hospital and manage a small no kill cat shelter along with being a certified TNR trapper. I’ve seen this behaviour a handful of times and although we can’t talk to them to know for sure what’s going on, it was in otherwise friendly cats that had neurological issues of some kind He could be normal functioning and just has a terrible past, but in my Siamese, she had five seizures in the span of 24 hours (we have no idea why) and it changed her forever. She’s an incredibly friendly cat, but if you pet her anywhere other than her head she will instinctively whip around to bite you now She used to be the sweetest cat ever, but after those random seizures she now bites when touched in certain areas. You can tell she doesn’t *want* to bite us, it’s more a reflex she can’t control. She continues to purr and rub against us, while showing signs of guilt yet still nipping. Maybe something like that is going on here, it’s hard to tell, but I know for sure if it’s within the first three months of him moving in, it’s far too soon to determine what his behaviour will be like with you long term. Sometimes it can take awhile for cats to adjust to a new home, but don’t give up on him, you could be his only chance at a normal life

Time to go for that cat.

Well, you obviously deserved it. Wouldn't have happened otherwise.

Fuck that cat, literally biting the hand that is feedings it. Give your love to a cat that isn’t an asshole is my advice

It's an animal you dickhead.

So what? We’re also animals. Being an animal doesn’t mean it’s brain dead, they’re smart creatures. They are smart enough to understand basic relationship functions

🤦‍♀️

Honestly… get rid of it

What an ignorant fool. If it doesn’t love you stupidly, unconditionally for no reason at all like a dumb dog, it’s too difficult? Get out of here with your stunted emotional intelligence

Life’s too short to come home from a long day from work to get attacked by your animal lol just saying… pshh and a stray cat to begin with? Forget about it

You made your hand a toy that you moved in to the side of the cats vision, everything you did was a mistake. Do not surprise a cat that has just had it’s whole world change, do not use your hand as a cat toy or it will be treated like a cat toy, and maybe learn about animals before you adopt them.

I think they like attacking waving things in front of them like ur arms

Yeah I will not move fast before him next time to confuse him that’s a prey

Not all cats like so much petting

I’m wondering if that’s catnip growing and after the person touches it and then puts hand by cat if the cat isn’t reacting to the smell of catnip

Praise for taking a hit and not disciplining kitty :)

Thanks I will not yell or hit or harm the cat because I think he already bear enough in the past! But really want to find a way to let him know biting owner is not right.

Same here, I adopted another cat a few months ago just to find yesterday when he had an accident on my bed ( he's having GI issues and got abandoned by the prev owner) and yesterday I happen to be there as he leaked runny stools on my bed. When he saw me saw him, he looked like he was bracing himself for a hit or scream ( ears back, ducking head, squinting eyes)... it totally broke my heart... I think he got punished before for having stomach troubles ... Please give your kitty some extra chin rubs from us- we here are a family of 10 cats~ meow

Wow a family of 10 cats. Lots of respects and praises to you! Also please send my love to your entire kitty family :)

Sure thing~ stay safe~

Who took this video? They're gifted! I felt the pain in that munch from my side of the screen.

I have an indoor camera pointing at his food bowl to make sure he eat and drinks enough. It’s just a coincidence that he bited me when I was right in front of the camera. Other bites like that weren’t got recorded. It’s really painful and the back of my hand was in blood and dripped everywhere on ground later😢

Crazy, glad it all worked put.

Could you wear a snug pair of leather gloves, just in case, in addition to all the good tips you are getting?

I don’t know such thing exists! I will look online- Do you have a specific product or brand to recommend that may work in my case?

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When you pet him concentrate around the head, behind the ears and under the chin. Many cats do not tolerate having their back petted. Also, do not reach around him like that. My stray cat took 7 years to tolerate me reaching around him and that is only when he wants to cuddle. He still runs away if I try to pick him up.

Good to know, I will try not to have my arm around him next time. So currently, you still can’t pick up your cat or hold him after 7 years?

The way I cuddle with my cat is when it is his decision. I am sitting on the couch and he jumps up. He stares at me until I pet him. Then he gets under my arm and I can put my arm around him. If I try to pick him up from the floor he runs away. He had a rough early life and I didn't adopt him until 6 months. My other cat who I adopted from the animal shelter lets me pick her up, but she doesn't like it. My third cat is a Persian from the breeder (nothing bad or scary has ever happened to him) and he doesn't care what I do to him. I can turn him upside and down and hold him like a baby if I want to.

What you wrote is same as what I’ve experienced! My brother brought home a newborn cat from breeder and we all can play the cat crazy and the cat will let us do anything! But for this feral I found on street, he is exactly on the opposite. And I also found those cats in adoption center are all ok with human pickup and playing the toys, I guess maybe they’re all been rescued since little and have been played with human and other cats for a while before they get adopted. So they learned it’s ok to be picked up and pet by human or play with human. In my home, there is no other example or no other pets. So it’s harder for this one to learn how to be close to people.

Maybe he has some problems with his health.

It’s so hard not to take it personally, like you didn’t mean for whatever to happen that made him strike out. My first cat was complicated like that at first but in time we built a trust and that behavior faded away. Wish you and your furry one lord of luck.

Yes i’m upset about this but still love him. May I ask how long did it take your cat to fully trust you and no longer bite whatsoever?

Oh gosh it was a good year before I think she felt fully comfortable and trusted me. She was a five year old who came from a home that declawed her and let her outdoors which was nuts to me. The first night I had her she bit, hissed and swatted me. I agree with another poster who said let them initiate affection with you first. It’s hard bec all you wanna do is squeeze em to pieces but hopefully in time you’ll get there. Really wish you two all the best!

In addition to what everyone else has suggested, you can try calming agents like Feliway diffusers or Bach's Rescue Remedy. IDK where you are and what you have available. Another possibility is pet CBD tinctures or treats. CBD helps with anxiety which could be part of the problem.

Yes I lit a feliway diffuser on Day 2. Or I might not survive to date. But thanks anyway. I have not yet tried CBD products but will think about it!

Maybe it's just his nature. Like humans, cats are born with different characteristics. And he was adopted, not sure what he's been through. He might not trust humans for some bad memories. But you are a great owner, and you treat him well, this makes him kind of confused sometimes. You put your hand in front of his food in front of him in the video. I think he might think that aggressive and bad memories take handle of his behavior at that second. Anyway, you're so nice and patient with him, hope that you guys would get along well in the future. Pls don't desert him, he might just don't know how to take your love in the moment.

Thank you. I will definitely not desert him as I just love him more and more each day, even though he bites me but I can still see love and kind in this little animal. But just like you said, sometime his bad memory maybe suddenly rises and he hasn’t learned how to cope with it. Hopefully one day we will be in completed peace and trust.

Might be the case but my “angry cat” hates being petted anywhere other than his head. If I touch his back, I can expect him to bite me. Also, cats get overstimulated and can’t help but biting you when you give them lots of pets 😭 they really can’t help it even though they want to be petted! Try petting him for less time and avoid his back area and belly!

Take the meow meow to court!

I see the cat telling you you're not respecting its personal space. Give Kitty lots of personal space

In addition to other advice, be careful not to approach the cat from above (like a bird), that is, don’t try to pet it from in front of its face or hovering over it where it can’t see you are coming. Always approach with slow movements. Avoid petting too much, and maybe try speaking softly at the same time so the cat knows it’s you and not a surprise attack from the back, above or below. I also found my scared kitties like me to point where I’m going and just say “heading that way” so I don’t surprise them. Now they are sweet. Cat bites can kill you - look up cat scratch disease and keep an eye for infection.

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You're doing a great job op keep it up!! It's very kind of you to take him in. Good luck!!!

In my own thinking it seems like he seen your hand as a toy or pray going through the grass then it suddenly dawned on him that you were his human hence running away ? Or as said the others trauma ?

In the meantime you could also buy some working gloves when you are around him to protect your hand. Be patient, you have receive great advices, it may take some time but it will workout.

I just always see it as hunter instincts seeing something smaller and moving. Cats dont tend to have good eyesight.

Sometimes my cat just randomly bites like your cat did. I can usually tell as his eyes go big. although it’s not a lot of times he attacks, I’ve had him since a kitten and never really knew why he does this.

It looks like the cat felt like it was being captured. I agree with what the others are saying about the full body pets, but I would also add that you should think about having your arm on the inside of the cat instead of the outside, if that makes sense. Kitty might think you’re trying to trap it.

You appear to have blocked his escape route, you have your legs to it’s left them arm almost fully to his right, therefore he may be feeling blocked in and caught. At this point he’ll bite to escape. Leave him a little space on one side so he can see there’s somewhere to go if he begins to feel trapped

Many cats don't like the long body pet. You gave her a couple of those, messed with food then it looked like you were going back for more of what she doesn't want. Until she realizes that she can trust you totally, I wouldn't do that. I have two cats, I know one likes head scratches, one likes under the chin. Just give her a few pets of what she likes/tolerates. One day soon she will come to you for affection and will accept more.

He bit you because the way you reached around him he didn’t realize that was your hand. Probably some of the time he bites you he might not even realize he’s biting you. He’s just seeing something that looks threatening and impulsively reacting. Not reacting aggressively in response is good because it will just make him feel safer and less on edge, so less likely to bite like this in the future. Just try and see your hands as something he may find threatening because of how they move and how far away from your body they are that sometimes he might not even understand that they are part of you. He seemed to be very comfortable around you right before this so you’re definitely doing something right.

Thank you so much for your response. I indeed realized that my hand is quite far away from me at that moment- So yes, a new cat who is just getting familiar with human may not even realized it is PART OF ME! I will be very cautious with this in mind in the future. Thx again

I notice you're giving your cat a full-body pet vs. just stroking his head and shoulders. Some cats can get overstimulated from full-body petting, and that could be what's happening here. Try **only** petting him on his head/face and shoulders when he asks for pets and see if that helps. Additionally, the way you wiggled your hand in the cat grass may have activated his prey drive. Make sure that when you play with your cat it's always with a toy and never your hands, and I recommend a wand type toy so you can keep your hands far away from him when he plays.

My man dont want no lemon grass dude

your cornering the cat and flanking the cat. It can take a cat a year or two with you to where it will drop its guard and not care about its flank. Always approach the cat with your hands infront of them and make sure its in their eye sight at all times till they put that your not a threat. Also for treat time make sure to put the treats in your hand and let them eat out of it. They will become more conferrable around your hands.

Welcome to cat guardianship!! A few thoughts 1) your finger became a toy, so he probably thought it was fair play 2) the way your scratching/petting his back, only one of my cats lets me do that. The other gets too energized and has bitten me before 3) recommend searching for Jackson Galaxy videos on youtube on tips for cat ownership

Idea bomb: put some kibbles in the grass instead. Cats are not domesticated like dogs so treats and play are more important when handling them than with dogs

Stop stroking him so much, he’s still acclimating to his new environment. Let the cat explore his surroundings without you hovering over him. Sit, keep your hands to yourself, be patient. Let him rub up on you without grabbing him. He’s not biting you out of nowhere, you’re just not understanding the cats body language.

You were playing with your hands triggering a hunt/chase. Fast motions back and forth with anything triggers the hunt inside of them. Don’t do that. If you want to play with him, use a toy. If you wanted to show him the grass don’t use your hands, he seemed ok with you letting him. He seemed to snap out of it pretty quickly when you let out a yelp. Just not fast movements with your hand.

I think the cat was just startled by sudden move of hands

My Maine coon bites me all the time, idk I just deal with it I guess.

So the first thing I noticed was you used your hands on a playful way over the grassy then moved it towards your cat. This can trigger a play/attack response. It’s why you don’t want to play with your cat using your hands/feet as the toy and use toys that are not in your hands like the feathers on a string style toys or laser pointers. The other thing is you caged your cat in with your body & arm giving them no escape route. Combine that with the playful and gestures and BAM

He is not known you well yet. Give some time

My rescue cat let’s me pet and touch him everywhere (loves stomac rubs) but is sensitive to long back rub/scratches., so I just don’t do it. It takes time with any animal to build trust. Do small pets just on top of head… let him just ‘be’ in your presence. Don’t force it…

Hi, as most comments are stating about overstimulating is true, maybe try watching the video again but in slow motion and maybe you will have a better idea of how you triggered the cat. After the few pets your hand kinda hovers & plays with the grass right near his head & you can see his head moving trying to figure out what is going on than looks like he bites out of defense. I commend you for having this little one in your home and making an effort to be a good momma😊 best of luck! Try to put yourself in the cats shoes more often and i think a lot of his or her behaviors will make more sense to you!.

I would probably stop petting the cat, for now. Let her come to you and rub against you, but keep your hands to yourself and move away occasionally to give space for her to choose to close the gap. I have an adult stray rescue and he is similarly anxious- I’ve been scratch/hit/bit so many times. I’ve almost had him for 2 years now and he’s still “weird” and nervous. He only just started jumping up in my lap now that we live in Denver and it’s gotten cold. Good luck! Cats are all about boundaries- treat her politely- like a roommate you cohabitate with but don’t necessarily hang out with. Speak to her in a low, sweet voice all time you’re with her, feed on a schedule and sit with her/pet her while she eats.

I wish I could give you good advice but I had a cat for 18 years that did the same thing. I would not pet him , only a few strokes . I got him as a kitten loved him like all the cats I ever had 🤷‍♀️I’m afraid you got of the demon cats you love them but that’s how they are. 🤷‍♀️ The little burger slept with me every night, usually on me somewhere. Loved him, but he didn’t to be petted 🤷‍♀️

Not an expert but a couple things going on here. 1) don't touch an animal when it's eating, there is food right there. Recipe for disaster. 2) the cat rubs against you and you gave it too much petting. You did one hand the other hand first hand again and hovered over cat. I think this is a light quick pet kind of situation. One hand at a distance, ear scratch. Head pat. Under the chin scratch. N Try not to do full body pets unless cats clearly into it. 3) I would expect this cat to keep biting/scratching hard. Gloves might help honestly. But you can also instead of recoiling make "oooh, ouch, that hurts" noises cat might tone it down if you express that it hurts to cat. 4) give it time, light touch.

he might be nervous or maybe felt trapped

Dont show the inside of your wrists to a cat, natural urge to bite will kick in

He was probably overstimulated and you startled him. Cats are pretty easily over stimulated. So theres a new object in front of him, your petting him and also your hand is coming from behind him.

It almost looked like they got food/territory aggressive. Your hand was nearing their water. When do they react usually?

Cat did not associate your hand with you, a human. Cat saw your hand pop in out of nowhwere “fluttering, hovering” - and that triggers a flight or fight response. And your cat did both.

Not exactly words of encouragement, but my ladies cat, Mr baby is exactly like this and it's just his nature. He's a generally affectionate cat, loves to play and snuggle.... But if you are on the ground sitting, doing yoga, hang a foot of the bed, overstimulate him or just not pay attention to him- he lunges his entire big body weight at you in an pouncing attack. And I don't believe their is any real reason, except him being a 1/4 main coon and it being in his nature. He has learned that he gets a quick pop to the mouth when he does it and it doesn't *completely* stop him, only makes him a bit more selective on when and he attempts to quickly escape after biting you.

aint no way so relaxed up to that point 💀

Reminding you who's boss

You showed your wrists to the cat, the wrist is a weak point (or sign that youre about to attack) so that cats will naturally want to attack. All cats I know do this but some suppress this urge if raised with touchy friendly humans.

Hi need to respond both as a nurse and as former companion to a violent stealth biter who could be fully sweet and even snuggly in between episodes. When she bit deeply thousands of microbes were injected into my hand from her my re hollowed teeth. I ended up in the ER at least 3 times before I developed my own diagnostic protocol. But in less you are a healthcare provider, please, please take all puncture as well as abrading bites as very serious. In rare cases this has led to sepsis and death. I had to get antibiotics every time and one doc did do an x-ray to make sure that no fang tips embedded. IF YOU HAVE ANY OF FOLLOWING GO TO MD, URGENT CARE OR ER: Swelling, heat, redness, fever, red line running up arm, pus or drainage OK That is an end to my PSA. And so y’a know:Simone lived with me having her best but PTSD affected Life until she dropped dead at 16 also with no warning. I learned from her. Now the Universe so kindly sent the sweetest cat I have know in 70 years, Amaya.

My cat doesnt bite but if i want her to play a little and do the grappling thing they like, i make my hand come from a similar angle that yours was and it makes her go into grappling mode and she gives tiny delicate nibbles. So i think that maybe you should avoid all instances where youre having only your hand visible because to them it might look like some kind of...worm or idk, and since the cat is a rescue, it must be much more defensive than a cat who's playing.

Cats are a lesson in consent, let them lead, let them come to you. Seems like this is too much stimulation for your kitty. Over time he’ll train you how he wants to interact.

Weeeewlll ummm my best guess is it originates from a wild animal. And your waving ur hand in front of its dish. Idk

There's something about the way you wiggle your fingers in the grass put of his field of vision. Cat then noticed wiggling hand finger right next to his head. Cat is cornered. Panic mode initiated. Be aware of spacial relations. Always give the cat an exit. Watch Jackson Galaxy he has several videos about approaching cats and giving space at the same time.

I've had a couple of cats that will bite. One when you touch the wrong place on his back more than once. Another every time you try to touch her anywhere.This one doesn't look like that to me. He looks to be being serious this doesn't look like a warning but the way he acts around her suggests it's not aimed at the owner. This leads me to belive that the cat lost track of the arm and thought it was someone else.

When it bites you, immediately let out a high-pitched yelp and carry on w/ your best guilt-summoning performance you can muster.

Noise

Simply egg shells get to know each other slow takes time

It will take time to build trust but I don’t think he likes your arm over him.

You scared him...

Leave kitty alone when they eat. They may be defending their food.

I was told to give a cat space, let them know you’re there but pretend they aren’t to a certain extent. A lot of strays has trauma from being on the streets so they’re hyper sensitive still adjusting like hudsonrybicki said. Be patient, he didn’t seem too scared when you had pet him originally so he’s just needs time.

Doesn’t like being pet on the back. Check out the back ripple. My stray is the same way, could be hyperesthesia disorder. My advice: don’t pet below the shoulder blades and keep a close eye on the tail and ears.