Snuggles and Gizmo seem to be settling in and are eating properly now, Snuggles only seems to want to eat wet food that is fish rather that the chicken I was told she liked, and Gizmo would only lick the jelly off, so looking at fish based food that isnt all tuna based! they are wolfing down Applaws fish based tins but obviously want to limit that as its not a complete food. They are eating their JW and eating the Hilife most of the time.

Am still rather concerned about Gizmo with the nipping - prev owner says they do do that sometimes and its affection - Im really not so sure about that, sometimes it seems like attention seeking (friends female cat always does it she says) as she was lying over my keyboard when I was working and started nipping my hand, but it seems to be when Im stroking her that shes doing it? so not sure where the attention seeking is comng from> Im wondering if its her way of saying 'leave me alone?' when she does it I say No! and leave her, so maybe shes figured if she doesnt want to be stroked to nip me and Ill go away!! or maybe shes playing, sometimes theres signs like rolling over and obvious things, but other times theres no obvious reason.

anyone have experience of this and how did you handle it please? is it her settling in and us just not understanding each other properly yet? Im worried the kids may get bitten and I dont want that to happen, would really appreciate your views, thanks!

Misha does this to me but I have also watched him do it to Indy, and on Indy is looks lick part of a grooming routine and he nips then licks and Indy does it back now and then but never to me.

I don't object when Misha is gentle but if he goes too far I place a finger on his nose (not smack or tap, just place) and say 'no' then continue stroking for a couple seconds to show I am not mad then leave him alone

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thanks for the reassurance hun and I will try that with her, I sort of sense its a 'leave me alone' thing so when shes sleeping I tend to leave her alone, the one on the desk did seem more playful but I will try what you do and see how it goes, she doesnt hurt but I find myself feeling wary of it and I dont want her to sense Im waiting for it lol!!

Snuggles is still jumping at strange noises but is coming out of herself more, she was sitting up on her backlegs with her front paws under her chin tapping me with them when I was sat on the carpet watching the news just, very cute - a meercat!

Gizmo bit my daughter last night! she was on the phone and the cat was on the desk rubbing for a stroke which she did, then Gizmo went onto the back of the computer chair and nipped her on the hand, didnt draw blood but was pink and it shocked her, and this morning I was working on the pc and she nipped my hand too. It isnt a playful swat cos of fingers moving on the keyboard etc.

Im unsure what to do now as Im really worried we have picked our cats unwisely, I dont want my children to be frightened of approaching the cats for fear of a nip, as they do hurt!. I thought we had done the right thing by doing loads of research and visiting the cats and talking with their owner several times before bringing them home, but am worried they are being aggressive. Obviously if they roll on their backs and show their bellies Im careful as of course the claws come out! so we dont touch their tummies.

With their old owner they were like babies lying on their backs in her arms, letting her stroke their tummies etc - is it just us? I do wonder if we are doing something wrong, or is it just that they havent learned to trust us yet? she said they did sometimes nip her but it was an 'I love you' affection thing!

even shy soppy Snuggles just came onto my lap on the sofa of her own accord for a stroke and was being affectionate, yet then went to nip my hand? I was just stroking her head which she offered to me, and neither of them are giving signs before hand that they are about to bite?.

Ive read about the thing where they ask for affection then suddenly feel vulnerable and will bite, but am seeing none of that, it seems to be really random.

I just dont know what to do, am concerned about my children getting hurt and it putting them off cats for life! and I dont want to be nipped either as it hurts, when they come to me now Im constantly waiting for the nip, which probably transmits to them!.

I dont want to over react, but neither do I want to be one of those people who rehomes their pets at the drop of a hat, Id rather understand what and why they are doing it

I wish I knew if my cats were aggressive or if this is just normal playing, settling in etc, its getting me down that it isnt how I thought it would be and after only 10 days Im wondering if Ive made a mistake, I really hope not!.

Ok this is going to sound insensitive.

If you have pets, you have to accept that they are animals and that their behaviour is not equivocal to human behaviour. You have to, to a certain degree, accept that animals are different.

Cats nip, cats scratch and cats bite - they are not fully domesticated like most dog breeds are. There maybe different reasons why they do it, but they do it - its a risk.

If you look at kittens and even adult cats that live together, they play fight. They chase each other, they swat each other, they wrestle each other which involves kicking and biting. The cat looks upon you as a 'cat' member.

If the behaviour is really aggresive then there is cause for concern; but what you have described IMO is within the range of normal.

All pets carry the risk of 'harming'.

hiya hun, thank for your comments and I dont think its insensitive, Im sure you are largly right!! its getting better and have spoken to the vet when I called to book them in for flea and worm stuff and chipping, they were very helpful and reassuring and said would discuss with us tactics to minimise, subtle warning signs to watch for etc whcih helps.

Snuggles is on my desk right now and she up here when Im working every morning on my desk asking for strokes and rubs, then of course she goes over for her tummy to be rubbed, if I stop shes pawing me, but of course if I do it too much I get the claws and a very gentle nip, but it has a pattern to it and I can see its over excitement or over doing it, despite her asking very insistently for me to do it but I can read it and know shes going to do it, whereas Gizmo is more random but its getting less and we are trying to leave her alone and just chatting to her more, she seems more settled.

Maybe it was just too early for them and for us, as theyve not been here 2 weeks yet. Bottom line for me is that claws and teeth hurt and Im not used to it, so I just need to get used to it and learn to read the signs adn not take it personally!

thank you for the feedback, I appreciate it and made me realise its a pretty normal thing! xxx

If mine nip, I leave my hand there. Teeth don't hurt nearly as much as claws. They soon give up. It's the initial shock that means people pull their hand away.

I do that as well - hand stays really still

I think sometimes it isn't the cat's fault - it is instinct kicking in. If you watch a cat with a toy mouse they often pull it into their stomach and kick it with their back paws. Sometimes they start to do this with your hand.

more great advice Im going to take! have told the children to do the same an explained what youve said so they understand xx

My cat has done it to me yesterday, My right hand is covered in scratch marks today and very painful, but when she was biting me i kept my hand completely still and she gave up.

She is only doing it playfully but i dont think she realises how hard she is doing it, i just have to keep an eye on my kids with her if she is in a playful mood, i always know as her eyes change shape!!! She looks like the devil