Hello again,
Last night I made a scary discovery about Monkey's overly aggressive raisin
episodes.  It's has nothing to do with the raisins.  She has a problem being
held when she eats anything - including her Iams kitten food.  I had just
cleaned the cage and didn't want her to spread her Iams all over the cage
floor again, so I offered her some out of my hand.  Well, she started
digging in my hand, quickly grabbed at least 4 pieces in her mouth and ran
like hell to go eat somewhere else.  When I tried to grab her, she barked
and tried to bite me HARD (which she never does).  (In yesterday's post I
described the same sound as a scream, I've decided today that it sounds more
like a bark).  I didn't like this overly aggressive behavior so I decided to
make her get used to being held while eating.  It was near impossible.
Every time I offered her the food, she would dart into my hand (bite hard)
and then bark and bite if I tried to keep her anywhere near me while she
ate.  Eventually she decided it wasn't worth the Iams since I wanted to hold
her.  Undaunted I took her and a box of raisins into an empty bathtub.  (I
knew she would want the raisins).  Well I wound up with several bite marks
and Monkey barked and scratched up a storm.  She wanted those raisins, but
God forbid I should try to hold her when I gave her one.  Is this bizarre
behavior or what?  Has anyone else experienced this before?  I'm afraid some
nice person will offer her a bit of fruit and she'll bite their hand off so
I won't let anybody else give her treats or feed her.  My SO didn't believe
me (Monkey's very sweet besides this)and as a result he wound up with
several bite marks of his own.  Now he's all worried because Monkey bites
Jitterbug a lot and he thinks maybe she bites that hard with her.  I keep
telling him that she doesn't ever bite hard when I just play with her, but I
am worried considering she and Jitterbug share food and I DID see her
preventing Jitterbug from eating.  On the other hand it could have just been
that Monkey wanted to play when Jitterbug wanted to eat (she also prevented
Jitterbug from using the litterbox and the water bottle once - admittedly
Jitterbug give up easily).  Do I have a real problem on my hands or am I
worrying too much?  (Jitterbug doesn't look too thin, but she was fatter
before Monkey arrived).  Thanks so much for all the advice.
 
:)
 Rebecca,
 Jitterbug (I told you she was a demon spawn, mom!)
   & Monkey (Nobody better lay a finger on my butterfinger)
[Posted in FML issue 1670]