Yeah, I get it.(And it *does* back him up in the short-term...it's just not so great for their relationship.) This last time, I actually witnessed. She was helping me with something and her leg was kind of in his face. I know that the more upset she gets about being close to him...he kind of does it more, but I'm not the one soaking my extremities in epsom salts. And, yeah, would love to have some of the shelves and trees and so forth like MCFH. This last one was not as intense or deep as the one in July, but still, no joke. She is also the fastest thing that moves in here...I'm no good to pounce on. Everyone is like, "How can you keep him?" but like I said, with this hair-trigger thing, it would be not so much re-homing him as ending his life.

We have a cute relationship, but sometimes it feels like I'm forcing my mother to live with her offender.

He hangs out in doorways and in her closet.

Sounds like a territorial thing. He probably feels dislike/distrust/fear towards her by this point. (All basically the same emotion, to a cat.) I'd suggest stopping with the spray bottle, and trying to avoid giving the cat reason to fear being stepped on/shoved/sprayed - just giving him a little space. Can he be separated from her, even for a while, and then reintroduced slowly with treats and happy things, like you'd do for two cats who were fighting?

Also playing more. A LOT more. I had no idea you tried the water bottle before or I would not have recommended it. It only works in the short term. The loud OW thing is doing what another cat would do--give a distress cry, so the cat knows he is hurting you.

If it's territorial, I agree, some safe places for the kitty will help a lot.

I've seen those tunnel things, but he is too big for most of them. I'm sure that she does say "Ow!" and I make a big deal any time he acts like he'll nip, but it also comes with water and cussing.Because he draws blood, a lot. We don't have a lot of space, although more than in Manhattan MCFH, at just over 1000 sq. feet, but we also don't have a woman setting up genius cat window boxes, either, although being up is more Tina's thing than Rocky's. Rocky loves boxes and paper bags.

It doesn't have to be a fancy window box, especially if Rocky prefers a ground-level condo. A cardboard box of the size/type he prefers, in an area where he likes to be, with a towel in it that smells like him, is all you need.

With a tiny narrow kitchen and three cats, I'm having some space issues. They won't eat in there if I'm in there moving around, even though they have never been stepped on. I've taken to feeding them under the dining room chairs, one cat to a chair. They seem to feel safer there. Luckily I never have visitors.

Just as Gregory House seemed always to go for the Lupus diagnosis, these days I am forever asking about pet utis.

This article talks about utis and their effect on cats.

I am Cranktina of the Cranktown Crankstons right now.

My sister! For, lo! I am Cranketta.

I'll second the OW! and the playing more. I've also had to be firm with friends who tolerate play biting. I've seen it escalate all too quickly.

I will use the laser pointer sparingly, as it can get Finn into a good house-long run and help get him good and mellow. I'm careful not to run him into anything, and I always follow laser play with something he can catch and "kill."

I am Cranktina of the Cranktown Crankstons right now.

My sister! For, lo! I am Cranketta.

When is our family reunion? For, lo! I am Crankinbelle.