All of my friends and co-workers know me as the “cat lady.” I often have people turn to me with questions about their cat, and the most common one is “how can I get my cat to stop biting me?”
Biting is a common behavioral problem among cats, but there can be many reasons for it, and identifying the cause of the behavior is the biggest step towards stopping it.
Kittens and Socialization
If your cat is a kitten, the cause of biting is probably a lack of socialization. When a cat is raised with their mom, littermates, or friends, the other cats will teach them to moderate their bites and scratches. When kittens are taken from their family before they have learned polite behavior, they may engage in play aggression.
If a kitten hurts another cat that cat will usually hiss or swat at them, then refuse to play for a while. If your cat bites you during play, or randomly attacks your feet or try not to react. Ignore the behavior as best you can, say no firmly without yelling, move slowly away from the cat, and refuse to engage with them. Alternatively, you can try redirecting their play to an appropriate substitute, such as throwing a toy or using a feather wand.
It is very important to never play with a cat with your hands. This teaches them that it is okay to attack your hands, and what’s cute with a kitten will be painful with a 20 pound cat. Praise your cat and give them treats for good interactions, where they don’t bite and use a soft paw with claws retracted.
Positive reinforcement is just as important as negative. If you simply use negative reactions to unwanted behaviors, and don’t show them an acceptable alternative, you wont succeed in training them, you will only leave then frustrated and confused.
Also frustration and a lack of stimulation can feed into biting behaviors, experts recommend two 15 minute play sessions a day to keep your cat stimulated and provide a healthy outlet for their natural hunting instincts.
Overstimulation
Another reason for biting may be overstimulation. Cats have an extremely sensitive nervous system, and too much petting, or petting them in a way they do not enjoy. Try to pay attention to the things your cat enjoys, what they lean into. Focus your pets and scratches on the sides of the face, under the chin, behind the ears, and the scruff of the neck.
Many cats get overstimulated if you repeatedly stroke the length of their body. Stay away from vulnerable spots like the belly and tail.
Also pay attention to any warning signals your cat sends. Most cats will send you several signals of irritability before they bite, such as twitching, tail swishing, pulling their ears back, brining their whiskers forward, or turning to watch your hand. Humans often fail to recognize these signals, leading to complaints that the cat “bit them out of nowhere.”
Fear, Stress and Pain
Cats can also bite out of fear, stress or pain. If the cat feels stressed out or threatened, they may bite aggressively. Being in a new environment, or around new people or animals can cause a cat to feel threatened. Try to make these situations as calm as possible for the cat.
If in a new environment or around strangers provide the cat a place to hide undisturbed where they will feel safe.
If going to the vet or a new house put a blanket that they lay on a lot, with their smell on it, with them.
A great product you can use during stressful times is Feliway. It comes in many forms, such as treats, sprays and diffusers, and it uses cat pheromones to help your cat feel relaxed and at home.
Finally, if you’ve had a cat for a while that never bit and they suddenly start biting, this is a serious warning sign. Either there is an element in their environment that has changed and is causing them to feel stressed or threatened, or they are in pain.
Cats are very good at hiding pain and illness, it is an important defense mechanism in the wild where showing vulnerability can be an invitation to predators.
Cat parents frequently have no idea anything is wrong with their cat until the problem is quite advanced, and often it is too late for treatment.
You should pay attention to any sudden changes to your cat’s behavior such as biting, hiding, or over grooming.
Final Notes
It is important to note that cats should never be yelled at, hit, or aggressively disciplined in any way. Studies have shown that they do not respond to these methods, and they cant make the connection between the behavior and the punishment as a consequence. Instead they make a connection between the punishment and the punisher, teaching them to fear you and lessening your bond. Having a cat is all about bonding, building trust and love.
Coming Soon
We will be publishing more fun and informative articles soon, so make sure to subscribe to Misfit Cats now so you won't miss a moment!!!