Cat biting is something not unusual. Your feline friend would occasionally give those “love bites,” but most of the time, biting will be an unwanted behavior. Cats may bite out of nowhere due to several reasons and sometimes apparently unprovoked. As a cat owner, you need to grasp and understand that your cat doesn’t always bite out of aggression. In turn, this may help you facilitate mandatory actions for your cat.
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Why do cats bite?
Since cats are natural-born predators, biting plays an enormous role in their behavior. Experts say that cats often do this to show dominance. It is their way of saying they are in control.
Also, your cat does this to convey a message. Hence, biting is its way of communicating with you something instead of meowing. Your cat may bite you as a manner of telling you that she is hungry or wants to be let out of its cage.
Here are more reasons behind cat biting:
1.) It is part of the kitten biting phase. As mentioned earlier, cats are natural-born predators, so biting could be a natural instinct, and this plays a massive role in the act of fighting. Even kittens develop this behavior at an early age: preparing for the time, they will catch their prey.
2.) Cats often bite when playing. Studies show that kittens develop fighting and biting through meetings with their moms or chance encounters with littermates. In some cases, cats that were weaned sooner or orphaned presumably haven’t ever differentiated playing from real fighting. Cats who were left alone may ease feelings of loneliness through aggressive behavior.
3.) Sometimes cat biting occurs when petting. Your cat may bite you while you are petting them because of overstimulation. Your cat could seem to be enjoying it initially, then a plot twist happens, and they begin scratching and biting you. Your cat will bite you when she has enough stroking, so it is vital to understand your cat’s body language.
4.) Your cat may bite you out of aggression. This is often an indication that your cat is in fighting mode. This may be accompanied by hissing and a defensive arched posture.
How to stop your cat from biting?
While cat biting could be a natural instinct for your pet, you’ll fix their biting behavior through these ways:
1.) Reward good behavior. When engaging your cat during playtime, shower them with affection or provide treats after they play using their paws but not their claws or teeth. This will send a message to your cat that she must not bite or act aggressively and do a decent job by not biting you.
2.) Study your cat’s body language. This is often helpful for you to work things out when you are overdoing petting them. Also, this may give you a heads-up on when a bite is coming. Respecting your cat’s limits will decrease the probability of getting bitten. By showing them respect, you’re enforcing good behavior.
3.) Since biting is a natural instinct for cats, you can help them exercise this, without them causing you bodily harm. Provide them cat toys to bite and claw at and reward good behavior with their favorite treat or give them affection. By doing this, they’ll understand that they need not resort to biting to catch your attention.
4.) When your cat bites you to exert dominance or to get your attention, ignore them. Your initial response must not be to instantly regress as they’ll seemingly see you as prey. Instead, speak loudly, then slowly leave. This will make them know that you are the one in charge.
5.) Don’t physically discipline your cat. Punishing them physically won’t do any good as this may cultivate fear, and in turn, they may stop communicating their needs to you.
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Common questions on cat biting
Are cat bites dangerous to humans?
Yes, cat bites are dangerous. Experts say that cats carry a vast amount of bacteria that will cause infection in bite wounds.
What do you have to do if a cat bites you?
If you get bitten by a cat, it’s best to first wash the wound with soap and water. Apply pressure to enable blood effusion to prevent any bleeding and use a sterile bandage to cover the wound.
When do you have to see a doctor for a cat bite?
See a doctor immediately after cleaning the injured area to get proper treatment. This is often very vital, especially if the cat’s rabies vaccine status is unknown or cat’s rabies vaccination has already lapsed.
Conclusion
Although cat biting could be a natural behavior among cats, don’t ever give your cat the impression that biting your hands or other parts of your body is appropriate. This is why time and again cat toys are essential, especially for indoor cats, as this could help them use their hunting strategies without actually harming you. It is also better to show kittens at an early stage of their life that biting isn’t proper behavior.
