My Beloved Cat

By Chris R Palmer

The two most common reasons are play aggression and over stimulation. If a kitten is kept with its mother long enough, it learns the limitations of playtime. If they get too rough with mom or their siblings, mom will let them know that it’s not appropriate, even going so far as to sit on a kitten that’s gone a little too far. Think of it as a “time out” for kittens. Ideally a kitten should be kept with its mom and littermates for 12 weeks so he has time to learn some life lessons. Those cats that bite into adulthood are often those kittens who were separated from their mother and siblings at too young an age and simply didn’t learn the boundaries of interaction.

Cats are hunters. Their playtime is centered on replicating hunting behaviors. Sometimes, a kitten may see your hand approaching them and sink its teeth in to catch their prey. They don’t know any difference between you and their hunting instinct. To them, a moving object is a moving object and needs to be caught.

As you know, cats love movement and react to it instinctively. One of the ways to channel this behavior is by introducing toys into your cat’s life. You should never use your hand or any other part of your body as a play toy. This simply teaches your cat that it’s O.K. to pounce on you, scratch you and bite you.

Before you ever consider disciplinary measures try to get your kitten or cat interested in toys. Stuffed mice, balls, and even crumpled up paper will thrill your kitty. Show the cat how to interact with the toy by tossing it into the air and catching it. They’ll catch on pretty quickly. Battery operated toys that roll along the floor are like a drug to a cat, especially it if has cutouts in it so the cat can actually catch it, hold it and release it to chase again.

Your cat may also bite because he is overly stimulated. Cats and even kittens only like to be petted and held for so long. One minute they could be purring away and then “Bam!”, they bite you. They’ve had enough.

You really can’t ramp up a cat and then expect him to know when playtime is over. It’s best not to take them to that level in the first place. But if you do, know your cat’s body language so you know when they’ve had enough. They may stiffen their body or hiss just before biting you, thinking that if they sink their teeth into you, you will finally get the message that they’re done for now.

Cats love to be loved, but on their schedule, not yours. This is true with kittens too. They can only take so much play and stimulation in a day and when they want to be left alone, they may resort to biting as a last resort.

On occasion, your cat may bite because you touched an area where they are sore. If touching your cat in that area again gets the same response, you may want to call your vet. He may have been injured or have something going on inside, such as infection.

Cat biting isn’t a lifetime habit. By knowing why your cat bites and doing some corrective discipline, your biter can become a lover, and a much better friend and member of the family in the process.