Causes of cat attacks on legs

Hunting instinct

Very often, cats attack the owner’s legs because of the hunting instinct, which there is no place to exercise at home. They imagine themselves on a hunt, play, hide, and then suddenly jump out of an ambush. At the same time, they can hide anywhere.

Despite the fact that your pet's behavior is caused by natural instincts, you should not indulge him in order to avoid scratches, fright or a sudden fall. Scold your pet in a stern voice, making it clear that you do not like such actions. Avoid physical punishment, it will not bear fruit and will only make the animal aggressive towards you.

Pets do this especially often if they are eating and the owner passes by at that moment. This way they play and protect their food at the same time.

Why do cats bite and scratch?

A cat is an intelligent companion and a faithful comrade, a cat is a respectful listener and a reliable ally. Suddenly the cat starts biting and scratching. Cat bites are very painful and take a long time to heal; they are undesirable for children and the elderly, nursing and pregnant women. Why does the cat behave this way?

People should be wary of cat bites, both outdoor and indoor. Cats have a bacterial environment in their saliva and mucous membranes, on the surface of their fur, claws and skin. Pathogenic microorganisms can lead to infection and suppuration of tissues, causing swelling and redness.

The most common causes of aggression in pets:

Kitten bites . Young kittens try to bite their feet when they are teething. This is normal behavior and does not require special educational correction from the owner. If the teeth have come out, and the kitten constantly bites people, then you should wean him off, otherwise he will grow up and it will be even more difficult to get rid of the bad habit.
Pet bites and scratches during adolescence . During puberty, your pet's behavior may change in a negative direction. The cat or cat rushes to his feet and bites. This is how older females and males show aggression and irritation towards people. If breeding is not planned, then it is better to carry out the procedure of castration or sterilization, depending on the gender of the animal.
The cat bites . If an adult cat bites legs and arms. This means that the pet lacks a burst of energy, so it spends its energy fighting the owner or other household members. A small problem can become a big one if the animal is not stopped in time. This requires competent correction of the animal’s behavior.
The cat bites . The cat rushes to his feet. Why and what to do? Most often, males are influenced by natural instincts that force the animal to attack and hunt for legs. This behavior cannot be encouraged; effective non-forceful methods of influence should be used against the cat biting.

A cat bites a person's legs when changing their place of residence because it is afraid. She may do this out of fatigue, for example, after a long journey or traveling with a pet.

The reason why a cat bites and scratches its legs may be due to severe stress, anxiety, illness or pain experienced by the pet. Here the owner must show patience and care in order to cure the animal and achieve psychological and emotional comfort.

Boredom

The animal may simply be bored, and in this way it is trying to attract your attention. The pet lacks your company or tries to find entertainment on its own. Play areas in your home will also help solve this problem.

Toys for your pet can be purchased at the store or made yourself. Be sure to place a scratching post in the house where the cat can sharpen its claws and relieve irritation.

It is advisable to devote some time to your pet every day so that he feels your love and affection, because he gets bored while you are at work.

Why does a cat attack your feet?

One thing you can be sure of is that he is not doing this maliciously. Every cat behavior has its justification!

First, remember who your purring charge really is. That's right, it is a predator and a natural born hunter. Although she eats from elegant bowls and stretches out gracefully on a soft sofa, she must follow her instincts. Instinct, in turn, orders him to hunt - if there are no real victims, the targets will be objects that are within his reach. It so happened that this victim could be the feet and fingers of the mistress.

Waiting and chasing prey are activities that are essential to your cat's health and well-being. Your pet must hunt because that is how nature created it. Since he does not leave the apartment, you must make sure that the cat satisfies his instincts while playing, for example with a toy or ball. If he is not given such an opportunity, then he will “arrange” himself to hunt you. And since you're likely the only moving target in the area, there's a high chance that you and your legs will be the target of numerous ambushes.

Playfulness

Your pet may be in a playful mood and doesn't know where to release its energy. In this way, the pet tries to involve the owner in the game, as he does with other animals. This behavior is especially typical when the cat is the only pet in the house and has no one to play with.

To prevent your pet from throwing itself at your feet, arrange play areas for it in your apartment, buy toys, pay attention and exercise with your pet.

It is easy to determine that this is a game by switching your pet’s attention to another object, for example, if you throw a ball, the cat will immediately run after it. But the aggression or pain that caused the attack does not stop so easily.

An animal may attack the owner’s legs due to the hunting instinct, boredom, playful mood, or poor health. You should not allow your pet to do this; scold him in a stern voice, but avoid physical punishment, which will not bring results.

How to stop a cat from biting your feet

Cats are like Goldilocks from the children's story Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Everything must be in order. Not too many pets and not too few. Not too much game, but not too little either. We definitely need to find the right amount of something so you can't stand touching your feet. So, if you'd rather not have your cat bite your feet, here are some tips to help stop the behavior.

Ignore it . When they become kittens, they realize that playing too rough is no fun. If a kitten bites its sibling too hard, the other kitten will stop playing and walk away. This way they learn that biting hard doesn't mean more fun. If you stop reacting to the attacks of the legs and immediately calmly move away from the cat, it will learn to stop.
Redirect . After you've removed yourself from your cat and given her a few minutes to calm down, you can redirect her energy toward a toy. Whatever her favorite toy is - a feather wand, a catnip ball, etc.
Talk me out of it . One of the problems with leg biting is that you will move and your cat may continue to chase and bite your legs. Another option is to sit down and either distract her with an unusual sound or snap your fingers and clap your hands. Once you get her attention, you will tell her no. Again, consistency is important.
Game time . Make sure your cat has plenty of opportunities to keep her entertained: toys she can bite and kick, cat trees for climbing and scratching, access to windows, etc. You should also find time to play with your cat a few times. in a day. Experts say cats only need 5 to 10 minutes of intense play each day to help stimulate them mentally and tire themselves out.

Article Author: Katherine Copeland Katherine was a librarian in a previous life and currently writes about all things pets. As a child, she hoped to work in zoos or with wildlife due to her consuming love of animals. Unfortunately, she's not good at science, so she fills her days with researching and writing about all kinds of animals and spends her time playing with her adorable but terribly naughty tabby cat, Bella. Katherine hopes to add to her family in the near future, perhaps with another cat and dog.

How to stop a kitten from scratching and biting

Weaning a kitten from its mother and moving to a new place is very stressful. A natural reaction to a change in situation is fear and aggression, because of this he rushes to attack, when he tries to pet him, he bites his hands, and when he passes by, he scratches his legs. The situation requires the owners to intervene promptly, be patient, and identify the negative source.

Weaning methods:

The kitten splashes out energy in the game. Buy special toys from a pet store and stop trying to play with your hands and feet.
Don't encourage the kitten. At the age of 1-2 months, it is funny, but an adult can cause pain and make deep scratches. It is much more difficult to stop an old cat from biting.
Come up with a repellent action. Spray water, throw on a towel, make some noise, make loud noises (a whistle will do).
As punishment, leave him alone.
Fear of other pets. If several animals live in a house or apartment, help them find a common language: organize a joint game, show affection and care to everyone at the same time.

When buying a kitten in a nursery, suddenly raise your hand to it. If an animal does not bite or scratch in defense from an aggressor, it means it was not abused and was raised correctly.

The owner should show restraint and use psychological methods. Let's consider another set of measures on how to wean a kitten from scratching if the breeders have not done this:

When the kitten bites your hand, do not pull it back, but, on the contrary, bring it closer (puzzle).
Lack of response to comments. If there is nothing at hand, blow into the muzzle.
Do not allow children to play with the kitten if the play provokes a negative reaction.
The kitten attracts attention due to a feeling of discomfort (pain, hunger).

Visit your veterinarian and get examined. This will provide accurate information that will help you wean and develop a strategy against boorish behavior. The reason why a cat bites for no reason or scratches all the time often lies in unobvious health problems.

Resentment

If a cat is offended by its owner for some reason, it will always find an opportunity to take revenge. Some, expressing emotions, spoil things, others make piles and puddles in the wrong places, and still others bite the offender so that he will forever remember that offending a cat is a bad idea.

The dream books say that if a cat bites a person in a dream, in real life the dreamer has seriously offended someone. If a cat bites someone else, it means the person himself is harboring a grudge against a loved one or friend. In any case, if a cat behaves aggressively in a dream, this is an unfavorable sign, warning that in real life you need to prepare for bad changes, and a blow will most likely come from close people.

Remove food from the kitchen table

A cat’s sense of smell is much sharper than a person’s, so if it smells something tasty, it will definitely jump on the table to steal a piece. A stolen piece could be dangerous for her. If you keep the kitchen counter clean and clear of food and crumbs, she will be less likely to jump on it. If your pet shows increased interest in what you are preparing for dinner and constantly hangs around the table, simply lock her in another room until you finish preparing the meal.

Danger of aggression

A cat's aggressive behavior can be quite dangerous. After all, it is one of the symptoms of such a deadly disease as rabies. The disease cannot be treated and the animal will need to be euthanized. But this is not the biggest problem.

IMPORTANT! Rabies is transmitted to humans through a bite.

And for him the disease is also fatal. When there is a suspicion of an illness, also supported by other symptoms, you need to immediately isolate the cat and call a specialist. You should not catch it yourself, it can be dangerous.

Give her an alternative

A cat jumping condo gives your furry friend a place to jump, exercise, and explore the area. Keep her interested by rotating her toys, boxes to hide in, and even crumpled up pieces of paper to use. Be creative! Cat trees are also a great way to let your cats jump and climb to their heart's content.

It is important to note that you should not completely deprive your cat of its ability to jump. This is part of their innate behavior, embedded in their DNA from their ancestors: they climbed trees to escape predators, and also stalked prey from above before pouncing on them. Providing her with an approved area to exercise her jumping exercises will also help keep her away from other elevated areas where she may not be welcome.

What to do if a cat bites and attacks

To stop your cat from scratching and attacking, analyze your behavior. Perhaps the reason is the owner.

You hurt by stepping on the tail; frightened by a loud sound.
The cat thinks he is trapped. To prevent him from rushing at you, move away and give a path for retreat.
Lack of attention. The cat attracts the owner by trying to scratch or bite the legs. Spend 15 minutes a day on active games. Make the animal tired.
Detect hostility before it occurs. Signs: the cat has stopped purring, the pupils are dilated, the skin is twitching, the ears are flattened.
A cat may scratch its legs when it gets really excited. For example, he ran around the house for a long time and did not notice his master’s feet.
The animal smelled something “hostile.” You've been at a place where there are other pets, and their scent has lingered on you. Or the reason is your perfume.
The cat grew up spoiled and is being raised by its owner. This happens when you have not defined the boundaries of what is permitted in advance.
A new animal has appeared in the house. An unpleasant neighborhood results in anger.

If a cat chews everything in the house, he has vitamin deficiency. Diversify your diet and make up for the lack of vitamins.

Castration will affect behavior. The only option is when it is not possible to teach him to be peaceful. Neutered animals become attached to their home and are more sociable.

Your pet's behavior depends on you. To stop your cat from biting, identify the source of the problem and be patient. A visit to the veterinarian will help determine the cause of the antics and give you a calm life with a ball of fur.

How to avoid cat bites and scratches

Avoiding bites from your beloved cat and weaning him from biting is an interesting activity. You can use different methods, the main thing is not to forget that repetition is the mother of learning.

A cat with the character of an unstoppable hunter needs to devote more time to games, so fishing rods with feathers or pompoms should be used. Such teasers perfectly divert the cat's attention from the owner's legs and arms;
If the pussy has already formed the habit of biting the hand during play, then when the cat's teeth touch the skin, the play immediately stops;
A scratching post will eliminate the problem of scratches, especially if it has a hanging fishing rod toy in its design;
For those cats who cannot imagine their lives without scratching their household members, there is an effective measure - anti-scratch products. These silicone caps are glued onto the bully's claws, preventing him from causing damage to people and furniture;
Onychectomy is a last resort measure that the owner can take. Complete declawing will save the owner from scratches, but will it be beneficial for the cat? It's worth learning more about this;
A cat that is playing can be sprayed with water or scared off with a sharp sound - if you do this constantly when trying to bite, the animal will quickly remember that a bite can have unpleasant consequences.

When raising a pet, you need to show restraint, patience, and not forget that a cat first of all needs the attention and love of its owner.

Reasons for jumping

Jumping is an integral part of cat behavior. She enjoys being high because she feels safe—that’s how her body is “programmed.” But the owner needs to discern this desire to hide in time. The reason for frequent jumping on high surfaces and the desire to hide in hard-to-reach spaces, such as drawers and the tops of cabinets, may be an attempt to hide the wound. The desire to hide when wounded was passed on to the cat from its ancestors, who had to escape from predators in this way. In the same way, she can hide from another danger if she is frightened by something. It is necessary to understand what could frighten her and remove it from the environment. Gradually, when the cat feels safe, it will return to your “level” and will be more willing to make contact.

Cats are natural jumpers, so don't completely deprive them of their ability to jump. But with a little training, you can wean your pet from jumping where it shouldn’t.