Owners often ask themselves a question that worries the whole family: is it possible to stop a cat from biting? Or, if you are a pet owner for the first time, how to stop a kitten from biting?
This is usually how events develop: the whole family spent a long time choosing a pet, the small pet is already at home, toys and houses are bought. And suddenly the cute kitten turns out to be a hard-biting, scratching tyrant. Why does a kitten bite and scratch? Confusion and sigh: how can you not pamper your pet, he’s an accident! The scratches on the hands left by the kitten are patiently endured; the bully even amuses with his courage. But the older the cat gets, the more problems this behavior creates.
Predator cats love to bite and scratch, especially when they are playing or angry. For cats, this is a normal manifestation of emotions, if it is not repeated constantly and if the animals do not take it out on the owners. Moreover, if you react incorrectly to such games, the “biters” harbor a grudge and begin to take revenge. What to do if a cat bites? It is possible and necessary to stop a cat from biting: marks from claws and teeth are fraught with infection for humans. Therefore, the sooner education begins, the faster the effect will appear.
During the game
Often, it is the people themselves who are to blame for the fact that a kitten shows aggression during play: it is hilarious to watch how a baby of two or three months old, with his ears flattened and his short tail lashing, pounces on the owner’s huge hairy hand and diligently chews a thick finger with his fangs. Several months pass - and a large, angry cat, angry that the owner has taken his favorite place on the sofa, digs into him with claws as sharp as fishhooks, and can easily bite an arm or leg to the bone.
If you want to protect yourself from your pet's aggression, remember a few simple but effective rules.
What mistakes should you not make?
In the process of education, owners often make gross mistakes that are not beneficial, but harmful. What needs to be taken into account in the process of weaning a kitten from aggression in play or behavior:
- Under no circumstances should physical punishment be used. This can only aggravate the aggression and intensify it. A small pet may hold a grudge and begin to bite and scratch to protect itself or to show its owner its displeasure.
- It is necessary to be systematic in education. If educational measures are applied every once in a while, the kitten may not understand when and why he was punished, and in the future may not perceive the owner’s actions as educational.
- You should not use physical force to force a kitten to overcome fear and stress. These actions may have the opposite effect. The baby may become more aggressive towards the owner, who forces him to face the fear or stressor face to face.
Always be kind and patient. Even the most wayward animals can be trained if their owners have kind hands and a heart of gold.
Rule 1
Redirect the kitten's attention to another object.
If, carried away by the game, the baby begins to go beyond what is permitted, distract his attention with rustling crumpled paper, a ball with a rattle, or a long thin twig with a couple of leaves. Your pet will eagerly rush in pursuit of a new toy, forgetting about your limbs. If this doesn’t help, say loudly, confidently, sharply: “You can’t!” and reinforce the prohibition with a loud clap on a hard object - a table or book.
For some kittens, one or two reminders are enough, others begin to understand the prohibition later.
By the hands
Who is guilty
The most common reason for a kitten biting your hands may be that it is separated from its mother too early. A mother cat conveys to her growing offspring the information that the owner is an object worthy of respect: he feeds, cares for and warms, consoles if the pet is sad, and gladly joins in the game if you want to have fun. Some cats trust a person so much that they literally hand the children into his hands - they drag them onto his lap, sit next to him, and for the next one or two months the owner turns into a nanny. Kittens raised in such conditions will never show aggression towards humans. Even if they grab your hand while playing, the claws will not be released.
It’s a completely different matter if a kitten less than two months old comes into the house. A particularly difficult case is when the baby grew up on the street or with owners who perceive the cat as a tool for catching rodents: they keep it on the street and do not even give it a name. It can be extremely difficult to tame such kittens, because humans are their enemy. It will take all your gentleness and a lot of patience before the baby stops hiding under the sofa when you appear and defending himself from the hand that is trying to pet him.
Another important point: not all cats like to be petted. For many, it is enough to sit next to them, purring peacefully and looking with adoration at their beloved owner. Well, that's their right.
Often, scratching and biting your hands is a signal that the kitten is unpleasant about your actions. Animals aren't the only ones who can lose themselves while playing. Often the person himself pats the cat and grabs it by the face. In this case, I would like to advise you to imagine that you yourself are grabbed by the face. It is unlikely that you will be pleased. Such a gesture will provoke aggression in anyone in 100% of cases! Kittens especially don't like having their tummy rubbed. Aggression in response to such behavior is just an instinct of self-preservation. The abdominal cavity is the most vulnerable place in all representatives of the cat family; damage to it threatens the animal’s death. Therefore, the kitten, scratching and biting your hand with all its might, is simply defending itself.
Sometimes we can accidentally hurt our pet. Excessively active stroking, especially against the fur, rough (in the cat’s opinion) touch – all this forces the small predator to defend itself. It also happens that a kitten is in pain, and you made it even worse with a careless gesture.
Bad habits of a cat
It often happens that the owners themselves provoke the Sphynx kitten into aggressive play (games with hands as a “wrestling partner”) and encourage play aggression (with gentle persuasion that “this is not possible, honey,” screams or even punishments that some cats perceived as a game). If a kitten climbs up your leg, then, as a rule, it is enough to splash water on it a couple of times so that it stops considering your limb to be an excellent tree.
The Canadian Sphynx marks next to the tray, sits in the tray and pees past, or in inappropriate places.
A sudden change in posture or location of urination/defecation may indicate the onset of health problems, or be caused by an unsuitable tray, filler, or inconvenient place for the tray.
The Canadian Sphynx scatters litter.
This behavior is natural; a cat is a very clean animal and buries feces and urine in the wild too (sometimes the exception is marks that are left in sight to intimidate rivals). As a rule, for correction it is enough to purchase a tray-house, or a tray with high sides curved inwards, which will prevent the filler from spilling out when “digging up”.
The Canadian Sphynx plays with misplaced objects, “hides” them under furniture, spoils them, and tears them.
Even the most intelligent and intelligent cat is still a naive animal and does not understand much of the difference between a special mouse and the owner’s favorite hairpin made of exactly the same fur. To protect your belongings from home hunters, the best way to hide them is to hide them. As an alternative, you can use strong-smelling aromatic oils (cats especially do not like citrus smells), special repellent sprays or perfumes.
The Canadian Sphynx "buries" the bowl after eating.
This element of behavior is also dictated by the instinct of a predator. Burying the remains of a feast is dictated by necessity - the aroma of leftovers can attract other predators, and they themselves can serve as a source of pathogenic bacteria. If your pet's innate caution bothers you greatly, you can remove the food bowl immediately after the meal and the problem will be solved.
The Canadian Sphynx wakes you up in the morning with a loud meow.
The cat meows in the middle of the night, begins to play, rush around, and make noise at night. This problem can occur for many reasons. As a rule, this is unconscious encouragement on the part of the owner (feeding the cat that woke up the owner, playing or petting). Cats with a lack of motor activity tend to run around at night. Depending on the cause, behavior correction will be different - eliminating reinforcement of unwanted behavior, increasing active games and physical activity.
Many cats proudly prefer running water, often because they are also attracted to it as an interesting bubbling toy. You can try offering your cat several drinking bowls in different places in the apartment or a special drinking fountain. Often cats do not want to drink near the place where they eat, and they may look more favorably at the same bowl of water standing on the windowsill in another room.
The Canadian Sphynx walks in the wrong places (kitchen table, sink, windowsill, etc.).
The passion for conquering heights is in the blood of cats, however, they, as a rule, climb onto the table, into the sink, onto the windowsill for very specific prey - for food, interesting flowers, “toys”. To make these surfaces unattractive to the cat, carefully remove all food so as not to give the cat a “reward” for taking the height of the table. The sink can even be dangerous for the cat, because... Due to an imperfect sense of smell, they may drink water with detergent. To create unpleasant associations in your cat regarding these hot spots, place a light tray on the edge of the table, lined with light, rattling metal dishes so that the cat will jump up and knock it over. This will create in the cat the opinion that it is better not to approach this dangerous place unless absolutely necessary. If you don’t mind, the window sill can be covered with double-sided tape, which most cats don’t like. Experiment!
The Canadian Sphynx begs and steals food from the table.
In most cases, this behavior is the result of a systematic reinforcement of begging and petty theft on the part of the owners. If, after looking into these suffering, incredibly hungry eyes, you gave in and gave the cat half of your cutlet, you should know that you gave her the first lesson in manipulating people. After some time, cats understand that the source of all the good things in the kitchen is the table and refrigerator, and the power of expressive eyes can be replaced by the dexterity of their paws. Remove food from the table and stove as soon as you have dined or finished cooking, and place the familiar tray with rattling dishes on the edge of the table/stove.
Unfortunately, this is not only not a bad habit and not even a behavioral problem - it is one of the dangers that awaits a cat when kept at home. In addition to the obvious attractiveness of these dangerous toys for a cat, there is an anatomical feature - the papillae on the cat's tongue are directed towards the pharynx, which prevents the swallowed object from being spit out. As a result, swallowed objects can lead to serious consequences, including the death of the animal. The best tactic if your cat likes to “play with the vacuum cleaner” is to exclude any possibility of eating dangerous objects - tell all family members that the cat is more valuable to you than the temporary beauty of your home and remove/hide the dangerous objects.
The Canadian Sphynx suddenly begins to bite and scratch when she sits on her lap and is petted.
Some animals may exhibit this behavior. One of the explanations you can often find in the literature is that a cat simultaneously enjoys stroking, and at the same time, the centuries-old experience of generations of cats tells it of danger. The cat tolerates touch and when it becomes too much of an irritant for it, it abruptly breaks off contact and tries to relieve stress using available methods - it licks itself, runs away nervously, and can bite or scratch the owner. If your pet is prone to this behavior, do not pick him up unless he asks for affection. If you notice increasing tension while stroking, stop stroking and carefully stand up (without removing the cat from your lap with your hands). She will be forced to jump off herself, and the conflict will end before it even begins.
Aggressive reaction of the Canadian Sphynx to other animals, children, elderly people, guests.
The aggression that cats can exhibit is as varied in reasons and manifestations as their personalities. The most common causes are cruelty and violence from children and other family members. In relation to other animals, a cat can show aggression associated with status, defense of territory, offspring, and jealousy. If aggression appears to be unmotivated, in your opinion, isolate the cat in a separate room so that it calms down. Do not try to comfort or pet the cat - this will only frighten it more. If the cat behaves calmly, try to behave as if nothing happened.
The Canadian Sphynx sharpens its claws on furniture, ruins curtains and wallpaper. A cat needs to constantly renew its claws to maintain their healthy condition, so as soon as you get a cat, provide it with a good scratching post and spend time teaching the cat to use this “manicure equipment.”
The Canadian Sphynx does not understand the word “impossible”.
You can teach a cat this! When a cat acts undesirably, always say “no” before punishing it (it is advisable to choose the nastiest, harshest, but not loud voice you can imagine). The punishment must be adequate - violence must not be used, otherwise you can easily lose the cat’s trust for a long time. As a rule, in case of unwanted actions, it is enough to sharply hiss at the cat, grabbing it by the withers, or spray water at it from a spray bottle.
Cowardice, timidity - the Canadian Sphynx hides from loud sounds, music, guests, is frightened by new furniture and other objects.
Loud sounds and sudden movements, new objects, unfamiliar people for many animals mean danger and cause retaliatory aggression or a desire to hide. It is best not to insist on contact, but to isolate the cat during frightening events. A particularly timid and nervous cat must be handled with care, showing patience and tact - if you achieve obedience with affection and attention, you will gain a true friend, but if you force the cat to be in the company of people or objects that frighten it, you can only achieve even more strong fright.
In fact, most of the above “bad habits” are elements of the natural, natural behavior of any cat and in the wild they are justified, and when kept at home they sometimes help the cat cope with nervous tension that accumulates due to a lack of emotional diversity and physical activity. The main thing to remember when starting to correct problematic behavior is that the cat is not acting out of spite for you and is not trying to take revenge for past grievances, it simply acts as an animal should.
Raising a cat is more effective the more peaceful and tolerant the owner is, so remember - everything is in your hands!
Having a cat in the house is like bringing a rainbow into the house and riding on it - furry pets bring so much joy to people. Communicating with the little family pet will be a joy for everyone, but very quickly the tiny miracle will turn out to be a biting and scratching monster.
Bites and scratches from a small kitten do not frighten, but rather amuse, but the older the cat gets, the more problems such wounds can cause. In this case, the fault lies not with the cat, but with its owner, who did not act in time to raise his own pet with due responsibility. It is possible and necessary to stop a cat from biting - bites and scratches are fraught with infection of open wounds, so condoning this behavior is the same as inviting all the viruses and bacteria directly into the body.
The sooner the educational process begins, the easier it will be to achieve the desired result.
What to do
If your pet is showing unreasonable aggression, take him to an experienced veterinarian. A detailed examination will help determine whether everything is in order with the baby’s health. He may need urgent treatment.
If the kitten is healthy, then the reason is improper upbringing. The best cure for the remnants of a difficult childhood is love and care. Talk to the kitten in a calm, friendly tone, and do not try to pet him unless he asks. Use as toys something that will bring joy to the baby, but will keep him at a distance: a piece of paper on a string, a fur “mouse”, a pair of woolen socks rolled into a ball.
At night
Surely many people know this joke:
“As a child, it seemed to me that at night, if you dangled an arm or leg from the bed, it would immediately be grabbed by a monster lurking there... I grew up and got a cat. The nightmare has materialized."
In fact, night attacks on hosts are rare. This is how small kittens behave, with a well-developed hunting instinct.
If you do not want to become the “prey” of a mustachioed miscreant, stock up on a spray bottle of water or a rolled-up newspaper. As soon as the attack occurs, spray the “hunter” with water or slap him with a newspaper. The most important thing is not to scream in fear if the kitten grabs you by a protruding part of your body. Soon the baby will understand that crime inevitably follows punishment, and will stop attacking you at night.
In general, to prevent night attacks, send the kitten to sleep in another room. This will not only give you the opportunity to rest normally and move around the apartment without the risk of being bitten, but will also create conditions for your pet to sleep soundly. Place an old chair covered with a blanket or a warm bed, a tray and a bowl of water in the cat's bedroom. For the first day or two, your pet may protest, moaning pitifully under the door. Be strong! Very soon the kitten will go on vacation on its own at the right time, and the recent problem can be forgotten.
Methods for adult cats
Animal psychologists practice an integrated approach. Remove factors that irritate cats and create a comfort zone. Don't tease the cat. Avoid sudden movements and sounds in the presence of a cat so that its hunting instinct does not turn on.
It is easier to educate if the rules include conditional punishments. For example, punish for every bite. This way the cat will develop an association: a bite is a punishment. If one bite is punished and another goes unnoticed, the cat will continue to act out. Use a sharp sound or water as punishment. There must be a minimum gap between punishment and misconduct. The cat will develop an association between the bite and the immediate sharp pop or spray of water from a spray bottle. If a British cat tries to bite, you must immediately spray it, loudly adding: “You can’t.”
For your feet
To be fair, it is worth noting that human legs are much less likely to be attacked by pets than arms. Most cats ignore them, even if their tail is accidentally stepped on. Maximum - they will scream heart-rendingly and clap their paws. But there are such irreconcilable enemies of the master’s feet who cannot calmly see them - they immediately go into battle. Why does this happen?
There may be several reasons, but the main ones are boredom or irritation.
If your kitten attacks you because he's bored, get a laser pointer. When you see suspicious movement behind the curtain, point the pointer beam in front of you. The little robber will chase the bright dot and the path will be clear.
Have you noticed that your pet most often bites your leg in the kitchen? This is no accident. You are cooking something, rattling pots, constantly moving, but not paying any attention to him. How can you not get angry? If the kitten is a convinced silent person, then he demands a tasty piece.
An attack on the legs is always a demand for attention to oneself and one’s needs. When they are satisfied, the need to attack will disappear.
Who's the boss in the house?
Owners of cats often note that there is no authority or hierarchy for their pets. Indeed, they consider themselves masters of people. Such self-sufficiency and independence is the nature of cats! But you can learn to coexist harmoniously with these furry beauties, letting them know who’s boss in the house.
It is worth noting right away that this technique does not work if we are talking about adult cats; they are already independent enough to not pay attention to such a trifle as the significance and authority of a person.
The essence of the technique is to replace the child with his mother, who should teach him everything. Cats have their own pedagogical language in which they communicate with their offspring. And this cat language, which is very important, is understood by kittens.
Cats punish their babies for misbehavior and unacceptable behavior in three ways:
- They can lightly spank the baby with their paw;
- can be grabbed by the scruff of the neck near the withers;
- and can simply be carried away from the scene of the incident and petted to distract.
All three of these methods can be used to accurately educate a kitten yourself, preventing cases of negative behavior.
Advice from our readers
Marina
“When my kitten bit my hand while playing, I strictly told him: “You can’t!” – and clapped him a couple of times below the back. He was offended, “didn’t talk” for a long time, but he unlearned biting. Now this is the calmest cat I know.”
Oleg
“As a child, my cat loved to grab my hand with his claws and teeth. I didn’t twitch, but when he tried to bite harder, I started screaming loudly. I immediately let it go, but over time I completely forgot about it.”
Valentine
“I remember how a six-month-old cat taken from the street chased my mother around the living room. Bite with precision, throw - and you're in a trap. The only thing that helped was spraying the tail with cologne. Two or three days of fragrance - and she never attacked again, but lived with us for 20 years.”
Kirill
“Kittens really don’t like to be teased. Some get offended, and future alpha males fight back. Make it a rule to never tease kittens - you’ll avoid a lot of problems and save on green stuff.”
Ksenia
“I always keep several balls made of different materials in stock. As soon as the kitten gets playful, I throw a new toy.”
Makar
“I noticed that many kittens start biting and scratching if they are hungry or thirsty. This is especially true for water. Make sure there is water in the saucer, then there will be fewer scratches on your hands.”
Ruslana
“For a long time, my cat perceived me as a mouse: as soon as I made a sudden movement, she immediately attacked. I tried to move slowly and smoothly with her. Of course, things happened, but by the time I was a year old I had completely outgrown this habit.”
Olga
“As soon as my butuz starts acting up, I throw a woolen scarf over it. It immediately calms down and then doesn’t attack for another day or two.”
Zhanna
“I found an original remedy for cat scratches – my daughter’s rattle. As soon as it jumps on my hand, it starts to rattle. It bounces back instantly.”
Victor
“My Scotsman looked so cute and cuddly as a child that everyone wanted to cuddle him. He endured for a long time, became furious, after which everyone got it. I searched the Internet for everything about this breed and found out that they don’t like being petted too much. Explained to the family. Fortunately, they understood and fell behind. Now, when the cat wants to be petted, he puts his head under his arm.
Conclusion: if you want to have the perfect pet, study the breed.”
Cats so often bite their owners' hands, scratch their fingers when playing and attack their legs from under the table that this is not perceived as a deviation from normal behavior. People perceive these pranks as a manifestation of the nature of a predator, so they do not think about the need to eradicate this bad habit from their pets. Why do cats throw themselves at their legs and arms and how to stop them from doing so?
Development of reflexes
Cats, like all other animals, are very easy to train if you use it wisely, that is, develop conditioned reflexes. Breeders benefit from the highly developed intelligence of these animals. Of course, unlike dogs, cats do not grasp the cause-and-effect relationship so quickly, but you can work with natural mechanisms.
Many breeders use one fairly humane method of raising mischievous kittens. In order to wean the kitten from unwanted actions, you need to spray water from a spray bottle every time he performs them.
Since cats for the most part do not like water, in 10-20 repetitions you can discourage the kitten from, for example, gnawing wires or biting.
But you should not use this method for kittens under four months of age. Their brains are not yet mature for such an educational process. And this will only cause unnecessary suffering to the animal. It will also make him even more restless due to stress.
Why does a cat bite when you pet him?
Many people wonder why cats bite their owners' legs, arms, face or other parts of the body. Furry couch potatoes can be aggressive towards their owners for several reasons.
The cat bites hands during games. Adult animals rarely play and bite during fun. This is typical for kittens. A kitten can chew on human skin, leaving deep scratches. The kitten's attention is focused on playing, and not on causing harm to the owner. The kitten bites slightly.
Discontent. If a cat bites your legs, you need to understand what the person could have done that was wrong or offensive to him. For example, when a cat rushed to its feet and the owner stepped on the animal’s paw or tail. Often a domestic cat attacks because the owner made a sharp sound.
Veterinarians identify pain syndrome as a separate cause. A cat bites the hands or other parts of a person’s body due to injury or diseases that cause pain in certain parts of the body. It is possible to identify the true cause and deal with the problem only after an examination.
Cats' behavior changes when their teeth change. This period occurs differently in different breeds. This period begins at 3 months and lasts until 8 months of age. This is the average range of teeth changes in outbred cats.
Lack of attention or improper care of the kitten. A pet may attack and bite its owner due to lack of attention. Often at such moments the cat bites when you pet it. The pet can purr, meow, hold your hand, first lick, and then bite and scratch. This way the kitten attracts attention.
If everything is fine with your pet, his health is normal and he gets enough attention, it may seem that the cat is biting for no reason. However, the pet will not do this just like that. If the owner smells like another animal, the kitten may become aggressive. The kitten may scratch the face and bite the nose.
Now you know why a cat lunges and bites. When the cause is established, you can try to wean your pet from displaying aggression.
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.
How to stop a kitten from biting and scratching
To prevent injury to yourself and your household, you need to know how to stop a kitten from scratching. If a cat bites and scratches during play, attacks hands, grabs legs, the pet plays like this and does not understand that it is hurting the owner.
In this case, it is necessary to remove body parts from the teeth and claws of the pet and switch his attention to other objects that are involved in the game. Such upbringing bears fruit if a small kitten cannot scratch a person. The baby will understand that parts of the human body are not a toy and cannot be touched.
Why does a kitten scratch and bite?
The question of what to do if a kitten bites and scratches is asked by both experienced cat owners and those who decided to have a pet for the first time. Before reacting to a kitten’s cocky habits, it’s worth analyzing its behavior, the habits of family members, and possibly frequent guests. It happens that a cat bites hard because it doesn’t feel well, and its depressed state often finds expression in aggression towards others. An aggressive reaction may be revenge for shouting and swearing. Cats love silence and a calm atmosphere at home. Scratching does not mean that someone in the family is scolding the pet.
The kitten bites and gets angry even because someone is making noise in the apartment or people are quarreling. Therefore, if the family speaks in a raised voice, most likely, it will be the loudest member of the family who will be the object of the kitten’s aggression.
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Cats are patient, but can flare up and start gnawing, biting and scratching if they are not noticed. Therefore, when a kitten follows the owner with its tail, meows, looks into the eyes, asks to be held or offers to play, and then suddenly starts scratching, biting or gnawing on hands, the owner must show attention and at the same time make it clear to the pet that this is how to behave. it is forbidden.
A game
Hunting is a common occurrence in the wild for felines. For example, you can consider the way tigers hunt in the wild. They stalk, catch up, and suddenly attack a prey that can significantly exceed them in size and strength. Tightly grasping the victim with its front paws, they grab the scruff of the neck with their teeth, and with their hind paws they deliver sharp and strong blows, knocking them down. Unlike their counterparts, domestic cats do not need to get food on their own. The owner takes care of the pet, gives food, changes the tray, and provides the cat with everything necessary. But this is exactly how the basic natural instincts of cats are suppressed, and this inevitably affects the pet’s behavior. A domestic cat bites while being carried away by play, simulating hunting.
For example, it can track down a toy, rush at it, then carry the “prey” in its teeth for a long time, bite, roll with it and let go again. Hunting habits cannot be exterminated. The owner should not stop the cat from playing with objects. But the hunting instinct must be within certain limits and not affect family members. Jumping on people's backs from cabinets or playing with legs or arms is unacceptable.
The natural need of a getter prompts a cat, hiding in a secluded place, to carefully observe the actions of a potential victim, and then suddenly rush at it, biting or scratching. Overexcitement while playing with people is the most common reason why a kitten will bite and scratch. The kitten's playing with its legs or jumping on its shoulders amuses and causes affection at first. But later, when the pet grows up, the blows and bites will be very noticeable and can result in serious injuries. If this behavior is not stopped in time, it will become a rule and it will be extremely difficult to wean your pet. Moreover, even careful attempts to calm will cause resentment and an active attack in response.
If the prey twitches and tries to escape, the cat rushes at it, becoming more reckless. If a cat bites and the owner abruptly removes his legs or arms, the pet’s instinct kicks in and he begins to rush at the owner with renewed vigor. This nuance of behavior must be taken into account when stopping the game. The owner must accept this prank without fear or anger, do not run away, do not move his legs, do not pull out his arms. The calm behavior of the victim will surprise the pet, since it neutralizes the hunting instinct.
However, such behavior cannot be left unpunished.
Well-being
One of the most common causes of animal aggression is the owner’s touching the cat’s “forbidden places.” For example, in the area of the tail or belly, although it is easier to say where the cat allows itself to be stroked. The tail or belly are constantly vulnerable places, and the understanding of danger has been fixed for many centuries at the level of instincts. Sudden aggression in response to touching them is a normal reflex reaction of a pet. Over time, the cat may begin to trust and begin to expose its stomach. But even in those moments, you should expect light blows with “soft” paws.
Veterinarians name several main reasons that cause irritation in pets:
- a cat disease that causes it to be aggressive. The owner should pay attention to the presence of symptoms such as loss of appetite, pain when touched, difficulty urinating or the appearance of discharge;
- The change of teeth in kittens lasts a short period. At this time, the kitten becomes especially biting. It is worth buying toys or treats that can be chewed for a long time;
- A cat's fatigue manifests itself in the fact that it is capricious and does not want to be touched. By biting, the cat makes it clear that it is not time to pet or pick up;
- Hormonal changes always affect a cat's mood, increasing irritability. The most common factors are pregnancy or breastfeeding. Sometimes sudden aggression indicates that the cat is pregnant.
If the reason for biting behavior lies in the well-being of the pet, then scolding it is pointless. You need to take the animal to a veterinarian, who will examine and identify the real cause of the irritability.
Behavioral reasons
Cats are mysterious and capricious creatures, sometimes so contradictory that it is not easy to understand their motivation. There are no universal recipes for how to stop kittens from biting and scratching from childhood. These are such individual manifestations that we can talk about general recommendations: what is welcome and what should not be allowed.
At first glance, an aggressive Briton may in fact simply lack a sense of security. Sensing danger, the pet hisses, arches its back and tail and, as a rule, runs away and hides. But if he has nowhere to run or is inflamed by his own fear, then he can expect an attack. The causes of fear can be very different: for example, a sharp sound, smell, movement. Sudden aggression can be triggered by the behavior of another pet or a stranger. Aggression in cats is part of adaptation. Thus, most cats are extremely sensitive to any move and unfamiliar surroundings. Even rearranging the furniture in the apartment can greatly irritate your pet. The cat just needs to be left alone and given time to get acquainted with the new environment; soon the understanding will come that the changes are not dangerous and do not pose a threat.
Competition is also a common cause of aggression in cats. The cause of the nervous state may be local cats that walk along the eaves or walk under the windows. Unable to drive away strangers, the cat begins to bite and can even attack nearby family members. The solution is to block the pet’s access to the windowsill. But if the reason is another pet living at home, then the task becomes more complicated. The territory becomes a battlefield, and it goes to both people and cats.
The cat scratches due to lack of personal space. If your pet doesn't have his own corner where he feels safe, he may become stressed and lash out. But a cat can also defend its territory: a part of the apartment that it considers its own can be protected from family members. If someone tries to force a cat out of a favorite place, the response will be aggression: in defense, the cat scratches.
Protection is more often caused by mistakes in upbringing, when the kitten was allowed to feel like the center of the house, and unacceptable behavior was encouraged by family members. Educational mistakes are a common factor that makes it difficult to wean a kitten from scratching and biting. The mother cat stops the ugly behavior of the kittens. When a kitten is taken away from its mother too early, the owner takes over the upbringing. In fact, the opposite happens: the family spoils the child, allowing him to dominate and bully. As a result, the kitten bites and attacks all the time. It becomes more and more difficult to wean off attacking, biting and scratching. The matter may go so far that the help of an animal psychologist is required.
Aggressive behavior in some breeds, for example, in the British, is inherited. There is an expression “a cat has a Scottish character.” Sometimes it’s scary to pet such a handsome guy! Breeders cull individuals with increased aggressiveness. If a kitten is picked up on the street, its behavior is unpredictable. The kitten may bite, hiss, be afraid, or hide. Or he may turn out to be affectionate and grateful for comfort and food.
The most difficult group of reasons to resolve is aggressive behavior associated with the psychological characteristics of a particular cat. This is expressed in the manifestation of strong dominance, revenge, and constant night activity. The reasons may be the specifics of the breed, and the psychological trauma of the pet due to poor breeding.
