One misconception I’ve learned about cat behavior is that they are moody and unpredictable. These generalizations were coming from a place of not understanding why my cat was biting me.
When she bit me, it hurt my feelings and made me feel withdrawn from her feelings. That’s why I sought to understand this seemingly unpredictable behavior and come to know that it is not so unpredictable after all.
You need to understand your cats’ behavior better so that you can identify why they are biting and teach them that it’s not okay. There are also tools and actions that you can do to train your cat to stop biting.
Understanding Your Cats’ Behavior
According to Purina, “There are many reasons why cats bite, and it’s important to understand what your cat is trying to communicate by biting. They may be trying to send a message or want you to stop doing something”.
There are three types of cat biting:
1. Playful Biting
This kind of biting is part of a cat’s normal behaving while playing, although you still want to discourage it. These bites come from their natural hunting instinct but also can come from boredom or even frustration. Cats taken away from their litter at a young age and don’t have other cats in the household express this kind of behavior more often.
2. Petting-Induced Aggression Biting
If you are petting your cat too much or too hard, they will let you know. When your cat exhibits this type of biting, it is without other signs of aggression, like hissing or clawing. PetMd says about playful biting, “The cat’s body language is usually fairly relaxed, although the cat may become slightly tense immediately prior to biting.”
3. Biting out of Aggression
This type of biting signifies that your cat is in fight mode and is the kind of biting you want to avoid the most. This behavior is threatening and harmful towards people and can be best identified by your cats’ body language.
Knowing the different types of biting your cat exhibits is the basis for knowing how to prevent it. Looking at your cat’s accompanying behavior can help in your quest to stop your cat from biting. Cats bite when they are fearful, stressed, or frustrated, along with being overstimulated, and understanding these behaviors will help you teach your cat to cooperate when unlearning biting.
How To Work With Your Cat to Stop Biting
Cats definitely have the capacity to unlearn behaviors; it just takes effort on your part to guide them through the process to stop biting. These five methods of training are going to help you get to that goal.
1. Reinforcing Good Behavior and Ignoring Bad Behavior
It should always be your practice to reward your kitty when they are exhibiting relaxed and tamed behavior. Praise your cat for playing gently by giving them plenty of affection or a treat.
Conversely, if your cat should actually nip you, ignore them, get up, and walk away. PetMD also says, “Never react negatively to cat biting. “The owner should never scruff, shake, spray, or frighten the cat in any way; this can cause the cat to respond with true and dangerous aggression.” When your cat has calmed down, you can join them again and reward them. This will teach that your attention is valuable.
2. Try Different Styles of Petting
It is important to have variety in the length of time and ways you pet your cat. You should also be aware of how much pressure you are using and take body language cues from your cat that it’s time to switch it up.
3. Cats Love Variety, Change Out Their Toys
Cat behaviorists all agree that cats require variety, and the best way to change it up is with their toys. If your cat is always playing with the same few toys and growing bored, buy them a pack of different ones; this will open their world to new play possibilities.
Turning your cats’ attention from petting to toys is also a good way to teach them that they play differently with their toys. If they show signs of aggression, put a toy in front of them and let them get out their angst.
4. Consider Making Your Cat an Indoor Cat
This lifestyle change is perhaps the most drastic of the five methods, but it can help your cats’ aggressive biting. Outdoor cats sometimes need to display territorial aggression to protect themselves against real-world threats. This territorial trait can come with your cat inside the home and become dangerous if they express themselves with outdoor aggression.
While indoor cats can still react aggressively under certain circumstances, having them indoors eliminates the possibility that outside territorial-type aggression will follow them indoors.
5. Invite Your Cat to Play Instead of Seeking Them Out
Trying to handle your cat while they are resting or eating. Instead, attempt to draw your cat out by calling their name or picking up a toy and enticing them. Your kitty will appreciate not being bothered and enjoy coming to you on their own terms.
Repetitive and unwanted contact can frustrate your cat and make them lash out with their teeth, so it is always best to let your cat come to you. It is also a rewarding feeling for any owner to have their feline come to them.
Conclusion
Cat biting is unacceptable behavior that requires attention and training to help your cat unlearn. You might even find in the process that it will bring you and your furry pal together. Understanding that when your cat bites you, they are trying to communicate is a great place to start. Furthermore, To stop your cat from biting, you need to understand and teach your cat when and why they exhibit that undesirable and potentially dangerous behavior.
Explore any of the five methods I have presented to help you and your furry pal communicate better and end any kind of biting.
