If you’ve ever wondered “Why does my cat bite me?”, you’re not alone. In fact, biting is a perfectly normal behavior in cats since they are still natural predators. That said, there are various different types of cat bites from painless, gentle nibbles to aggressive bites.
As biting is often a way for your cat to communicate how they feel, it’s important to pay attention to how and when your cat bites you. Let’s take a look at why do cats bite and how to prevent it.
Why Does My Cat Bite Me During Play?
As natural predators, cats play by stalking and fighting each other, which of course, usually involves biting. During play biting, your cat may grab your foot or hand with their paws and bite you, or even pounce on you. They might also attack objects such as your clothes and furniture. While play biting is most common in kittens, adult cats still have the urge to play-bite. This is especially true if they are fully indoor cats as they wouldn’t be able to spend their energy exploring the outdoors and catching small prey.
Although play biting is usually not painful, it can be a problem if your cat does it too often or bites too aggressively. To discourage your cat from play biting, you can shout when they bite you to show that it hurts. That said, it’s important to regularly play with your cat using toys such as wand and feather toys, lasers, or balls to allow your cat to expend some energy. You can also prepare some chew toys for your feline friend to play with.
Why Does My Cat Bite Me During Petting Or Stroking?
Petting your cat is an excellent way to bond with them but are you wondering ‘why does my cat bite me when I pet it?’. While cats love it when you stroke them, they can get uncomfortable if you stroke them for too long or touch them where they don’t like it. And this is when they might give you a little nip.
They’re not mad at you but are just letting you know that it’s time to stop. To avoid getting bitten during a petting session, pay attention to your cat’s body language. If they start to flick their tail or turn their ears backward or to the side, they may be getting irritated or uncomfortable.
Why Does My Cat Bite Me Gently?
Biting is a big part of being a cat and yes, sometimes they do bite you to tell you they love you. Along with grooming, cats learn during kittenhood that biting is a sign of affection. And, while cats feel perfectly fine when getting love bites from other cats, their bites might be too hard on the human skin. If your cat nibbles you too hard, just shout to let them know that it hurts.
Why Does My Kitten Bite Me?
Kittens bite for a wide range of reasons. They bite while playing, bonding, and when they start teething. Teething in kittens usually starts at around 10 weeks of age and lasts till they are six months old. To ease the discomfort caused by their growing teeth, kittens like to bite and chew on things including your fingers and toes.
To discourage unwanted biting during this time, don’t play games that may entice your kitten to chase and bite your hands or feet. Instead, prepare several kitten teething toys so your kitten can choose the one they like. If your kitten keeps biting you, redirect their attention to a toy so they can learn what they can and cannot bite.
Why Does My Cat Lick And Bite Me?
If you’ve wondered ‘why does my cat bite me while grooming me?’, then you should be happy! Cats only groom those closest to them as a sign of affection, and it’s also their way of cleaning and taking care of each other. While grooming, cats sometimes bite when they find matted hair and stubborn dirt that they can’t clean.
That being said, they also sometimes just bite you while grooming simply to show affection. Your cat might also lick and then bite you when trying to let you know that it’s playtime, though this is more commonly seen in kittens, especially when they’re in a playful mood.
Why Does My Cat Bite Me Aggressively?
As solitary predators, cats prefer to avoid conflict and usually lash out only if they feel threatened. If your cat bites or swipes at you aggressively, it’s a sign that they have an underlying problem that’s bothering them. This can range from anxiety to depression or even sickness. Here are examples of some environmental triggers that can cause your cat to attack you:
- When they feel their territory is threatened by newcomers such as a new cat or housemate.
- When there’s been a big change in their territory or when they move to a new place.
- Being ignored and isolated with little stimulation.
- When they are in pain from an injury or sickness. Cats rarely show that they are in pain and will often hide when they’re sick. So, if your cat suddenly isolates itself and attacks you when you come close, consider going to the vet.
Cats hate sudden changes to their environment and can often get anxious over it. If your cat attacks you when you try to feed or pet them, they could be feeling insecure and anxious over a change in their territory. When this happens, you can feed them treats and leave out some of their toys or pillows and blankets that have familiar scents to make them feel comfortable.
Remember, If your cat displays aggressive behavior, it’s best to identify what’s causing it so you can help them feel comfortable again.
Why Does My Cat Bite Me When I Sleep?
Have you asked yourself ‘why does my cat bite me in my sleep?’. Well, cats are crepuscular animals meaning they’re the most active at dawn and dusk. Some cats are also active at night especially if they get a lot of sleep during the day.
If your cat bites you while you sleep, it’s a sign that they’re bored and want some attention from you, or they might need something else like food. They could also be grooming you and bite you unintentionally.
To prevent this biting, avoid playing or cuddling with your cat when they bite you as this will reinforce the behavior. Instead, redirect their attention elsewhere and go back to sleep. You should also provide enough exercise earlier in the evening so your cat can be stimulated and burn their pent-up energy. However, if your cat keeps biting you no matter what you do, you need to keep them out of the bedroom and maintain that boundary.
Is A Cat Bite Dangerous?
If you wondering “why does my cat keep biting me?”, then you’ve probably wondered if a cat bite can hurt you. While it’s unlikely for a cat bite to cause you serious harm, your bite wound can get infected since cats can carry many types of bacteria in their mouth, especially if they’re unvaccinated.
In fact, a 2018 research paper found that the infection rate of cat bites in children is around 50 percent, which is fairly high. If you’re bitten by a cat and it punctures your skin, immediately wash the wound with soap and water, and sterilize it. If you notice symptoms such as redness or discoloration, inflammation, warmth, or swelling on or around the bite wound, it most likely is infected, and you should visit a doctor.
How To Stop Your Cat From Biting You
Your cat can bite you for a number of reasons and gentle, affectionate biting is often just your cat’s way of telling you they love you. However, they can sometimes get carried away and put too much force in their bite when they’re excited. To stop your cat from biting you, you need to reinforce in them that it’s not acceptable behavior and redirect their energy. Here are some tips you can follow:
- Give a firm, consistent response: Give a firm, loud “No” whenever your cat bites you and walk away from them. This will send a message that they are hurting you and that biting is unacceptable.
- Provide a chew toy: Giving your cat a chew toy such as a stuffed animal is a great way to keep your cat from getting bored. You can get a treat-dispensing toy and fill it with your cat’s favorite treats and also a kicking toy that your cat can bunny kick.
- Don’t treat your hands and feet as toys: Never let your kitten or cat play with your bare hands or feet. Having your kitten attack your hand might be cute and entertaining when they’re still little but they can hurt you when they grow up.
- Avoid negative reinforcement: Physical punishment or squirting your cat with water can increase their anxiety and may even cause them to fight back.
- Train replacement behavior: If your cat gets too excited and bites you, redirect them to a toy or teach them a trick and reward them for it. This will help them move away from wanting to bite you and look forward to doing other activities instead.
We hope this article has helped you understand some of the reasons why your cat would bite you, and how to prevent it. By paying attention to when and how your cat bites, you can figure out what the bite means and whether it’s something to worry about. Also, be consistent in dealing with the biting and you’ll surely have more bite-free quality time with your fur baby!!