We all love our kittens for their cuteness and affectionate behavior. However, it can be quite frustrating when they get overly playful and bite us. If you’re a new cat owner or have recently adopted a kitten, you may be wondering, “Why does my kitten bite me?” While kitten biting is normal behavior, it’s important to understand why your kitten is biting and how to stop it to prevent injury and ensure a happy relationship with your fur baby. Here are the top reasons why your kitten bites you and tips on how to stop it.
Why Do Kittens Bite?
Kittens bite for various reasons. They could bite you just to be playful, to get your attention, or to signify that something is wrong. While a biting kitten may seem cute at first, it can quickly become painful once they chomp on you as a fully grown-up cat. So why do kittens bite? Here are the reasons.
- It’s A Natural Behavior in Predators
Biting is a natural behavior in predators, including cats. Kittens instinctively use their teeth on objects in their environment to learn how to hunt. They also stalk and bite their siblings while playing, and that’s just part of being a kitten. As they play with each other, they learn how hard of a bite is too hard and grow out of it in adulthood. However, sometimes kittens may bite too hard, which can be painful for their owners.
- To Learn About The World Around Them
Just like human babies, puppies, and infants of other animal species, kittens use their mouths to explore their surroundings and learn about new things around them. They like to gently bite (mouthing) new things they encounter to see how they feel and taste, so it’s just a natural and healthy habit. In fact, this is a major reason why kittens bite, so if you see your kitten biting random objects, you know that they’re just learning about their environment.
- To Seek Attention
Oftentimes, your kitten may act out and bite you to get your attention just like kids. Sometimes, you might find yourself watching TV one minute and suddenly have your kitten pouncing on and biting your foot the next. If you’re wondering “why does my kitten attack me?”, well, they might just be feeling a little bored or lonely. While you might find it cute and play along with your kitten, you’ll only be encouraging aggressive behavior if you do that, so it’s important to provide them a rich environment and play with them to burn their energy.
- Rough Playing
Kittens are naturally playful, and they may engage in rough play with their siblings and owners. They are predators, after all. In fact, rough playing is essential for kittens to learn boundaries as their mother and siblings will reprimand them if they bite too hard. Kittens start playing rough and biting at about 3 weeks old, and are the most rambunctious from 9 to 16 weeks old.
Single kittens that don’t have other cats to play with will often play more aggressively with their owners, especially if their human doesn’t reign in the biting. That’s why it’s always recommended to adopt a pair of kittens or already have another cat at home that your new kitten can play with.
- To Show Affection
You’ve probably had your cat or kitten suddenly nip your hand during a petting session and wondered “why is my kitten biting me?”. More often than not, it’s just a “love bite” to show you affection. Cat’s show affection to each other through grooming which occasionally is accompanied by some biting. So don’t worry if you kitten is giving you a love bite – just be prepared to let them know when the bite is too hard.
- Your Kitten Is Teething
Teething is always an uncomfortable experience for baby animals including kittens. Kittens usually start teething at around 3 to 4 weeks old which is when their baby teeth start growing. The discomfort from the teething will give them the urge to bite something, so if you notice your kitten biting everything at home, they might be teething. Giving them a chew toy will help them with their teething and save your furniture and fingers from getting chewed on.
- Your Kitten Might Feel Sick
Cats in general, including kittens may bite if they’re feeling sick, pain, stress, or when they just had enough of you messing around with them. If your kitten is acting weirdly and biting you more than usual, it’s a good idea to visit the veterinarian immediately. Besides biting, cats that feel sick will also usually be less active, be hiding in dark places, or sometimes give you verbal cues that they’re not feeling well.
Chaaru the calico cat loves to bite my hand. Don’t worry, she’s gentle.
How To Stop Kittens From Biting
To stop kittens from biting you, you need to provide alternatives that they can play with. Never hurt or scare your kitten with punishment as that might traumatize them or make them be more scared and aggressive. Here are things you can do to prevent your kitten from biting.
- Interrupt Them When They Bite
Right when your kitten bites you inappropriately, interrupt them by making a loud noise like a shout or firmly saying “No!”. You can also hiss like a mother cat would and your kitten will understand that you want them to stop. You can even let out a yelp as it would explain that the bite hurts and you don’t like it.
- Redirect Their Attention
If your kitten still wants to bite you, redirect their attention away from your fingers or toes onto a toy such as a chew toy, ball, or kicking toy. Do this every time your kitten bites you so they know what they can and can’t bite, and eventually, the biting incidents will go down tremendously.
- Provide Toys For Your Kitten
A lot of the time, kittens bite you because they just want to play. So make sure your kitten has enough toys that they can bite, kick, and chase around. A cat kicker toy is great for keeping your kitten occupied with play fighting, though you should also play with your kitten to bond with them and help them spend their energy.
- Don’t Play Along With Biting
If you don’t want to encourage biting and aggressive play, end the play session if your kitten gets too rough. Walk away or stop playing to teach your kitten that biting and being aggressive means play has to stop.
- Get Another Kitten
If your kitten is the only pet you have, they may develop a biting habit as there are no other cats to play with and learn from. Besides not being able to burn their energy playing with other cats, your kitten may also develop some behavioral issues such as being more aggressive, being overly attached to you, or having separation anxiety.
Contrary to popular belief, cats do enjoy interacting and playing with other cats and animals, especially if they’re kept at home 24/7. So, get your kitten a playmate to keep them stimulated and happy.
Biting is a normal behavior in kittens as it’s also how they play and learn about their environment so don’t be disheartened if you’re having a hard time getting your kitten to stop biting you. With positive reinforcement and consistent discipline, your kitten will learn how to interact with you and grow into a loving, well-behaved cat.