Q: What to do when our cat bites a lot?

A: Aggressive behavior toward people is very common in cats. Biting is usually play-motivated or part of a “don’t pet me anymore” behavior complex. Cat owners whose cats have “playful” aggression describe their cats as turning vicious during the act of play. Play often resembles predator activity with stalking, pouncing, hit-and-run attacks, etc. It is common for these cats to exhibit aggression when the owner gets out of bed, comes around a corner or is playing with the cat when suddenly a bite will be directed toward a hand rather than a toy. This can usually be easily dealt with by providing opportunities for your cat to stalk, pounce, carry objects in its mouth, bat and swat with appropriate toys. NEVER allow playful behavior (batting, swatting, etc) directed toward hands or any other body parts. If the behavior is already established, you may need to learn more about “time outs” or even a squirt of water to discourage inappropriate play aggression. You may have to consult a behavior specialist if the problem is more severe.

The other form of aggression to watch for is the “don’t pet me anymore” aggression. This usually occurs when the cat is being pet and suddenly turns and bites. If this sounds like your cat, you have to learn to read your cats cues. Most cats give some warning like ear flicking, tail swishing or thumping, skin rippling or quick head movements that are indicators that they do not wish to be pet anymore. Learning to read their body language can avoid most of these attacks.

Hope this helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

This entry was posted on Monday, September 14th, 2009 at 10:00 am and is filed under Ask a Vet, Dr Donna Spector, Pet obesity. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.