How to Train Your Cat to Stop Biting: 5 Reasons Behind It

Cats communicate a lot with us; we just need to understand their body language. Biting can convey both positive and negative messages.

As Samantha Bell, a cat expert, emphasizes, a cat doesn’t necessarily bite to harm you. In fact, there are heartwarming reasons behind it. As the expert points out, biting deserves attention in every case.

Cat bite: causes and explanations

Let’s go through the reasons behind the behavior and discuss how to train your cat if the gesture becomes bothersome.

1.) Love and overstimulation

Let’s start with one of the sweetest reasons that every owner surely appreciates: when a cat bites out of love. In such cases, the cat gently nibbles on your finger.

But before you melt from the cuteness, we need to cool down a bit because overstimulation is often the cause in this category. Your activity might be bothering the cat, but since it loves you, it communicates this gently. These bites are generally milder, more symbolic, and often begin with licking or nibbling.

It’s a polite way for your pet to ask you to stop what you’re doing, like excessive petting that overstimulates. Always respect its request!

Additional warning signs include turning ears outward, slow tail wagging, raised fur, and a quick turn of the head.

2.) Pain

The situation becomes more serious when the cat bites due to pain. This can happen if you accidentally touch a wounded body part. Since cats instinctively hide their injuries, or if they are sick, you might only notice a problem through this signal.

Hiding, a hunched body position, lethargy, and loss of appetite can also be indicators.

3.) Fear

Biting can also be a result if your cat feels threatened. Fear often leads to aggression in our domestic pets. This can happen even if they are cornered or not left alone despite their request (let’s go back a bit to the first point when they asked nicely).

Stray or feral cats might reach this point faster due to their experiences.

4.) Seeking attention

It’s also possible that your pet is trying to get your attention in this way.

5.) Playing

Teeth can also be flashed in the heat of play, especially if the cat is very excited. It happens among cats, and the owner may get an unexpected nip. This is the situation where you should start training and discourage biting.

How to get started?

It’s important to note that since it’s a natural behavior, you won’t be able to completely train your pet out of it. However, you can assess when to leave it alone and teach it to release energy differently during play. The steps are as follows:

1. Redirect: If your cat starts to nibble, give it something else to chew on, like a toy, and praise it when it starts playing with that.
2. Release tension: Sufficient exercise and mental stimulation are crucial for cats too. Play with them every day to help them release their energy.
3. Leave it be if it asks! As mentioned, you must consider the animal’s needs, and if it indicates that it’s had enough of something, then it really should end. It’s crucial never to punish or harm the cat for biting! Not only is it forbidden to abuse an animal, but it’s also an ineffective method and can worsen the situation.

If you have been bitten

If your cat bites you, it’s important to treat the wound immediately! Since a cat’s teeth are very sharp, they can introduce pathogens deep into the skin. Rinse the wound under running water; use soap and disinfect the injury! The risk is even greater if a stray cat has bitten you deeply, in which case, to prevent infection, you may need a tetanus shot and antibiotics. In any case, call your veterinarian and ask for assistance!