Allowing a cat, regardless of age, to bite as much as they choose might result in more unpleasant bites for the owner. Cats can be trained to utilize soft, non-claw paws and to reduce the force of their bites. Your cat can still nip at you, play-smack you with a soft paw, and engage in other kitty-appropriate play without inflicting any injuries. We’ll show you exactly how to stop your cat from biting.
Cats can bite for many different causes. Adult cats bite to show dominance, ward off threats, or get attention. It’s natural for kittens to bite, chew, and paw items as they investigate their environment. Although a kitten’s bite could be amusing, an adult cat’s bite can be uncomfortable.
How to Stop Your Cat From Biting
There are certain methods you can attempt, even if you can’t guarantee your cat won’t bite again. Your approach will probably need to be customized based on your cat’s age (older cats respond differently than kittens) and the cause of the bite (dominance assertion versus communication).
1. Consistency is Key
To effectively stop your cat from biting, make sure everyone in the family and any guests follow the same rules, and maintain consistency in your responses. It will be more difficult for you to put your instruction into practice if the cat receives conflicting signals.
2. Hands Are Not Toys
Never play with your bare hands, fingers, or toes with your kitten or cat. It should be drilled into every cat that hands are not toys. You’re encouraging a harmful habit if you use your hands as toys.
3. Give Plenty of Toys
Give the cat a suitable interactive toy to chew on. A lot of cats enjoy stuffed animals. So that your cat doesn’t become bored, there should be a variety of toys available (at least three). By rewarding proper play behavior with appropriate materials, toys that dispense rewards are a terrific way to keep their environment interesting and promote appropriate play behavior.
4. Teach Commands
Keep saying “Good paws” or “Good mouth” to your cat if it has soft paws (claws removed) or a soft mouth. Make a noise and take your hand away to stop the games if the claws come out or the mouthing hurts, exactly like a different cat or kitten would. Instead of using this as a punishment, use it as a diversion to halt the behavior.
5. Teach to Release
In order to get your cat to release you if it bites you and won’t let go, clench your teeth and move your hand and arm closer to the bite. When you resist the bite, it becomes more motivated to bite. Your cat won’t learn the difference between scratching your jeans and scratching your bare legs if you don’t treat your clothing like an extension of your flesh and make it off-limits.
6. Substitute the Behavior
Develop substitute behavior in order to stop your cat from biting. For instance, teach your cat to sit and praise him for it if he jumps up and attacks your feet as you enter a room. He will then want to sit down to receive a reward when you enter a room. By combining a reward, such as food, and a click from a clicker, you may clicker train. Your cat will eventually come to associate the click with the reward, making food treats unnecessary.
7. Never Punish
Avoid using physical punishment on cats since it will simply make them more agitated and likely to defend themselves or indulge in violent play.
8. Use Classic Training
Although classic training technique might take a while, they’re very effective at changing behavior in cats. You can teach your cat to sit, come and be comfortable around carriers. Why not train them how to not bite?
Get started with our guide on how to train a cat.
How to Treat a Cat Bite
Both you and other animals are at risk from cat bites. They need to be treated very away since they can result in dangerous infections. Visit a doctor as soon as possible if a cat bit you. Up to 75% of cat bites carry pathogenic germs, such as Pasteurella, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus species, into the body. Cat bites can potentially spread cat scratch fever, which is caused by the Bartonella henselae bacteria.
Infection symptoms can appear within a few hours, and hands, joints, and tendons are especially vulnerable. If a cat bites you, act right away:
- Pressing on the wound will force the bacteria from the cat bite out. This may result in further bleeding, but it will also aid in driving the bacteria from the body.
- Wash the wound with soap and water thoroughly. To clean the wound, use a fresh cloth.
- Visit a physician, who will probably inspect and rewash the wound. If your tetanus shot is outdated, she may also give you an antibiotic prescription, suture the wound if necessary, and give you a booster shot for tetanus.
Follow the doctor’s instructions for aftercare and keep the wound area tidy. If you see any infection-related symptoms, such as redness, leaking, swelling, pain, or fever, call your doctor again very soon.
Why Do Cats Bite?
To stop the biting, it’s crucial to recognize that cats and kittens may bite for quite varied causes. An adult cat may bite for a different reason than a kitten, who typically bites due to socializing problems.
Through interactions with their mother and other kittens, kittens learn appropriate behavior; other cats won’t tolerate being harmed. These crucial lessons must be taught to kittens by their owners because they frequently move to other homes before learning them. Cat-speak explanations that mimic a mother’s would be necessary for kittens to understand that their fangs and claws hurt.
As soon as you have your kitten or cat, start training them. The best lessons are imparted to kittens by a socialized adult cat who is familiar with the conventions of cat play. Additionally, kittens may bite to express a desire, investigate their surroundings, or get their teeth cleaned. Adult cats may bite for several reasons, including:
- It could be done to show off or react to a threat. This might be the situation if a cat bites and doesn’t retract.
- Some cats will bite humans or other animals to stop them from doing something they don’t want them to, especially if it has worked in the past. For instance, if they had previously bitten while having their nails clipped and the clipping stopped, they might have discovered that it is a useful technique.
- Some cats will bite to communicate or to get attention. They bite instead of meowing. This could be the cause if a cat nips you and then tries to lead you to something, like playing with a toy.
How to Treat a Cat Bite
Both you and other animals are at risk from cat bites. They need to be treated very away since they can result in dangerous infections. Visit a doctor as soon as possible if a cat bit you. Up to 75% of cat bites carry pathogenic germs, such as Pasteurella, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus species, into the body. Cat bites can potentially spread cat scratch fever, which is caused by the Bartonella henselae bacteria.
Infection symptoms can appear within a few hours, and hands, joints, and tendons are especially vulnerable. If a cat bites you, act right away:
- Pressing on the wound will force the bacteria from the cat bite out. This may result in further bleeding, but it will also aid in driving the bacteria from the body.
- Wash the wound with soap and water thoroughly. To clean the wound, use a fresh cloth.
- Visit a physician, who will probably inspect and rewash the wound. If your tetanus shot is outdated, she may also give you an antibiotic prescription, suture the wound if necessary, and give you a booster shot for tetanus.
Follow the doctor’s instructions for aftercare and keep the wound area tidy. If you see any infection-related symptoms, such as redness, leaking, swelling, pain, or fever, call your doctor again very soon.
