Cats are stubborn creatures, they often use their sharp claws and teeth. The cause of bites and scratches is usually called aggression, but it's not always the anger of the pet. Everyone should find out why cats bite to get along with their moustached friend.
There are 10 reasons why cats bite. Consider the popular reasons why cats bite:
1. No early socialisation - it's normal for kittens to know their surroundings over 2-3 weeks of age. That is, the baby is not hidden from the guests who came to the house, is not taken to another room from a working washing machine, is not kept out of sight in one room;
2. Pain - cats cannot tell us how they feel about themselves. It happens that, for example, there is a small wound on the skin of the animal, which is invisible to the eyes of the owner under a fluffy fur coat;
3. Irritation - cats love touching and stroking, but in moderation. These are not animals that will enjoy hours of communication with the owner. Too long tactile contact will sooner or later start to piss off the cat. With a bite, the animal seems to say, "Master, stop ironing me! I want to be alone!
4. Trying to dominate, stubbornness - some cats have a strong, leadership character. They can bite their owners for nothing to show who is in charge of the house. For example, an overburdened kitty can easily bite a person passing by or attack him during a rest period;
5. The animal protects its offspring - a mother cat who has already had her kittens or is still carrying them may bite her owner's hands when she tries to stroke her favorite cat's stomach. By the way, in order to avoid harm to the babies, nursing cats often bite their owners when they take the blind kittens into their hands;
6. Kittens bite when their teeth are cut - when children's teeth are cut, their mouths are actually full of bad things (TV remote control, cream tubes, slippers, etc.), and babies pull their own fingers into their mouths. Kittens are not far from human cubs, so they also try to chew on the owner's fingers to make them itchy and uncomfortable in the gums for a while;
7. The hard memories of the past, which is a sin to conceal, are not all people friendly to animals. Some people will prefer to kick an unhappy creature instead of stroking it gently. If a cat has ever been tortured, it is no surprise that she will be slapped by the outstretched human hand. That is, sometimes bites are a method of self-defense;
8. Excess sentiment is only the impression that the cat bites for no reason. In fact, a pet can bite its owner from strong love and affection. It happens that a cat bites when you pet or gently talk to her (i.e. when she is particularly close to you). In such situations, the cause of the bites is an overabundance of warm feelings;
9. Games - sometimes cats, overexcited by long noisy games with the owner, enter into a real rage: biting, loudly meowing, scratching, jumping around the room;
10. Revenge for a grievance - ideally, a cat should not be raised in voice, let alone beaten. But sometimes an exaggerated owner does not, no, and shouts at the cat who has nagged him, or even pierces the puddle on the floor with a muzzle. But cats are vindictive creatures, so they can bite or scratch their owners at an unexpected moment, and a person can forget about the previous conflict long ago;
How to wean a cat from biting?
What should I do if my cat bites? Maybe just turn a blind eye to your cat's unsightly behaviour? Of course, you shouldn't tolerate animal bites. Let's list some tricks that can help your cat wean off biting:
1. From an early age, a kitten should be accustomed to being a guest at home. Come people should treat the animal with maximum care, do not shout in front of it, do not miss it and do not throw it up;
2. From the very first days of the kitten's stay in the house, the baby should have its own toys (balls, mice, rods, which can be made with their own hands). But it is better not to play with the fingers of the owner. A kitten accustomed to playing with the owner's hands will not miss the opportunity to chew on his fingers;
3. Cats don't like sudden and loud noises. If the animal does bite, the owner needs to, for example, noticeably loudly bump his hand on the glass (table, wall), stomp on the floor. The noise effect should be repeated whenever the cat has teeth in motion;
4. If the cat likes to bite, communicating with the owner, it is possible to ignore the animal for some time after an ugly action within, say, 10-20 minutes, without answering its calls to play or requests for a treat;
5. As we have already agreed, cats don't like long bodily contact with their owners (although there are exceptions to this rule). In order not to be bitten, the owner needs to calculate the right amount of time to iron his cat without fear.