How To Stop Your Cat from Biting

Cats bite for many reasons. Some cats suddenly lash out and bite you out of the blue. Others give warning signals such as a lashing tail or a growling sound before biting. But biting can be dangerous. A cat's mouth harbors many bacteria which can cause a fairly severe infection. But before getting rid of your cat, there are some things you can do to limit biting.

1. Get your male cat neutered. Sometimes male cats are more aggressive than their female counterparts. By getting your male cat neutered, you will probably be cutting down on aggression problems.

2. Take your cat to the vet. If your cat is hurting, they may be aggressive with you, especially if you touch a painful part of their body. Cats try to hide it when they are sick or hurting for as long as they can. Your vet may be able to determine if something is medically wrong with your cat.
3. Don't pet your cat's belly. Many cats dislike having their bellies touched-it makes them feel defenseless. Many will respond by biting. However, you can try getting your cat used to having their belly petted by spending time with your cat and rewarding them for good behavior (see steps 7 and 8).
4. Some cats are overstimulated by petting and will suddenly lash out by biting. If your cat is one of these cats, pay attention to your cat's signals. If they stop purring, or their tail starts lashing, stop petting your cat.
5. Know your cat. Some cats don't like to be petted or held and will respond by biting. If you have one of those cats, don't pet them or try to hold them. Again, you can try to retrain them by spending time with your cat and rewarding them for good behavior (steps 7 and 8).
6. Look at your cat. If your cat is on alert-tail lashing, ears flattened, hissing or growling, don't go near them until they calm down. When in alert state, many cats will lash out at anything that moves near them, like a foot or a hand.
7. Spend some time with your cat. Get to know your cat whether or not they are aggressive. Cats do show affection to their owners, like dogs, but some cats need time. Hand feed your cat special treats, and play with it. If you're worried about getting bitten when playing with your cat, tie a small cat toy onto a string and drag it behind you. Avoid speaking in a loud voice or making loud noises and try to move slowly. If your cat is startled, they may react by lashing out and biting.
8. Praise your cat. If your cat plays gently with you, praise their behavior. You can even give them little treats for good behavior.
9. Try not to leave your cat alone for extended periods of time. Cats that are left alone without stimulation become bored. They will often respond by aggressively playing with their owners. This aggressive behavior often takes the form of scratching and biting and can hurt in some cats. Some cats are very gentle with their playtime though.
10. Never use fingers and toes as playthings, especially to a kitten. Yes, kittens are very playful, and yes, if you dangle your toes and fingers at them, they will play with them and look so cute. But letting your kitten play with your fingers and toes only teaches them to bite fingers and toes later in life. If your pet wants to play with you, and you've taught them to play with your fingers, they'll bite and scratch at them. And they won't stop with just your fingers and toes. They'll go after your friends, children and other family members. Teach your kitten to play with toys rather than fingers.