Why Do Cats Scratch And Bite When They Play

Playful biting of hands or feet often occurs simply because your cat is bored and is looking for a play object.

Why do cats scratch and bite when they play. Despite the perplexing nature of this uniquely feline way of acting out a couple of possibilities have been proposed to explain why cats might do this. Occasionally though scratching and biting can be a sign that your kitten is frightened angry or in pain. Petting induced aggression the type described in the opening paragraph occurs when a cat who enjoys being pet suddenly changes his or her mind. One in three cat bites will become infected compared to the much lower likelihood of infection from dog bites if an infected cat bite is left untreated it can develop into cat scratch fever which is a bacterial infection that causes flu like symptoms and can cause serious complications such as encephalopathy or vision loss.

Most often because they are overstimulated and have simply had enough fear or redirected aggression or they don t feel well. To be sure this is not the case. Cats who growl when you try to move them block doors or bite you when you pay attention to another pet may be asserting themselves in this manner. This is how they play with their littermates and their mother.

Alternatively indoor allergens e g dust mites can cause year round problems from the start. You can also direct them to a scratching post or another outlet for their behavior. Some cats bite as a form of communication or a demand for attention. Kittens usually bite simply because it is a form of play for them but in an adult cat it clearly means they want you to stop what you are doing.

If a cat nips you and then tries to lead you to an activity such as playing with a toy this could be the reason. Inhalant or environmental allergies atopy often begin earlier in a cat s life and may start as a seasonal problem in the spring and or fall. When littermates are playing they teach each other how to use their teeth gently reigning in their bite. Pay attention to your cat s vocal and body language.

Biting and bunny kicking are normal play behaviors for kittens. Cats may bite during one of these sessions for several reasons. The play mimics how cats will later pounce on grab and bite prey. It may be a manifestation of so called status induced aggression in which cats seek to control a situation.

This accomplishes the need to not just correct them but also give them an outlet for their behavior that is appropriate. Why do kittens scratch and bite. Give it 15 minutes of active play with an interactive toy. In most cases kittens scratch and bite in play.

Instead of meowing they bite. She ll usually let you know when she s on the brink of defensive biting or scratching.