Why Cats Sometimes Hurt Us

Well said, Bandit on Catster (src):

“Most cats” do NOT bite because they are mistreated or unloved. This is simply untrue.

To truly understand the reasoning behind Marie’s biting, you must understand a bit about felines in general and their natural predatory aggression.

Cats are predators. It is in their instinct to hunt down and kill. Predatory behavior is often characterized by long periods of lying in wait and stalking followed by an explosion of activity – the attack. It’s common for a cat to creep up to a sleeping owner and playfully attack them in bed. Some cats sit quietly, staring at a wiggling toe, then with lightening speed, they pounce and attack. Other cats lie in wait under furniture until a foot passes by, then their claw reaches out and grabs.

Cat play is an extension of their predatory nature. It provides the cat with the opportunity to develop and sharpen its hunting skills, even if it never needs to go out and catch its own dinner. Although your cat may be playing, playful bites can still hurt and cause injury.

Predators living in a “sterile” (indoors) environment can cause problems. With no real prey to hunt, your cat will still need to express this natural behavior. The result is cats who pretend that people are prey. They play-attack wiggling toes and fingers. They chase imaginary prey up and down the drapes, across table tops and wreck havoc in the process.

Furthermore, lonely, bored cats that have an excess of energy and no where for that energy to go. They cannot chase real mice and birds, or climb real trees, so they develop other habits to entertain themselves.

This is the obvious cause of Marie’s biting. Cats who bite due to mistreatment are using it as a defense mechanism. As such, you will note other signs of fear and/or anger, which you haven’t. These cats will shy away from being touched, hide, may hiss, spit or even lunge.

Another possibility, especially in kittens, is over stimulation agression. An often perplexing case history involves a cat that one moment lies peacefully purring on the owner’s lap, happily accepting affection; and the next moment, erupts into a rage of claws and teeth. The owner is shocked by the sudden attack. It’s actually normal behavior for cats to have quick reversals of mood and behavior.

There’s a fine line between enjoyable petting and irritating handling. Once the petting reaches a certain threshold, the cat will reject any further touching. The cat says, “Stop it!” by biting or scratching. Perhaps a sensitive or painful area was unknowingly touched. Continuous pleasurable stimulation can overexcite the cat causing aggressive behavior. The cat becomes sexually excited and the resulting aggression is a part of normal sexual behavior.

The easiest way to control biting is diversion. Find enticing, exciting toys and give your cat the opportunity to hunt, pounce and “kill” these things. Pet stores are filled with toys that move, roll and bounce erratically for your cats entertainment. Toys attached to the end of wands, wires, and string can be waved, dragged and waggled in front of kitty. All these toys and games are supposed to simulate moving prey and stimulate your cat’s predatory nature. Take time to play these games with your cat and your cat will also be less likely to pounce on and bite you in play. An exercised, contented cat will be less likely to go into a wild frenzy of phantom prey chasing in the middle of the night.

Please remember to never physically scold a cat for biting, this is simply their natural instinct. Physically scolding will be seen as a challenge, which we felines love and we will come back for more. You may feel free to hiss or say “OUCH!” in a loud voice to get their attention, then simply remove them from you.

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