Biting and mouthing are frequent behaviour in kittens. If the mouthing hurts or the claws come out, make a noise and remove your hand, just like an other cat or kitten would, to stop the activities. Cats can be trained to use soft paws without claws and to ease their fangs. Without causing any harm, your cat can still nip at you, play-smack you, and indulge in other kitty-appropriate play.
The Cause of Cat Bites
It’s important to understand that cats and kittens might bite for a variety of reasons in order to stop the biting. A kitten often bites because of socialization issues, although an adult cat may do it for a different reason.
Kittens learn appropriate conduct through encounters with their mother and other kittens; other cats won’t tolerate being hurt. Kittens commonly migrate to other homes before acquiring these important lessons, so their owners must impart them to them. For kittens to comprehend that their fangs and claws hurt, cat-speak explanations that mimic a mother’s would be required.
Start training your kitten or cat as soon as you get them. A socialized adult cat that is knowledgeable about the rules of cat play is the finest teacher for kittens. In addition, kittens may bite to show their desires, explore their surroundings, or brush their teeth.
There are various causes for adult cats to bite, including:
- It might be done to brag or respond to a danger. If a cat bites and then keeps biting, this might happen.
- Some cats will bite people or other animals to prevent them from acting or behaving in an undesirable way, particularly if this strategy has previously been successful. They might have learned that it is a helpful method, for instance, if they had previously bitten while having their nails clipped and the nail trimming ended.
- To communicate or to get attention, some cats will bite. Instead of meowing, they bit. If a cat nips you and then attempts to lure you to something, like playing with a toy, this could be the reason.
How to Stop Biting
Even while you can’t be confident that your cat won’t bite again, there are several techniques you can try. Based on your cat’s age (older cats react differently than kittens) and the reason for the bite, you’ll probably need to adapt your strategy (dominance assertion versus communication).
- Make sure everyone in your family and guests follows the same rules, and be consistent in your responses. If the cat receives contradicting signals, it will be more difficult for you to put your lesson into practice.
- Never interact with your kitten or cat with your bare hands, fingers, or toes. Every cat should be taught that their hands are not toys. If you play with your hands, you’re promoting a bad behavior.
- A appropriate interactive chew toy should be provided for the cat. Many cats like to play with stuffed animals. There should be a variety of toys available so that your cat doesn’t become bored (at least three). Toys that give incentives are a great method to keep their environment interesting and encourage good play behavior since they reward acceptable play with appropriate things.
- To commend your cat’s soft paws (claws restrained) or perhaps its soft lips, say “Good paws!” or “Good mouth!” frequently and gently. Cats bite naturally because they mouth and paw items to get knowledge of their surroundings. Use this as a deterrent to discontinue the conduct rather than as a punishment.
- If your cat bites you and won’t let go, clench your teeth and bring your hand and arm closer to the bite to coax it to release.
- The more you fight the bite, the more driven it is to bite. If you don’t treat your clothing like an extension of your body and make it off-limits, your cat won’t understand the difference between clawing your jeans and scratching your bare legs.
- Create alternative behaviors. Instead of getting too excited and assaulting your feet when you enter a room, for instance, train your cat to sit and reward him with a treat when he does so. When you enter a room, he will then wish to settle down to receive a prize. You can clicker train by mixing a reward—like food—and a click from a clicker. Once your cat learns to associate clicking with rewards, lunchtime treats won’t be essential.
- Cats shouldn’t be physically punished because doing so would only upset them further and increase their propensity to protect themselves or engage in violent play.
Care for Cat Bites
Cat bites put both you and other animals at danger. They must be treated right away since they could get harmful infections. If a cat bit you, see a doctor as soon as you can. Up to 75% of cat bites introduce harmful microorganisms into the body, including Pasteurella, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus species. Cat scratch fever, which is brought on by the Bartonella henselae bacteria, may be transferred by cat bites.
Hands, joints, and tendons are particularly at risk for infection, and symptoms can occur within a few hours after the infection. Act swiftly if a cat attacks you:
- The bacteria from the cat bite will be forced out of the wound by applying pressure. While this may cause additional bleeding, it will also help remove the bacteria from the body.
- Consult a doctor, who will likely examine and rewash the wound. She might also prescribe an antibiotic for you if your tetanus vaccine is past its expiration date, stitch the wound if necessary, and give you a tetanus booster dose.
- Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water. Use a clean cloth to clean the wound.
For aftercare, adhere to the doctor’s recommendations and keep the wound area clean. Call your doctor as soon as possible if you experience any infection-related symptoms like redness, leakage, swelling, pain, or a fever.
If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your family pet, know the pet’s health history, and may make the best recommendations for your pet.
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