When we share our home with one or more kittens, falling asleep optimally can become a real challenge. In fact, many cat keepers have a hard time getting restful sleep because their felines are very active during the wee hours and tend to scratch doors or curtains, jump around the house, play vigorously with their toys or even bite their humans While they sleep.
Does your cat bite you when you sleep and you wonder why? In this article on our site we explain the most frequent causes of this behavior and what you can do to preserve the quality of your sleep without harming your cat's physical and mental stimulation. Keep reading!
Why does my cat bite me when I sleep?
Although there is a widespread belief that cats are nocturnal animals, in reality they maintain predominantly crepuscular habits or patterns of activity, that is, they tend to be more active and energetic at dawn and dusk However, it is also true that they are genetically related to other felines that are nocturnal, such as the tiger or the lion, due to the fact that they have common ancestors.
For these felines that live in nature, as well as for feral cats (that is, those that have never had contact with humans and their habits), night and early morning represent the period more conducive to carrying out their vital activities, especially hunting, with greater safety and precision. In this way, your entire body and your biological cycles are adapted to this circadian rhythm, which explains, among other things, the adaptation of your eyes to little or no light availability.
However, domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) have undergone a long process of adaptation to the habits and behavior patterns of human beings, including their predatory nature, becoming the most twilight on Earth. That is why you will see how your cat avoids spending energy during the warmer periods and with greater availability of light during the day, and is more energetic and predisposed to play before sunrise and after sunset.
Now, you must be wondering, "how does that explain why my cat goes crazy and bites me in my sleep?"
Biting as part of the game
Well, first of all, you should know that it is perfectly natural for your cat to be more active when there is less sunlight available, even during the early morning (or early morning hours), when we, their human guardians, are usually still asleep.
It is also important to bear in mind that most of the games and activities that we propose to our kittens basically consist of simulating the context of a huntFor example, when we show them the wand with a toy that closely resembles a bird with colorful feathers, we are "awakening" their natural hunting instinct which, despite the adaptations, is still very well developed, which stimulates both their sensory and cognitive abilities as well as their bone, muscle and joint structures, that is, their body and their mind.
If your cat bites you when you sleep, most likely, for him, it means one more game, like any other simulation of hunting that he would carry out during the day, in which he "tests" his instincts as a good hunter to try to catch your foot, your hand, your leg or even your head. And if you start moving around to try to “hide” under a blanket or get him to stop “attacking” you while you sleep, your kitty may interpret these cues as encouragement, just like waving your wand to get him to chase, and intensify the game rhythm.
In this context, far from having the intention of hurting you or causing you any negative emotion, what your cat is looking for is to play, have fun and, why not?, enjoy your company in these activities that he likes so much.
Lack of environmental enrichment
This can occur more frequently when cats do not have an environment enriched with toys, sensory stimuli and othercomplements, such as scratching posts or platforms, to entertain themselves by their own means and at the times they want. For this reason, they tend to resort to other household objects or their own tutors to have the necessary conditions and elements when they want to play, jump and express themselves freely. Later, we will talk a little more about environmental enrichment for cats and its importance in managing balanced behavior.
He alth problems
But if your cat bites you when you sleep and you notice that he is very restless at night, you should also rule out the possibility that he has any he alth problems. There are many diseases that can negatively impact the behavior of cats, both pathologies that cause pain and neurological disorders and endocrine problems that can lead to the appearance of symptoms of stress, hyperactivity, and even behavioral problems, such as aggressiveness. Therefore, if you identify any alteration in the character of your cat or changes in his habits, do not hesitate to consult a veterinarian.
How to scold a cat when it bites?
As we have been saying, it is completely natural for cats to have different activity patterns and circadian rhythms than people. Therefore, when we make the decision to adopt a kitten, we must be aware that this means learning to live with a different species and an individual with their own needs, which requires us, as guardians, to have the necessary knowledge and patience. to provide them with all the care of their he alth and well-being, as well as an adequate education.
In this sense, scolding a cat for carrying out behaviors inherent to its nature and personality is highly inadvisable and can become counterproductive, giving rise to behavioral problems, such as destructiveness or aggressiveness. However, part of our "mission" as tutors consists precisely in teaching our kittens those behaviors considered appropriate within the home, as well as providing the essential conditions for maintaining stable behavior.
In summary, we want to tell you that it is always it is better, safer and more effective to invest time and effort in educating your cat than in scolding him Likewise, this does not mean that you cannot point out possible inappropriate behaviors that he may carry out on a daily basis, but stay away from punishments or other methods that involve provoking negative emotions, such as fear or stress, and bet on power. of the “NO!” said firmly and at the right time.
In this article on how to scold your cat, we explain in detail the safest and most timely way to make your cat understand when he has performed an inappropriate action or behavior. In addition, you can learn here, on our site, what are the most common mistakes when scolding a cat that you should avoid making in order to provide an optimal education to your companion.
How to prevent my cat from biting me when I sleep?
Again, the best bet is always education. Thus, if you do not want your cat to bite you when you sleep or at other times of the day, you must teach him from the moment he arrives at home that this is not an appropriate behavior To To do this, keep these tips in mind:
Prevent it from becoming a game
When your cat is still a kitten, if you allow him to play with your legs, feet or hands as if they were prey that he can chase, it is totally normal for him to continue this behavior as an adult. If you do this when he's little, you're encouraging the kitten to assimilate that this is a perfectly acceptable game, which he enjoys not only for stimulating his body and mind, but also also for having your company. So, it is most likely that this behavior and this game will be assimilated as part of his routine and his behavior in the adult phase.
Educate him from a young age
You must not forget that cats, like all species, stick to a routine to feel more comfortable and secure, avoiding exposing yourself to unnecessary risks. Therefore, the best time to teach them how to behave properly at home is during their childhood, because in the early stages of their physical and mental development, kittens have a more flexible character and are still assimilating the codes of their social behavior. Therefore, if you indicate that it is not appropriate to bite yourself or others during this stage, and also offer the most appropriate toys so that you can test your hunting instincts, you will most likely not have to deal with this habit. in the future. In this article on how to train a cat from a young age, we show you the best techniques to carry out this learning process with your kitten.
Enrich your environment
Another point you need to consider is the importance of environmental enrichment in managing a he althy weight and stable behavior in your cat. If your cat does not live in a space with toys and elements that allow him to develop his sensory abilities, express his hunting instinct and entertain himself freely, he will most likely look for alternative ways to release the accumulated tension and have fun, which may not always be pleasant or safe.
Thus, when you provide your cat with an enriched environment where he can exercise and keep himself entertained throughout the day, even when you are not at home, in addition to avoiding the symptoms of stress and the production of destructive behaviors in the home, you will also encourage your kitty to exercise regularly and to be able to arrive at night with a more stable and calm behavior, and not with all the energy accumulated by the inability to play when left home alone.
Remember that it is also key to dedicate some time of your days to play with your cat. In this way, you prevent him from carrying out strange or exaggerated behaviors to capture your attention, while stimulating his intelligence and sharing quality moments with your partner, which will help reinforce the bond of trust between you. Here we offer you several ideas of intelligence games and activities to entertain your kitty.
What to do if nothing works?
Having come this far, you have probably realized that there are different reasons why your cat bites you when you sleep. As we have seen, many times they can carry out this action simply by interpreting it as a game and, eventually, because they feel bored or stressed by not having an enriched environment to spend their energy in a positive way.
However, when a cat bites its guardians or other people for no reason, whether or not they are sleeping, this can be a warning sign for a complex behavior problem, which is aggressiveness in cats. If you notice that your cat has become aggressive, the first thing you should do is seek veterinary attention, since aggressiveness can appear as a response to pain, to Sensory or neurological alterations caused by certain diseases. The most advisable thing, in these cases, is to go to a veterinary specialist in feline ethology
Likewise, the habit of frequently attacking or biting may be related to poor socialization, mainly when a kitten has not had the possibility of socializing during the first weeks of his life or when he has been prematurely separated from his mother and siblings, which can lead to other learning difficulties. To prevent this problem, the ideal is to start socializing your cat while it is still a puppy, following some basic guidelines that we summarize in this article on how to socialize a puppy cat. But, if you have adopted an adult kitten or have not had the opportunity to properly socialize your kitten at the right time, be sure to take a look at these tips for socializing an adult cat.
Finally, having ruled out any pathological cause and if you have difficulty putting socialization methods into practice with your kitten, or you don't have the time to educate him correctly, we recommend that you seek the help of a professional specialized in feline training or education.
