If you share your day-to-day life with one or more cats, it is very likely that, at some point in your cohabitation, you have been given a bite that perhaps you did not expect to receive. It is normal for you to wonder why this happens, is it because your cat hates you? Does he not want you to touch him? The truth is that there are several reasons why your furry can show this behavior and not all of them are a problem for your relationship.
In this article on our site we help you clarify your doubts about why your cat bites you and we offer you some recommendations on how you can act in each situation to prevent or avoid this behavior that can sometimes be so annoying.
What do cat nibbles mean?
Bits are part of the broad behavioral repertoire of cats and can have different meanings depending on a series of factors such as the context in which the animal is found or its emotional state. Obviously, the cat will not try to communicate the same message to us if it gives us a strong bite on the hand while laying its ears back and hissing intensely as if it gently nibbles our nose while purring in a relaxed manner.
Next, we tell you what are some causes of biting in cats:
- Exploratory behavior: cats are very curious felines and it is easy to observe them approaching, getting into or jumping on anything that catches their attention. Although they don't tend to use their mouths as much as dogs do to interact with their environment, cats can also take small, subtle nibbles at plants, wires, and other novelty objects they find inside and outside the home in order to investigate them further. especially puppies and younger animals. If your furry tends to do this, be very careful!, he could hurt himself by biting or ingesting something he shouldn't.
- Play behavior: cats are great hunters, so their favorite game is to replicate hunting sequences, stalking and biting to its prey, which may be another cat or an unsuspecting human. During play, the cat's behavior can become very intense in terms of the use of its mouth and nails, especially in the case of those individuals who have not been properly socialized or who have been separated from their mothers early. However, during the game the cat has no intention of doing harm. The nibbles in cats for play are interspersed with jumps, small runs and rolls on the ground.
- Space demand: bites are also part of feline communication and in many cases they are used on another individual, regardless of their kind, to tell him to move away or leave him alone. This behavior does not necessarily have to be accompanied by an aggressive attitude, since the cat can be perfectly relaxed while expressing its desire to be alone.
- Offensive or defensive behavior - Of course, another reason cats may bite is to willfully attack another individual or to defend a territory, a resource or themselves. During a conflict, the feline assumes a tense posture, puts its ears back, stands on end, moves its tail rapidly from side to side, snorts, shows its teeth, or throws its paws in the air, among many other behaviors. If you occasionally observe signs of aggressiveness in your furry, it would be better to leave him alone and not force him to interact, as it is likely that he is very scared or feels some kind of pain. If the behavior persists, go to your veterinarian or contact a feline ethologist to diagnose the cause of the problem and be able to treat it.
Why is my cat gently biting me?
Imagine the following situation: you are at home sitting quietly on the sofa with your half-asleep cat resting on your lap, you have been caressing it gently for a long time when, suddenly, the animal bites your hand without warning notice and you don't understand why, does it sound familiar to you?
You may be one of the many guardians who have experienced their cats snapping at them while seemingly relaxed, but don't worry, this doesn't mean your cat hates you. This behavior is very common in felines and they do it simply as a way of telling us that they no longer feel like receiving caresses from us, that these are being too rough for their liking or that we are touching an area where they don't like to be touched. Usually we're talking about sudden, gentle bites that are often accompanied by rapid tail movements. It is also common for the cat to grab our hand using the nails of its front paws and kick with the rear ones, slightly curving the body. Although it is true that they can be too intense at times, this type of bite does not have any offensive intention, that is, the cat does not intend to do us any harm, only to communicate your wishes, that is why the cat gives us nibbles that do not hurt and not strong bites.
On the other hand, we find the situation in which the cat takes the initiative, approaches us, sniffs us and begins to gently lick our face, hands or some other part of the body. This is a sign of trust and affection, because the feline is grooming us and sharing his scent with us, just as he would do with other cats with whom He had a close friendship. During this grooming, it is common for the occasional bite to appear in the form of a gentle pinching with the teeth, but this is part of the cat's normal behavior and It's not a bad thing, far from it!
Finally, if the cat bites our ankles while we are walking, jumps on us when we are unaware, runs around us or "stalks" us, there is no doubt that is playing and just looking to have fun with us.
What to do if my cat bites me?
Once you have identified the reason why your cat bites you, you can act to prevent it. Here are some tips on what you can do in each situation.
Your cat nibbles at you to ask for space
If your furry bites you while you caress him, he probably doesn't like how you're doing it or simply wants you to stop touching him. Avoid petting him in areas such as his belly or legs, always make gentle movements in the direction of his hair and don't force him to have physical contact with you if you see that he wants to be alone more. If your furry perceives that you understand his language and respect him, he will be the one to initiate an approach more often and will ask you to caress him
Your cat gives you small nibbles while licking you
In this case, the cat is performing an affiliative behavior, where he shows the attachment he feels towards you by grooming you and giving you little nibbles. If he doesn't harm you, ideally you should allow him to, because this behavior reinforces the bond Between both. Now, if these bites are annoying or you prefer to avoid them, you just have to gently separate your hand or move away from the cat a little so that it stops the behavior, without scolding or pushing it in any case.
Your cat nibbles you to play
Cats, like dogs and other animals, use their mouths to play with each other and with us. When the feline stays with its mother and siblings during its first months of life and socializes from a very early age with human beings, they are very playful and active but better control the intensity with which they bite and scratch, not doing as much damage. For this reason, it is highly recommended not to separate kittens from their mothers, if possible, until they are two or three months old.
If your cat is very rough when playing, avoid using your hands directly when you play with him, it is better to use feather dusters, ropes, balls or any other object that they can pursue and capture. It's also a good idea to provide your furry with a climbing tower or interactive toys. Remember that environmental enrichment is essential for the well-being of your cat.
Your cat is aggressive and bites you
If your cat attacks you, it is most likely to do so with a defensive intention due to fear, insecurity or stress However, some felines can even attack their guardian to defend a resource or space. In any case, you will be able to recognize (and prevent) a possible aggression by observing your cat's body language, which is characterized by muscle tension, staring, backwards ears, growls and snorts, piloerection and rapid movements of the tail among other signs. If this is your case, the first thing you should do is go to the vet to rule out any ailment or pathology and, once this is done, contact a feline ethologist specializing in behavior modification.
