9 Tips To Stop A Biting Cat

Have a kitten or cat that won’t stop biting?  Sometimes we have that here at the Ashford Sanctuary too!  Here are some tips to putting an end to feline fury.

#1 – Find out the “Why”

The first way to address your cat’s biting depends on why she is doing it.  It could be that she gets overzealous during play, she is bored or frustrated, or she is asking you to stop doing something but you don’t hear her. Once you know this, you can plan how to make her stop.

#2 – Your Hand is Not a Toy

Sometimes cats get so into their play that they forget themselves. Don’t use your hand as a toy with your cat; instead use a toy that keeps your hands a safe distance from his mouth.  (For example, Da Bird Feather Toy).

#3 – Stop the Play

If you think your cat actually goes after you during play and it is more than just incidental contact, call a time out.  You can do this by turning your back to him as soon as he bites and cutting off the play immediately.  Don’t speak to him or resume play for one minute.  After a few cycles of this he will get the message.

#4 – Time Out

If that doesn’t work, you can try sending a stronger message by changing scenery.  When he bites you, stop the play, pick him up, bring him to another room, and walk away.  This will help him make a clear connection between biting and the fun times ending.

#5 – Drain the Energy

If your cat is attacking you outside of play, he probably needs to drain some of his energy.  Spend time playing with him until you can see he is tired.  

#6 – Relieve the Anxiety

Sometimes cats transfer the aggression they feel toward something else to whomever may be next to them, and this can result in what seem to be vicious and unprovoked attacks.  It may help your cat’s anxiety to keep some Feliway diffusers plugged in around the house.  The synthetic feline pheromone helps cats feel more secure.

#7 – Speak to Your Vet

Your cat may be trying to tell you she's uncomfortable.  A thorough exam will help ease both your minds.  Your vet may be able to prescribe some food or medication to help calm your cat’s nerves.  

#8 – Proper Handling

Don’t reach over your cat to pet him.  While this may be acceptable to some cats, it is definitely not acceptable to others.  See if this overhead approach correlates with what seems like “out of nowhere” biting.  If so, approach the side of your cat’s face with the back of your hand to pet him, rather than going for the top of his head or his body.

#9 – Respect His Wishes

Learn to recognize when your cat does not want to be handled and respect his wishes.  A whipping tail and huge pupils are a good start.    If he knows he can trust you to get the message, he will be less likely to bite you in general.

The Ceiling Fan and Gidget

Have you ever had a dog that is startled by new things? Exposure to all  parts of life is essential to having a well-rounded, confident pup and that is one of the things that Our Companions is able to provide our pets! We have recently been exposing the dogs at the sanctuary to a common item in most homes but one that surprisingly makes a lot of dogs uncomfortable, the ceiling fan. Our ceiling fan is great at moving heat or A/C throughout the house and, with some recent renovations to the dog houses, is proving to be a great function to utilize. We are happy that the majority of our dogs are taking the spinning fan well but there's always the exception that requires extra attention and training and in this case the exception is named, Gidget.
Gidget came to us with a broken leg at approximately 6 months old. She was left at a local vet during the middle of the night and we knew that she was a dog that we needed to help! We suspect that she did not have much socialization during her young life and have been working diligently to expose her to the everyday aspects of living in a home. Gidget was initially very scared of the ceiling fan, she would display obvious signs of discomfort and would crouch when walking throughout the house. It was the work of constant positive reinforcement that is what is helping her to overcome her fears and feel comfortable when chewing one of her favorite bones in the living room. She is a great dog that is relishing all that we have to show her and is quickly learning that this world is less scary and increasingly fun!

 

Gidget is unsure about the ceiling fan. She is displaying this

through her pulled back ears, wide eyes and stiff body.