How to Cure a Cat of Biting

Cats bite for a number of reasons: during play, as part of their prey instinct, because of pain and out of fear or aggression. As kittens, cats learn important social behaviors during the age of two to seven weeks, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Some kittens that are taken away from their mother or siblings during this critical stage, do not learn that biting hurts and become more prone to biting behavior. Fortunately, in most cases you can train your cat not to bite you.

Things You'll Need

  • Cat toys
  • Squirt bottle
  • Cat treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take your cat to a veterinarian to rule out any possible medical condition that would cause the biting or aggression. When petting your cat, if you accidentally touch an injury, your cat may bite because of pain. If your cat suddenly starts biting when it previously did not bite, it may have a medical condition causing it pain. Older cats can suffer from cognitive dysfunction, similar to dementia in humans, and may become aggressive out of confusion.

    • 2

      Spay or neuter your cat to decrease aggressive behavior. Many behavioral problems linked to aggression stem from cats during heat for females or due to testosterone in males, according to The Cat Care Center. Spaying and neutering alleviates these problems, making your cat less likely to bite.

    • 3

      Ignore your cat and make it seek you out for attention. Pet your cat a few times then stop to prevent it from becoming overstimulated or upset. Cats who have had enough of petting tell you to stop by biting. Do not let that happen. Stop the petting session on your terms, not your cat's. Slowly increase petting times over the course of 2- to -3 weeks.

    • 4

      Reward positive reaction to petting and touching with a treat and verbal praise so your cat relates the experience of being touched, petted or inspected as a positive one. Work up to touching sensitive areas like the tail, ears, feet or stomach. Touch these areas for a short amount of times and then positively reward for good behavior. Increase the times of contact over a period of 2- to -3 weeks or more, depending on your cat's reactions.

    • 5

      Observe your cat's body language while playing, handling or petting it. Before biting, cats will put their ears back and begin to growl or hiss. An agitated cat may also meow loudly, stare at you intently and twitch its tail around, according to The Humane Society of the United States. If you see any of these signs of aggression in your cat, stop or handling it immediately and ignore it. Do not resume play until your cat completely calms down and seeks out your attention.

    • 6

      Play with your cat or kitten using a cat toy and never your hand. When you play with kittens using a hand, they will learn the behavior and later bite you, not understanding it hurts. Instead, if your kitten or cat attempts to bite your hand during play, move it away quickly and give your cat a toy to play with instead.

    • 7

      Scream "ouch" to your cat as loudly as you can to startle it if it bites you for any reason. Let your hand go limp, freeze and quickly remove your hand (or other body part your cat bites) when you have the chance to avoid injury. Walk away and ignore your cat to associate the action of biting you with something negative.

    • 8

      Squirt your cat with a water bottle if it bites you as cats do not like getting wet (avoid squirting your cat in the face). This will scare your cat away and stop it from biting you. Your cat will then associate the action of biting with the squirt of water, an unpleasant experience. Ignore your cat until it comes back to you for attention. Have a treat ready to positively reward your cat for good behavior if it does not bite you during subsequent interaction.