How to stop a kitten from biting and scratching arms and legs

There is a stereotype that kittens are adorable fluffies whose main function is to purr sweetly and jump after a ball, so an aggressive kitten can come as a complete surprise to the owner. Having decided to have a living toy, we rarely think about the fact that in front of us is a small personality whose behavior depends on many reasons. These are character traits inherent in a certain breed, and early separation from the mother, and a school for survival in a garbage heap...

How to stop a kitten from scratching and biting

Weaning a kitten from its mother and moving to a new place is very stressful. A natural reaction to a change in situation is fear and aggression, because of this he rushes to attack, when he tries to pet him, he bites his hands, and when he passes by, he scratches his legs. The situation requires the owners to intervene promptly, be patient, and identify the negative source.

Weaning methods:

The kitten splashes out energy in the game. Buy special toys from a pet store and stop trying to play with your hands and feet.
Don't encourage the kitten. At the age of 1-2 months, it is funny, but an adult can cause pain and make deep scratches. It is much more difficult to stop an old cat from biting.
Come up with a repellent action. Spray water, throw on a towel, make some noise, make loud noises (a whistle will do).
As punishment, leave him alone.
Fear of other pets. If several animals live in a house or apartment, help them find a common language: organize a joint game, show affection and care to everyone at the same time.

When buying a kitten in a nursery, suddenly raise your hand to it. If an animal does not bite or scratch in defense from an aggressor, it means it was not abused and was raised correctly.

The owner should show restraint and use psychological methods. Let's consider another set of measures on how to wean a kitten from scratching if the breeders have not done this:

When the kitten bites your hand, do not pull it back, but, on the contrary, bring it closer (puzzle).
Lack of response to comments. If there is nothing at hand, blow into the muzzle.
Do not allow children to play with the kitten if the play provokes a negative reaction.
The kitten attracts attention due to a feeling of discomfort (pain, hunger).

Visit your veterinarian and get examined. This will provide accurate information that will help you wean and develop a strategy against boorish behavior. The reason why a cat bites for no reason or scratches all the time often lies in unobvious health problems.

Why does a kitten scratch and bite people?

The cat is a predator, and this behavior is quite logical.
But the pet is not always to blame; the problem may be with the owners. Why does a kitten constantly bite and scratch and how to wean it off? It would seem that if your pet is not a Maine Coon, it should not be so painful, but in reality everything is not so rosy.

Fright

A new place, new sensations, a different environment and strangers. The animal wants to protect itself from the danger it sees everywhere. Best defense is attack. This is how bites happen. The cat does not think about hurting a person, he is simply afraid for himself. We need to leave him alone for a while. When he realizes that there is nothing to be afraid of, he will calm down, become calm and will not bite much.

Pain

The pet could have been injured, and the damage is not always noticeable. If he has always been calm, but suddenly began to behave unkindly, most likely this is the reason . It is necessary to carefully examine the cat and, even if there is no injury at first glance, go to the veterinarian.

Game process

Cats have a natural love for games. The animal does not want to harm a person, it simply does not realize the pain it brings. By biting and scratching, the kitten shows love for its owner. When playing, you should not use your own fingers. The cat will gently scratch them with his teeth, but the pain and scars will remain for some time.

Wrong Concentration of Anger

The pet lives in an apartment and knows all the smells by heart.
One day the owner brings a very unpleasant smell on his clothes. Instincts take over, and the cat attacks, bites and scratches what contains the scent. He doesn’t want to offend the person, but that person is the only source of the smell. The cat fights a non-existent enemy, but not its owner.

Special liquids are sold that calm kittens. You can spray them on clothes, in the corners of the house. If the animal is irritated by street animals, it is necessary to limit the approach to the window.

No personal space

Every living creature needs personal space. Something where you can hide from any stress and external irritants. He should feel completely safe there. Rest will help the cat calm down and establish a normal emotional balance. In the absence of its own corner, the kitten bites and rages, establishing its right.

Boredom

When there is nothing else to do, hunting a person can seem like fun. A cat should always have something to do. He should not lack toys. In such conditions, he will probably stop biting.

The desire to be a leader

The animal sees that it is not alone on the territory. He understands that he is not the most important here and strives in every possible way to correct this. The kitten bites your hands and attacks, and you need to wean him off. Under no circumstances should he be allowed to do this, otherwise he will have to be a slave to the animal for the rest of his life. One of the signs is a sneak attack, for example from around a corner.

Lack of physical activity

The kitten misses it if he always lives in a house or apartment. An animal always has a thirst for hunting. When there is nothing to hunt, a wonderful option is the owner. In such a situation, you need to play a lot with the cat.

To have fun, be sure to use a lot of different toys and objects. The point is that the kitten gets used to hunting them, and not a person.

Bad manners

A cat is like a child. If you do not teach her basic norms of behavior, she will succumb to her instincts and will do what is easier. Ignoring your pet is the best method. After the bite, you need to leave and continue going about your business. Then the kitten will understand that he will not be able to attract attention in this way.

Will the kitten stop lunging at its owner when it grows up?

As the kitten grows up, the habit of scratching and constantly biting unwanted residents on the arms and legs will take root, and this behavior will become the norm.

To wean your animal from a bad habit, identify the reasons:

Changing teeth. Occurs in the period from 3 to 8 months.
Late separation of the kitten from its mother, as a result of which it was not socialized.
Incorrect assessment of your actions.
Fear. A new habitat is stressful for the animal. Give him time to adapt, then he will stop biting and scratching.
The cat does not like affection - stop squeezing him constantly.

Your little pet plays without realizing that he is hurting. If you allow your kitten to bite your legs or arms, he will do the same as he grows up. An adult cat will not understand why you began to react differently to manifestations of its playfulness.

Train your pet to use a scratching post so that he can express his aggression on it, like a boxer punching a punching bag.

It is easier to re-educate and discourage a kitten from biting and scratching than an adult cat. Choose your parenting method and follow it until he learns to behave with dignity.

Types of aggression in cats

The psycho-emotional state called aggression in cats is divided into the following main types::

Pathophysiological . The most common form of aggressive behavior in cats. It appears in cases where the animal is sick or has any damage inside or outside, causing it pain when touched, stroking, or walking. Since the cat cannot tell the owner about his physical condition, he gives signals in other ways available to him - mischief, bad behavior, reluctance to make contact.
Protective . This reason for attacks by cats is no less common. Wanting to protect itself, the pet is quite capable of attacking any enemy larger than it, even if it is its owner. In such a situation, the first thing you should do is find out why the cat decided that he needed to defend himself. After all, sometimes cats react aggressively simply to being woken up, pressed tightly, held in their arms without their consent, and so on. The pet perceives all this as a threat and accordingly attacks its source.
Idiopathic . This form is extremely rare, but it does happen. It has no basis, it’s just that a domestic cat suddenly becomes angry and attacks a person. If we compare it with the behavior of people, then we can say that such aggression manifests itself from a bad mood. As a diagnosis, idiopathic type of negative behavior is made when no other reasons for a cat attacking a person are found after a full examination in the clinic.

Poor behavior from a domestic cat can signal many problems. Therefore, you should be attentive to changes, especially when they appear abruptly, without visible, immediately understandable reasons.

How to wean an adult cat

If a cat consciously lunges at you, it is important to stop it from scratching as soon as possible. What will help:

Lack of retaliatory aggression. Beating and screaming will only frighten, provoking further attacks.
You cannot stop a cat from biting when it is calm and does not attack people. It is wrong to call her out and punish her after an attack. The woolly prankster expects affection when he approaches you.
Stop touching, remove your hands. Take your time. If your cat won't stop biting and scratching, slowly stand up and walk away, leaving her alone.
Showing dissatisfaction. If the response is affection, the cat will continue to bite and scratch you, thinking that you approve of her.
Don't feed for half an hour so she won't see it as a reward.
Give the aggressor a toy to bite, while encouraging it in every possible way.
If the cat attacks, use body language. Look her in the eyes, point your finger at her and strictly say: “No!” Distance yourself from her for 10 minutes after the incident.
Make sounds, clap. This method is suitable for arrogant and dominant cats, but not for shy ones.

Illness or injury causes your cat to scratch or bite. A trip to the veterinarian and identifying the causes of her discomfort is the right solution to the problem.

What to do if a cat bites and attacks

To stop your cat from scratching and attacking, analyze your behavior. Perhaps the reason is the owner.

You hurt by stepping on the tail; frightened by a loud sound.
The cat thinks he is trapped. To prevent him from rushing at you, move away and give a path for retreat.
Lack of attention. The cat attracts the owner by trying to scratch or bite the legs. Spend 15 minutes a day on active games. Make the animal tired.
Detect hostility before it occurs. Signs: the cat has stopped purring, the pupils are dilated, the skin is twitching, the ears are flattened.
A cat may scratch its legs when it gets really excited. For example, he ran around the house for a long time and did not notice his master’s feet.
The animal smelled something “hostile.” You've been at a place where there are other pets, and their scent has lingered on you. Or the reason is your perfume.
The cat grew up spoiled and is being raised by its owner. This happens when you have not defined the boundaries of what is permitted in advance.
A new animal has appeared in the house. An unpleasant neighborhood results in anger.

If a cat chews everything in the house, he has vitamin deficiency. Diversify your diet and make up for the lack of vitamins.

Castration will affect behavior. The only option is when it is not possible to teach him to be peaceful. Neutered animals become attached to their home and are more sociable.

Your pet's behavior depends on you. To stop your cat from biting, identify the source of the problem and be patient. A visit to the veterinarian will help determine the cause of the antics and give you a calm life with a ball of fur.