The best ways to stop a kitten from biting and scratching its owners

When a kitten bites or scratches funny while playing, many people find it funny at first. However, the pet grows, and along with it, the claws and teeth increase in size. And then such behavior becomes a problem.

To wean a kitten from biting and scratching its owners, it must be raised correctly from early childhood. But first you have to understand the reasons for aggression, and then you can resort to certain tricks.

Why does a kitten bite and scratch?

A kitten may bite and scratch for several reasons. Having understood them, the owner will be able to correct the pet’s behavior and wean it from a bad habit.

Gambling passion

Cats are predatory animals. They have a hunting instinct since childhood. When kittens begin to walk on their own, they fuss with each other, try to fight and attack. This is the preparatory stage.

From about the fifth week, the mother cat begins to teach the babies how to hunt. For example, she brings a caught mouse so that the kittens can hone attack and defense techniques, and by her example shows how to hunt.

As a result, the play and hunting instincts are mixed. When the baby sees a moving object - both a toy and the owner's limb - he rushes at it and bites it. He has no intention of hurting a person. The pet simply develops the makings of a predator.

For your information. Even adult cats succumb to the excitement of the game.

Some owners themselves encourage aggression. They think that a baby attacking a person's big hand looks very funny. Indeed, at 1.5-2 months the animal does not pose a threat.

However, when the pet grows up, it will behave in exactly the same way. A big cat can leave deep scratches and bite through the skin. To wean the kitten from biting and lunging at people, it is provided with a variety of toys. With their help, he will be able to imitate hunting. Then he will not need to encroach on human hands and feet.

Kitten feeling unwell

If your pet is constantly biting and scratching for no reason, he may be sick. This is how animals replace their suffering.

In addition to aggressive behavior, the disease is indicated by:

• vomit;
• diarrhea;
• apathy;
• refusal to eat;
• increased or decreased body temperature;
• sneezing and coughing;
• unpleasant odor from the mouth.

In this case, you do not need to wean the animal from bad habits, but contact a veterinarian. After recovery, the baby’s behavior returns to normal.

Important. Kittens may pretend to be sick to manipulate their owner. Such attempts must be stopped.

Biting may be a symptom of changing teeth. At 3-4 months, the kitten’s baby teeth begin to fall out, and permanent teeth grow in their place.

Associated symptoms:

• increased salivation;
• loss of appetite;
• head shaking;
• slight increase in temperature.

The teething process is often accompanied by itching and discomfort. To alleviate the condition, the baby tries to “scratch” his gums: chew things, furniture, wires, people’s arms and legs.

The only way to help your pet is to relieve him of pain. Chewable treats, toys, and silicone teething rings will help stop your kitten from biting. Attempts to taste the owner's body must be stopped. Otherwise it will develop into a bad habit.

Behavioral reasons

Kittens that are separated from their mother early grow up to be more aggressive. They have not gone through initial socialization and have not had time to build trusting relationships with people, so they are suspicious of them.

In this case, the pet may scratch or bite the person in self-defense. The kitten does not understand the owner’s intentions, which is why it prefers to immediately defend itself.

Correcting this behavior is very difficult. To wean a kitten from biting and scratching, you need to handle it as carefully as possible and not expose it to stress. The baby should not fear for his life. Then the need for defense will disappear by itself.

It is better to keep your distance for some time. Let the kitten watch the owners from the side. He will understand that family members do not pose any threat. Most likely, your pet will gradually learn to trust people, and you will no longer have to wean him from unwanted habits.

Scratching and biting are common in kittens that have not been introduced to the outside world. Ideally, the pet should have access to all rooms, see strangers, smell new smells and hear interesting sounds. Then the kitten will not be afraid if guests come to the house and the owner suddenly turns on the vacuum cleaner. He won't see this as a threat, so he won't bite or scratch in self-defense.

Sometimes kittens try to attract attention with aggressive behavior. Animals bite or scratch when they want to eat, drink or go to the toilet, and the litter box is not cleaned. Therefore, the owner must carefully care for the baby. Then the pet will not have to resort to such methods.

For your information. Usually a cat bites people's legs if it needs attention.

Another reason why a kitten bites its owner or owner on the legs is boredom. He cannot realize the innate instinct of a hunter, so he is forced to attack any available prey.

If the baby does not have toys, human limbs are the most suitable option. Only active and varied entertainment will help wean a kitten from a bad habit.

Animals may scratch and bite if they lack personal space. The baby should have his own corner where he can be alone and relax. You should not install the bed where it is convenient for the owner. Cats independently choose their favorite places.

Some breeds avoid body contact. This cat bites when you pet it or pick it up. Therefore, before weaning your child from a bad habit, you should take a closer look at the characteristics of his character.

Often, owners themselves provoke aggression when:

• petting the kitten too roughly (for example, against the grain);
• they grab it tightly during the game;
• they try to pat the stomach - the most vulnerable place.

If this is the reason, you need to reconsider your own behavior. And you won’t have to stop the kitten from scratching and biting.

Causes of aggressive behavior in furry pets

Cats by nature are such that by hissing and growling they protect themselves from unwanted communication. This is a natural reaction of animals to everything that they do not like in one way or another. This may, among other things, be excessive attention from the owner who “loves” his pet. But such cases are rare. Most often, cats equally show spontaneous aggression towards familiar and unfamiliar people.

Cats hiss and growl to protect themselves from unwanted communication.

Studies have been conducted which have found that more than 80% of stray cats, regardless of gender, are aggressive towards each other, but rarely conflict with people. However, when in a state of fright, more than 60% of these animals are capable of scratching and biting a person. For those cats that were raised at home, these figures are much lower: 50% and 40%, respectively. Based on the data obtained, the following conclusions were made:

• the degree of aggressiveness of an animal directly depends on the conditions in which it lived as a child;
• The correct approach to raising a cat helps to form a behavioral stereotype in it that excludes aggression towards humans.

Therefore, it is not the norm for domestic cats. And if hissing, scratching and biting occur, this suggests two reasons for this behavior:

• mistakes in raising a pet;
• naturally evil character.

How to tell if a cat is angry or not

It is not difficult to understand what the character of a furry pet is. As a rule, this becomes clear already in the first year of the animal’s life. An innate character trait manifests itself regularly, regardless of the circumstances, time of year, or environment. If a cat is naturally angry, this will be noticed in the first months of keeping her.

Understanding the character of a furry pet is easy

There are breeds in which anger manifests itself more often, and is often combined with a pronounced desire for independence. These are Siamese cats, jungle cats, Persians and British cats. When keeping these animals, it is important to take into account their excessive love of freedom, to the infringement of which they respond with malicious behavior. This approach to raising cats of these breeds is considered the main one. If the owner takes into account the character traits of his pet, mutual understanding will quickly arise between the owner and the animal.

How to distinguish anger from aggression

True aggression is always a spontaneous reaction, the reasons for which are many. It is not possible for a person to predict what exactly a pet may not like and cause a negative reaction in him. Aggression does not appear all the time and is always justified. Most often it is observed in temperamental animals, intelligent and with developed intuition. This must be taken into account when deciding how to stop a cat from biting.

True aggression is always a spontaneous reaction

If an adult cat is taken into the house, its increased aggressiveness is most often a manifestation of a defensive reaction. In this way, the animal sought to protect itself earlier, being in street conditions. It is more difficult to socialize an animal that has been homeless, but nothing is impossible for a loving owner.

Animals taken from the shelter also do not make contact with humans for a long time and treat them with caution. Many owners of such cats report that their pets began to trust them only after a year or more.

Two types of aggression should be distinguished:

• reaction to an external stimulus;
• abnormal, caused by organic brain damage.

In the first case, there is every chance to independently minimize and eliminate the manifestation of negativity; in the second, the help of a specialist is required.

Classification of forms of aggression according to Moyer

Researcher Moyer classified forms of aggression in cats and dogs, and refuted the common belief that an animal attack is an element of feeding behavior caused by hunger. This was confirmed in the works of other scientists.

According to their research, the most common causes of inappropriate behavior are:

• the instinct of a predator seeking to suppress a rival whom the animal considers obviously weak and perceives as a victim;
• intraspecific aggression between males;
• fear;
• feeling of insecurity from danger;
• physical pain;
• maternal aggression, manifested in the desire to protect their offspring in any way;
• sexual, expressed in the struggle for a mating partner;
• a learned reaction that occurs when someone tries to “pay off” an aggressive animal or appease it with a treat;
• gaming;
• redirection of physiological pain or mental discomfort to surrounding objects, animals and people;
• conscious aggression, which is the result of negative interpersonal relationships between an animal and a person;
• the result of the manifestation of such feelings and character traits as conflict, the desire for self-affirmation and dominance, jealousy.

How to understand when to take up parenting

Some owners do not pay attention to obvious signs of aggression in cats. For example, the habit of suddenly throwing yourself on your feet is attributed to character traits. However, this is how the pet demonstrates that it is a dominant individual and has the right to establish its own rules.

Cats perceive the family they live in as a pack. Each member has a specific position in the hierarchy system. If the owners forgave the kitten all the pranks and did not educate him, as the animal grows older, it will occupy an increasingly higher position.

To avoid such a problem, you should set limits on what is permitted for your pet from childhood. What exactly they will be is up to the owner to decide. But it’s clearly not worth waiting for the baby to start biting and scratching at any opportunity.

The task of education is to show that the animal is in a subordinate position in relation to people. To become a leader, the owner must be:

• strict;
• fair;
• consistent.

The pet needs to be shown that a person’s word is law. And its violation threatens not the most pleasant consequences.

Important. To wean even the most wayward and stubborn cats from biting and scratching, it is necessary to build the correct hierarchy.

What to do?

The first step is to understand exactly when an animal is most aggressive: when it is touched, at certain times of the day, after eating, or immediately after going to the toilet. Depending on this, you need to build on the methods of therapy or treatment

1. Castration and sterilization are the only humane means for animals that live indoors, without the opportunity to go outside and without a chance to mate. After the procedure, hormones are released in very small quantities, and the animal stops attacking people.
2. If your cat is aggressive for a long time for no apparent reason, you need to take him to the veterinarian. In most cases, the cause is illness or injury. The doctor will examine your pet and prescribe medication or pain medications to relieve the animal's suffering or cure it completely. As soon as the pain subsides, the animal will again begin to please its owners with its exemplary behavior.
3. If the reason is in the food, you just need to change it. You can consult with specialists, they will advise the best quality and most complete choice for any breed. If we are talking about homemade food, then you should monitor the cooking process, the products that are given, as well as their freshness. In this case, any seasonings, sweets, sours are excluded from the diet - food should be as simple and bland as possible.
4. Given the struggle for territory, animals need to be reconciled and given as much personal space as they need. To begin with, each of them must have their own personal belongings: toys, bowls, houses, scratching posts, toilets. This way they won't have to compete for them. Next, you should create possible escape routes for the cat. This is done through shelves, tunnels, plenty of free space, empty space on cabinets. It's like paths in the forest. So that the animals do not have to walk alone together, several of them are made so that they do not intersect. And thirdly, socialization. It is very difficult to reconcile two animals, but it is possible. There are special technologies and practices for this.
5. Very often cats are afraid of children or even strangers. If this is the case, it is worth giving the cat a separate room where he will hide every time there are strangers in the house. This will avoid unpleasant incidents. And when people leave, there is no need to look for the cat. When he stops being afraid, he will come out on his own. The only thing you can do is to attract him with a toy or give him a treat for being exemplary.

To prevent a cat from being aggressive, you need to raise it from an early age, and also hold it in your arms more often. You should play exclusively with toys, and not with your hands, otherwise the animal will happily attack your hands at any convenient moment, not out of hostility, but simply to play.

It is also important to protect him as much as possible from loud sounds, and especially not to frighten him on purpose. Cats, like people, have their own incomprehensible brains, which can react inappropriately even to a simple joke and lead to sad, irreparable consequences

Features of the manifestation of cat aggression

Knowledge of cat psychology will help you understand the reasons for bad behavior. Most cats are not prone to unmotivated aggression.

A mentally healthy animal never attacks, scratches or bites for no reason. As a rule, such behavior is a reaction to some external stimulus.

The most common causes of aggression in cats are:

• desire to protect oneself and one’s territory;
• sexual arousal;
• painful sensations.

Aggressive behavior is also sometimes observed in kittens that have suffered abuse.

The owner should understand the reasons for the animal’s anger. If a cat is constantly stressed, over time its psyche will become unstable, and it will truly become inadequate.

Why does a domestic cat attack and bite its owner?

The cat scratched its owner's hand until it bled, why?

Before weaning a cat from aggressive behavior, you need to understand why he behaves this way. Our pets are not us, and they cannot bite or scratch us for no reason.

There can be several reasons for aggression.

Pain

The animal is in pain. One of the reasons for aggression may be illness or injury in the cat. When the owner tries to pick up his animal and it experiences pain, the pet may bite him in response. Or if the owner stepped on the cat’s paw or crushed it, it is logical that the pet, in defense, screams, hisses, bites and scratches.

When a cat experiences severe pain, it instinctively hides. At such moments, he can attack the owner.

Fear

When a cat is very scared, its behavior can become aggressive. This is his quiet reaction and survival instinct.

If your children like to forcibly pet a cat or torment it, then in return they will only get vinegar and scratches. To calm your pet, you just need to move away from him what scares him.

Cats like it when their opinions are respected

If your pet comes to you for attention, it will be sweet and affectionate. If you forcefully pet him, this will cause a lot of indignation and aggression.

Alien smell

A cat can become aggressive if it smells a strange animal.

The smell of someone else's cat or dog. Our cats are very jealous. If the owner returns home and the smell of a foreign animal emanates from him, the cat may become aggressive. Since there is no way to fight with someone whose scent is on the owner, all the anger is directed at the owner. To avoid this, you need to immediately change clothes as soon as you return home. After this, you can wash your hands with soap or use special products that eliminate odors.

To attract attention

When your cat wants affection, she may rub against you and purr. If the owner has no time, he will simply pet the animal and then go about his business.

But if your pet starts scratching or biting, this will certainly attract attention to him.

Raising your master

If you spoil your pet too much, he will create his own rules. And if you refuse to fulfill them, you will be punished with claws and teeth.

Games

Regular games. If you allowed a small kitten to bite itself during play, then when it grows up, it will bite you in the same way. But the older the animal, the stronger its bites. In addition, during the game, even the most well-mannered cat can simply get carried away. In this case, you just need to stop him by pointing out what he is doing wrong.

These are the main reasons why a domestic cat scratches and bites its owner, but there can be many more. Each animal is individual, has its own specific tastes and habits.

How to stop a cat from biting

There are simple ways to stop your cat from biting:

1. Play. A kitten is an inexhaustible source of energy. You need to give your pet the opportunity to throw it out and direct it in a peaceful direction. Active play with a ball, a wind-up toy, or a laser pointer will help. Some owners buy a second kitten so that the kids can have fun with each other.
2. Take the kitten in your arms. To lose excess energy, the pet can rush around the apartment for a long time, attacking its owners along the way. If you sit him on your lap and stroke him, the baby will calm down and possibly fall asleep.
3. Switch attention. This method will not wean the kitten from biting, but will help stop a one-time attack of aggression. It is enough to throw a ball with a rattle, rustling paper or twitch the “mouse” on a string. Another option is to clap your hands, stomp your foot, or make some other harsh sound. However, over time, the pet will get used to the noise and stop reacting to it.
4. Ignore the kitten. If the pet bites the owner, the person can pretend that the baby does not exist. That is, do not pay attention to it, even if the animal meows and rubs against its legs. Many cats are very social. This measure makes them think about their own behavior and helps them quickly wean themselves from unwanted habits.
5. Eliminate the irritant. Cats do not like strong smells - citrus fruits, vinegar, mustard, etc. The owner can bring the “aroma” of another animal from the street. If this is the reason, then the kitten will stop biting as soon as the owner washes his hands and washes things.
6. Punish. If you can’t stop the kitten from biting using peaceful methods, you will have to lightly spank it with a newspaper or spray it with a spray bottle. It is allowed to gently lift the animal by the scruff of the neck for a few seconds, and press the large animal to the floor. The child will understand that his behavior is unacceptable.

Preventive measures are used when the pet only bites an arm or leg. If he has already grabbed onto the owner, there is no need to break free. In the wild this is what prey does. It is better to completely relax and not move. The animal will quickly lose interest.

For your information. If a kitten attacks a sleeping owner, you should send the pet to spend the night in another room. For a few days he may meow pitifully under the door, but he will soon get used to being alone.

Ways to deal with the problem

Before deciding on a method to solve the problem, it is necessary to determine the cause. In some cases, a visit to the veterinarian may be necessary. There are several ways to stop a cat from biting adults and children:

• Voice influence.
  When attempting to bite, loudly say “no” or “teeth” so that the animal stops its actions. Repeat your chosen word every time your cat bites you.
• Noise impact.
  Instead of using your voice, you can clap your hands loudly or rattle a rattle. Any loud noise makes cats feel uncomfortable, so over time they will develop the idea that biting is bad.
• Application of water.
  When your cat bites, spray it with water from a spray bottle. This must be done every time the animal shows its teeth. The main disadvantage of this method is that the spray bottle must always be at hand.
• Using a towel.
  Cover your pet with a towel if he tries to bite. Use one piece of cloth for these purposes to develop a strong reflex.

If your cat scratches, you can use the same methods. The main thing is to stop such actions, and not to encourage them. Ignoring is also not the best behavior for the owner.

How to stop a kitten from scratching

It will not be possible to stop a kitten from scratching forever. Animals use their claws when stressed or threatened, and such situations cannot be completely ruled out.

However, with the help of education, you can wean your pet from using its teeth and claws out of boredom and teach it to control its behavior. He will understand that scratching is bad and will try not to do it. Good manners should be taught as early as possible. The younger the animal, the easier it is to correct its habits.

You can stop your pet from scratching using the same methods that are used when a cat bites:

• outdoor games for physical and emotional release;
• stroking and relaxation;
• switching attention;
• ignoring;
• eliminating the irritant;
• rigor.

If a kitten has been beaten before, it does not allow itself to be petted and scratches in response to affection. In this case, there is no need to wean him off with punishment. You need to gradually establish contact, praise and encourage your pet when he allows you to touch him.

Hunting instinct

The feline can bite the owner's legs due to the hunting instinct. A cat is a predator by nature, and this behavior is typical for it. She can hide under a table or chair and watch your leg for a long time, waiting and choosing the best moment to attack. When you get closer, she may jump out and grab your leg.

If she eats something tasty, a piece of meat or fish, and then you appear next to the bowl. The pet may begin to growl, indicating to you that this is its prey.

If the owner does not pay attention to this, he may be bitten directly on the leg. Sometimes it’s impossible to wean yourself off this.

You just have to get used to the hunting nature of your pet and find a peaceful solution to common coexistence.

Stress

Why does a kitten's whiskers break: the main reasons and what to do

There are often situations when a cat tries to bite the owner’s legs due to stress.

There can be several causes of stress:

• A cat bites because it feels pain. Its source is not always illness. For example, the owner may accidentally step on the animal's tail.

It is interesting that a cat can attack even when the owner has not done anything wrong, but just happens to be within the reach of the cat’s teeth, which causes a desire to grab the owner’s legs. This condition is caused by the aggression suffered. In this case, the object of aggressive behavior is a factor: the animal, the person who caused it.

• The cat bites its owner because it is afraid.

People who love cats may find it difficult to believe that a cat is afraid of them. Man is much larger and stronger than his pets, and these are sufficient reasons to run away from him.

Stress causes abnormal behavior in cats

There are situations when a cat’s trust in its owner is undermined, it begins to be afraid of him and bite him from time to time.

• The cat bites its owner because it wants to free itself from his excessive attention.

This is a fairly common reason. When a person begins to impose too much attention on a cat, it begins to chew its legs to show its owner where he belongs.

For reference: contrary to popular belief, cats experience stress quite often. And this does not have a positive effect on their health and behavior.

Playfulness

Your pet may be in a playful mood and doesn't know where to release its energy. In this way, the pet tries to involve the owner in the game, as he does with other animals. This behavior is especially typical when the cat is the only pet in the house and has no one to play with.

To prevent your pet from throwing itself at your feet, arrange play areas for it in your apartment, buy toys, pay attention and exercise with your pet.

It is easy to determine that this is a game by switching your pet’s attention to another object, for example, if you throw a ball, the cat will immediately run after it. But the aggression or pain that caused the attack does not stop so easily.

An animal may attack the owner’s legs due to the hunting instinct, boredom, playful mood, or poor health. You should not allow your pet to do this; scold him in a stern voice, but avoid physical punishment, which will not bring results.

>Why does a cat rush to its feet?

A fairly common complaint is that a cat lunges at the feet of a person passing by. Let's figure out where this habit comes from.

Danger of aggression

A cat's aggressive behavior can be quite dangerous. After all, it is one of the symptoms of such a deadly disease as rabies. The disease cannot be treated and the animal will need to be euthanized. But this is not the biggest problem.

IMPORTANT! Rabies is transmitted to humans through a bite.

And for him the disease is also fatal. When there is a suspicion of an illness, also supported by other symptoms, you need to immediately isolate the cat and call a specialist. You should not catch it yourself, it can be dangerous.

Playful attitude

One of the main reasons why a cat bites their feet is boredom. The owner should not forget to diversify the animal’s environment, give it a toy, play together and carefully hide objects that it is not desirable for the pet to become an object of interest to.

A cat may have dozens of toys, but too many can become boring. Therefore, you should hide some of them, and display only part of them, and after a while change their places. In this case, the cat will treat the previously hidden toys as a completely new object and will again show interest in the object.

When a cat jumps up to bite, the owner can throw him special toys, previously frozen in the refrigerator, or ice cubes. Biting such cold materials will calm the cat.

Attention! This method is especially applicable for small kittens whose teeth itch. After all, by biting the owner’s legs, they try to soothe pain in the game.

Leg biting is a way to attract the owner's attention when the cat wants to play. You should pay more attention to your pet, play with it more often, then the problem will be solved.

A playful attitude is a popular reason for biting the owner's feet.

Miseducation

All of the above causes of aggression are easily eliminated. To wean a cat, it is enough to eliminate the reason why it bites hands. It is much worse if the problem lies in upbringing - this is the most difficult case, so we will put it in a separate category. For clarity, let's outline the situation.

The new owners have just acquired a small, fluffy and cute kitten. Playing with him is a great pleasure. His attempts to bite and scratch his owner's hands amuse the latter more - his sharp but weak teeth do not cause much harm, since they cannot really bite through the skin.

But time passes. The habit of using claws and teeth while playing with the owner is reinforced - this is already part of the behavior. But a one-year-old cat has sharp claws and teeth that can easily cause serious injuries to a person. It is at this moment that the owner begins to worry - no one likes getting deep scratches. Moreover, the cat transfers the habits acquired while playing with an adult to children. He bites hard and can do a lot of damage.