Pouncing / Biting During Play

Cats are predators and have a natural hunting instinct. Even though your cat doesn't have to hunt for food, their natural instincts to do so won't go away. It's perfectly normal for cats to practice their hunting skills and you therefore need to make sure you provide an acceptable outlet for this behaviour.

A couple of play sessions each day will give your cat opportunity to get rid of a little bit of energy and to practice their hunting skills. There are loads of toys to choose from on the market and, in my experience, the wands with a fish or mouse attached to a long string at the end seem to go down well. Drag the toy it in front of your cat, alternating between slow pulls and sudden jerks and let him/her stalk and pounce on the toy instead of you.

If kitty becomes over-excited, tone down the play session a little. If he/she bites or scratches you, immediately say "OUCH" loudly, walk away and ignore them. Stopping a fun play session is a great way to teach your cat that rough behaviour and biting you is not acceptable.

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Biting While Being Stroked

Its quite common for your cat to be sat on your lap purring away as you stroke them and then next minute turn around and bite you. And while this can be quite confusing for you, it's simply their way of telling you that they've had enough. You may think that your cat has bitten you without any warning but if you watch your cat when you're stroking them, you'll get to pick up on the warning signs.

Watch your cat's body language. When he/she has had enough of being stroked, they will begin to flick their tail, turn and look at your hand and their ears may flatten. If your cat does this, just stop stroking. This is them telling you in the nicest way they can that they've had enough. If you ignore this and continue stroking then you may get bitten. That's them telling you in no uncertain terms to stop it. Not all cats bite when they have had enough, some of them will simply move away from you and settle down somewhere quiet. But if your cat does, then keep an eye out for the warning signs and stop when you see them.

If you miss the warnings and your cat does bite you, say "OUCH" loudly and keep your hand still. This will make them realise that biting isn't acceptable and keeping your hand still will stop them digging their teeth into your skin.