Why it happens
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Too much stroking
The cat purrs on your lap and then suddenly bites. Beforehand it nearly always shows signs: the tip of the tail flicks, the ears turn sideways, the skin on its back twitches. It is not spite but a request to stop that we missed.
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Play as hunting
A young cat ambushes your feet or pounces on a hand moving under the duvet. It is a hunting game: moving fingers look like prey.
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Raised without littermates
A kitten learns to bite gently by playing with its littermates: bite too hard and the game stops. A kitten raised alone or taken away too early missed that lesson, and if people played with it using their hands, it learned that hands are toys.
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Fear
A cat that is cornered, held against its will or cannot get away from children defends itself. Before it bites it hisses, flattens its ears and crouches: these are its last warnings.
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Pain
If a calm cat has started biting when you touch its back, belly or hips, it may hurt there. That bite is not a change of character but a signal.
What helps
- Never play with your hands Hands and feet must not be toys. Play with a wand toy, a feather toy or a toy mouse you can throw away from you, so the cat hunts the toy and not your fingers.
- Daily hunting games Have a few short play sessions a day: let the cat stalk, lie in wait and finally catch the toy. A tired cat that has made its catch goes for feet far less.
- Shorter stroking Stroke the head, cheeks and chin, briefly, and stop before the cat shows impatience. Let it come and go as it likes.
- Freeze rather than pull away If the cat has latched on, stop moving and calmly redirect it to a toy. Jerking your hand away makes it grip harder, and shouting or smacking only teaches the cat to fear you.
- Explain it to children Children need to know that a cat must not be held against its will, chased or woken up. A cat that has somewhere to retreat bites far less.
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When to see a trainer or behaviourist
If an adult cat bites hard enough to draw blood, attacks people without warning or bites more and more, first see a vet, then contact a qualified animal behaviourist. In the meantime do not punish the cat, do not stare it in the eye and do not approach it when it is tense: give it space and make sure nobody gets hurt.
When it is a question for a vet
See a vet if the cat has suddenly started biting when you touch a particular part of its body, if it also hides, eats less or no longer jumps, or if an older cat's behaviour has changed. If a cat bite has broken your skin, the wound can become infected, so speak to your own doctor.