Why Do Cats Suddenly Bite And Scratch

Why do cats suddenly scratch or bite while they are being petted.

Why do cats suddenly bite and scratch. Cats are actually very predictable creatures and biting and scratching are cause and effect behaviors just as most other undesirable behaviors. In addition to the painful nature of cat bites and scratches they can also transmit diseases such as cat scratch fever or serious bacterial infection. Cat aggression is truly no laughing matter. While some cats love to be petted for hours on end sometimes a cat becomes overstimulated for one reason or another and want to opt out of the petting session but don t know how to tell you when to stop.

Petting induced aggression and it s a poorly understood topic. Aggressive biting often happens during a petting session when the human companion either doesn t understand or ignores the cat s body language. Cat bites can be dangerous if not taken care of properly. It s a controversial topic in the feline behavior world but many believe it s simply due to overstimulation.

If left untreated or not given proper first aid care cat bites can lead to infection cat scratch fever or in rare cases rabies. If the puncture wound is deep and dirt or outside debris get into the wound tetanus can also be of concern. The repetitive stroking can create little shocks along your cat s skin encouraging him to believe your affection is what causes this irritating feeling creating a negative. So why do cats do this.

Commonly i see static electricity as a reason for cats to bite during petting. They might be the calmest at that very moment when you are pampering them by petting or running your hands on their coats but they ll attack you the moment a single strand of hair is tweaked or you move your hand 1 degree to the east or west. Kittens develop good manners through interaction with other kittens and their mother. Why do cats bite and scratch.

There are two basic kinds of biting and scratching behaviors in cats and both of them are often caused by our own human failings. A kitten usually bites because of a socialization issue while an adult cat may bite for a different reason. Many pet owners call this common behavior love biting but feline behaviorists have given it a more formal name. Other cats won t put up with being hurt.

Cats are moody beings. Cats have sharp teeth that are able to make deep punctures and cats mouths harbor a lot of bacteria that can potentially cause infection.