Why Do Kittens Bite When You Pet Them

Why do kittens scratch and bite.

Why do kittens bite when you pet them. Other cats won t put up with being hurt. This is the time when each kitten learns how to use an inhibited bite so as not to. It doesn t mean they don t like us or are trying to show aggression it is the opposite. This is how they learn to socialize with their siblings test boundaries and just have fun.

There may be some neurologically significant negative stimulus associated with being petted at length that affects these cats in particular. A kitten usually bites because of a socialization issue while an adult cat may bite for a different reason. Signs of petting induced aggression include biting while being petted and staring evilly at sleeping humans from dark corners of the room. Unfortunately they also see our hands arms toes and almost anything as fair game so we need to exercise caution and not encourage bad behavior either.

Six reasons your cat bites you. Some personality traits in cats are hereditary. They are treating us like family. It may be a manifestation of so called status induced aggression in which cats seek to control a situation.

Young kittens may bite more often when learning how to play. Some experts theorize that a cat may bite once the petting exceeds her sensitivity threshold. This can explain why our cat bites us when we pet them as they are in a hunting game mode. A move a new baby a new pet any change at home can cause changes in your cat s behavior.

Cats are sensitive to their owners emotions. Kittens love to use their mouths when they play with one another so they mimic that same behavior when they play with their human friends. While the cat enjoys the human contact at first the repetitiveness of the petting becomes irritating and the cat turns and bites as a way of saying enough. It may take a little while for your kitten to trust you and if you try and pet them.

On rare occasions however your kitten may be biting because they are afraid. To be sure this is not the case. In most cases kittens scratch and bite in play. It s in their genes.

Petting induced aggression differs from flat out unfriendly behavior some cats just don t like to be petted at all full stop and will take a swipe at you if you try. Occasionally though scratching and biting can be a sign that your kitten is frightened angry or in pain. This is especially true during the first few weeks when your kitten is home. Kittens develop good manners through interaction with other kittens and their mother.