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.
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.
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.
Willfulness and aggressiveness as a character trait of a cat
The aggressive reactions observed in domestic cats are closely related to the natural behavior of this species during play, hunting or in a conflict situation. Willfulness, touchiness, unsociability or, conversely, the desire to be the center of attention are character traits that manifest themselves in varying degrees and fit into the norm.
Research results show that a third of behavioral differences are due to hereditary factors. Selective breeding that focuses on external characteristics such as body structure, coat and eye color has an indirect effect on the animal's temperament. It is believed that the older the history of the breed, the greater the risk of behavioral abnormalities.
Another factor that explains an individual’s tendency to display aggression is psychological trauma. Animals whose life began in an unfavorable environment develop persistent self-defense mechanisms. A cat that has experienced abuse is easily fearful and can do unpredictable things at the slightest hint of a repetition of such a situation.
Risks that lead to aggressive behavior in cats:
inattention to the characteristics of the breed; mistakes in education; physiological pathologies; the presence of constant external stimuli that cause fear.
How to stop a cat from biting
There are simple ways to stop your cat from biting:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Violation of personal space
Cats are possessive by nature; they do not like it when other pets sit in their place or eat from a bowl. They may be annoyed by another pet, for example a parrot whose cage is located next to the cat's house, or by squeaking mice. If a cat cannot independently eliminate the cause of irritation, he will show his dissatisfaction to the owner. And here, as they say, it’s nothing personal, it’s just instincts.
When the owner realizes that the cat is hostile to another resident, you can check this by removing the animal from the house for a while. If the cat has calmed down, become more affectionate and accommodating, the reason has been identified. Unfortunately, the only way to solve it is to house the animals separately or endure aggressive attacks - which is not useful either for the owners or for the cat itself.
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.
Danger from bites
The saliva of an apartment cat contains a large number of pathogenic microorganisms that penetrate into the deep layers of the skin during a bite. Ignoring the problem can become a source of inflammatory processes and suppuration. Such damage leaves scars after healing.
The primary symptoms of infection with staphylococcal or streptococcal infection are:
- redness of the injury site;
- increase in temperature level;
- swelling.
Infection after a bite
What not to do in the process of education
A person can stop a kitten from scratching and biting only if he does not make common mistakes:
- You can't hit a kitten. You need to reprimand him in a stern voice and leave him alone for a while. The pet will understand that biting and scratching its owner's arms and legs is unacceptable. And physical violence will embitter the animal even more.
- Prohibitions must be observed by all family members. If the owner is trying to wean the animal from scratching and biting, and the relatives allow the baby to behave this way, you should not expect success.
- You can't provoke a kitten. It is forbidden to deliberately tease a baby and then punish him for biting and scratching. The animal will become completely confused.
- You should not play with a kitten without special devices. Toys that exclude direct contact will help to wean a kitten from biting and scratching during play: laser pointers, wind-up mice, bows on strings. You cannot use your own hands and feet. Otherwise, the baby will get used to scratching and biting.
- You cannot limit your pet's movement. For proper development, the baby must run, jump, and imitate hunting. The lack of such an opportunity and being forced to stay within four walls cause behavioral anomalies.
To wean a kitten from scratching and biting, you need to establish the reason that caused such actions. After this, you can begin raising your child before the wrong behavior becomes a habit.
