when my cat bites...?

Question

my cat bites when playing, not hard - he never digs his teeth in or anything... should this be discouraged or is it okay and normal?

Answer 1

Very normal;)

Answer 2

Your cat sound exactly the same as mine ! LIke I said in some of my previous answers.
The best thing to do is like some of the other answer have said -make sure that your kitten has enough toys etc.. to play with & also try to spend at least 1hr playing with your kitten, as it may be wanting your attention and just being affectionate (hard to imagine I know - when it biting you !).


Your kitten is copying his natural senses which include attacking, pouncing & leaping, its really trying in play with you like it would with another cat.

Try and encourage him into a less painful game, like playing with balls etc..

You also need to make sure that if your cat is doing something it shouldn't, don't ignore it . With regards to the biting your ankles , I find that a loud 'Ouch!!' noice works well & stops them biting.

Make sure that when your cat bites the wires you tell him 'no' in a deep low voice (don't shout, but be firm) and place your kitten somewhere else e.g. in another room where he will get no attention.

I know it sounds like a lot of hard work, but it will work if you stick with it everytime.

Also offer some treats to your cat, when he is being good & not biting you, so it knows that he will be rewarded for good behaviour.

You need to 'nip it in the bud' while your cat is younger.

I hope this helps.

Answer 3

It should be discouraged, this will continuously be a problem later on....on the other hand you have not said how old the cat is....this can just be juvenile behaviour in a young cat, now learning his prowess......if it's an older cat....well, you're gonna have a problem fixing that without extreme measures because old cats are worse than dogs, they are set in their ways..............oh....make sure your cat has gotten all it's shots....so if he bites, you won't try to bite it back !!
Hope this helps.........

Answer 4

Think of your cat as a miniature tiger. If he wanted to bite hard, he would (just ask Roy of Ziegfried & Roy). This is how cats play. It's called a "love bite". Don't listen to Dan...he is an idiot. Get toys to play with for your cat, you don't want to encourage him to bite YOU, but you do want to encourage exercise and play. Try one of those sticks with an elastic band and feathers/toy thingy hanging from it. Cats love!

Answer 5

This is absolutely normal, your cat is playing with you in the same way it would with another cat from the same litter or one it trusts. Take it as a sort of compliment in that your cat is relaxed and really trusts; you're a sort of honorary cat. Be aware that a cat's mouth is very germy and act accordingly.

Answer 6

that depends on if you want the cat to bite like that, ( some people do they think its "cool") But if you dont then when your playin with your cat and it starts biting your and atop moving your hand. The cat will soon learn that it gets no reaction from this kind of play and will eventually stop.

Answer 7

Its normal. He is just being playful. If he bites hard then I would worry. My cats nips at me all the time when I play with them.

Answer 8

biting is OK with me but he has to learn his limits. My cat bites but very seldom breaks skin. Since he has no hands or fingers he uses his mouth quite often for holding things. It is part of his natural play in my opinion. When they learn their limits, they become very adept at using their mouth, even considering they are full of sharp needle like teeth.

Answer 9

It is normal for cats to bite when play en, its up to you as weather or not its something you want to allow.

Answer 10

Cat bites are very very bad - you should discourage it for sure!

Answer 11

I wouldn't allow it give him a small tap on the nose and tell him no.
You may have a guest over that may start playing with your cat and he might dig in causing problems, use toys instead.