When you adopt a cat from an animal shelter, shelter staff will warn you if the cat has a tendency to bite. Many people get scared away, especially those who are new to cat ownership and those who have kids. However, biters are not necessarily nasty monsters you can’t tame. In most cases, biting can be prevented, reduced, or stopped. Of course, in order to do that one needs to understand why the cat bites.
First of all, there are warning bites, vicious bites, play bites, and love bites. Slapping the cat for any kind of a bite is the biggest mistake you can make. In fact, slapping the cat is not the way to go, period.
Vicious bites are the rarest. A stable, well socialized cat will resort to a vicious bite only in an extreme situation – for example, when it panics, or when it is hurt. Simply put, don’t abuse the cat and you won’t be bitten.
Warning bites are given by many cats to let you know you are doing something they do not like, and they want you to stop. Don’t touch my belly. Don’t pick me up. I don’t want to be petted. Warning bites can be mild, with the cat opening its mouth and barely touching you, and they can be rather strong, with the cat’s teeth leaving a mark on your skin. Stronger ones are often mistaken for real bites. I’ve heard it so many times: “The cat bit me!” No, it didn’t. If it did, you’d be bleeding all over. Just take a look at your average cat’s fangs: it does not take too great of imagination to picture what a cat could have done with those if it meant to hurt you.
Play bites also can be rather strong, especially when the cat gets carried away. In many cases, inexperienced owners are to blame for developing such a habit. I’ve known a guy who’d put on boxing gloves (!) and wrestle with his cat – and then he complained that he can’t touch the cat because it is so aggressive and easy to bite. Hello?? You have trained the cat to play rough, and you have trained it to bite your boxing gloves!
So, keeping that in mind, Rule #1: Do not teach the cat to think that your hands are toys. Hands are for petting the cat, not teasing. If the cat playfully bites your hand, do not provoke it further; stop the game and firmly say “No.” This will relay the message that hand biting is not allowed. Be consistent, and the cat will learn.
Love bites are the funniest thing. Cats give them when they are petted, happily purring away. They just don’t know how else to express their gratitude. Love bites are easily recognized, but surprisingly many people misunderstand them. “One moment he was happy and purring and then he bit me for no reason at all!!” is a common complaint. Don’t worry, this is not a sudden mood change. The cat is just a bit over-stimulated. Love bites are usually harmless nips, and most cat owners don’t mind them. If you do mind and would like to stop this habit, use the same technique as described above: firmly say “No” and stop petting.