When I pet and caress a cat, why does it turn and bites me?
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This cat behavior is usually very confusing. for owners. Initially, a cat may like physical contact and maybe she will even purr and rub about the owner. However, after some period of time the cat can get excited and bite the hand that stroked her. These bites are usually quite inhibited, but they can be painful and quite heavy.
Such bites can also be called “leave behind” bites. Occur they are at that moment when the physical sensation of stroking or caressing the cat doesn’t like it anymore. Therefore, she is trying to make a difference with using a flash of aggression.
Is there a way to predict this type of behavior?
It’s important to understand that some cats do not always welcome petting and interaction with the owner. If the cat is sitting next to or on lap, this may not mean that she desires affection. Cats like typically show subtle changes in behavior, but owners often do not notice these signals that the cat is no longer like physical contact. Your pet may change slightly posture, start tugging the tail, tighten the body, move your ears or Demonstrate more pronounced signals such as a growl or hiss. In some cases, if you stop physical contact, the cat will become calmer and will not bite. In other cases, the cat may bite and then get out of the situation.
This behavior is often aimed at owners or acquaintances. people, but it can also happen to strangers. In these cases The cause of aggression is most likely fear, because cats don’t allow affection and interaction with strangers.
Are there other reasons when a cat can bite if try to pet her?
Anxiety, pain, or skin disease can equally promote behavior when the cat resists physical contact. Dental metabolic problems diseases and certain diseases can increase irritability cats and lower the reaction threshold when it will act aggressively. If this behavior is sudden, never before If it’s not demonstrated, then a visit to the veterinarian is justified he examined the cat for any medical problems. If the cat was not socialized, or the young kitten never stroked and not caressed, the behavior is not due to desire any contact with a person.
Owners respond to cat bites in several ways. If you respond to the bite by stopping caressing the cat, then you reinforce her behavior to bite in the future. If you punish your cat or become irritable, then you can add even more problems, since the cat may allow affection in the future, but will also be worried and anxious at this time. This situation known as a conflict of behavior (competing motivation).
How should this behavior be treated?
First of all, it’s important to learn how to identify warning signals, that the cat feeds (e.g. tail or ears twitching, dilated pupils). At the first sign of these signals, all caresses and physical contact should be discontinued. In some cases, this will discourage aggression and escalation, and may be enough to control the problem.
In other cases, training a cat is more appropriate. endure physical contact without aggressive reaction. Purpose of this training should consist of increasing the psychological threshold cats when she can show aggression. Using a treat and positively reinforcing the cat’s patience, you can gradually increase then the number of strokes before the cat can no longer endure.
In some cases, it is more preferable to understand a cat and accept the type of interaction she wants. For some cats this may mean that if they are sitting next to or even on knees, they should not be ironed. Many cats are more tolerant of scratching the neck and chin, rather than long strokes on the back and to the sides.
It is never recommended to yell at a cat or use physical punishment. These actions tend to increase stress, arousal and fear of a cat, but do not teach her to be more calm. If the cat began to show anxiety or aggression, then slowly and calmly leave the interaction zone and allow cat leave.
For some cats, the use of pheromone diffusers that provide a calming effect. Claw trimming can also significantly reduce potential injury. If the cat’s problem is serious enough, then she should limit access to young children and people with disabilities opportunities.
