The appearance of a furry baby in the house is a joyful event. But what if the kitten scratches or bites, leaving bleeding marks on its arms and legs? Some cat owners simply find this behavior of this charming little creature amusing. They specifically try to tease the pet so that they can play “fight” later. This is a big mistake.
Firstly, bites and scratches of even a small kitten are dangerous: they can cause infection, even serious forms. Secondly, before you know it, the young pet will turn into an adult cat. An aggressive cat in the house is a big problem, especially if there are children in the family. Therefore, you should not indulge your pet’s manifestations of anger, but rather correct his behavior from an early age.
Why does a kitten bite and scratch?
There are several reasons to explain this behavior.
A game
By attacking the hands of the owner and other family members, the kitten is trying to show that he is bored and asks for attention by playing with him for a while. To wean people from encroaching on people's fingers, special toys on strings are suitable. Playing with them imitates the process of hunting, which is very important for the development of the pet. Catching up and catching such a “tease”, the kitten will get tired after a while and will no longer have time for its owner’s hands. After this fun, you can give him a treat, because he tried and hunted.
Teeth cutting
This is another reason for this behavior. When teething, kittens' gums itch, which makes them want to chew on something, and the most accessible object is the hands of the owners. Special chewing sticks will help you cope with this; pet stores offer a wide range.
Fatigue
A cat may bite when it is tired, and the owners pester them with games or affection. Thus, the pet tries to “ask” to be left alone. It can also bite if it is hurt, for example, if its tail is stepped on.
Fear
This is a very strong emotion, sometimes turning into aggression. Such situations very often arise when there are other pets and small children in the family, but the kitten does not have a separate place. With such behavior (biting and scratching) he tries to protect himself.
You definitely need to give him a space where he can rest and calm down, for example, buy a special house and put it in a secluded place. The pet will relax and stop showing signs of aggression.
Smells
A person can bring odors that are unpleasant for the kitten on their clothes and shoes, which will irritate it and provoke bad behavior. Since they are perceived as an encroachment on the territory, and the animal begins to defend itself. To combat this, use special sprays sold in pet stores. They are sprayed in several places in the apartment.
Adult reasons
Sometimes a cat after giving birth to kittens begins to show signs of aggression. This is due to the fact that she is trying to protect them, because the owners pick up and stroke newborn babies. Therefore, it is worth understanding this behavior of the mother and not provoking her again.
The cause of bites can also be unpleasant games for them. For example, if you stroke against the grain or be very intrusive in communication. They are freedom-loving animals and, in response to any excessive attention to themselves, they can bite or scratch their owner.
Cases of critical aggression
In addition to the situations discussed, uncontrolled aggression is also possible. To repay it, medical intervention is necessary. Otherwise, the animal, which finds itself in an insane state, can cause fatal injuries to people.
Unsatisfied sexual instinct
Neglect of castration and lack of mating can result in a serious problem in the future. Unsatisfied sexual instinct does not go away over the years, but constantly accumulates. As a result, in the middle or end of life, accumulated energy is redirected in a negative direction. Behavioral disorders occur, accompanied by increased nervousness and outbursts of aggression.
20 years ago, my uncastrated 9-year-old cat began to attack me, my mother, and, worst of all, my little sister for no reason. Then there was no money and ample opportunity to study why this happened, all that was left was guesswork. Later, I kept hearing from friends: an uncastrated domestic cat went crazy, caused serious injuries, and had to be euthanized. And a friend of my grandmother almost lost her arm. So castration is humane both in relation to the cat and in relation to others.
Owner Maria
The cat has gone crazy - literally
Cat madness is a rare phenomenon in veterinary medicine. In 99% of cases, aggression is associated with psychological trauma, poor upbringing, self-defense or pain. A mental disorder can only be determined using laboratory diagnostics.
If your pet attacks members of your household, make an appointment with a veterinarian. In the absence of pathologies and a stable mental state, he may need a zoopsychologist.
Rabies
The rabies virus is deadly to humans, so it is necessary to clearly know the main signs of its manifestation. When infected it is noted:
- profuse drooling;
- aggressiveness or apathy;
- fear of light and water;
- perverted appetite (eating inedible objects).
The patient should be isolated in a separate room to prevent the spread of the virus. There is no cure for this infection. The only way to protect yourself is timely vaccination.
How to properly stop a cat from biting and scratching
Bites and scratches are unpleasant, often painful and take a long time to heal. Therefore, few people will like such aggressive behavior of a cat. It is important to consider the age of the pet, as the reasons for bad behavior will differ depending on this.
How to wean a kitten
When a baby arrives in the family, you need to show it to a veterinarian, who will conduct an examination and give an opinion on its state of health.
If a change of teeth occurs - this is the reason for biting, it is worth switching his attention to toys.
Often at an early age, pets perceive people's hands and feet as objects that they can play with. Special teasers and balls will also help solve this problem. You can buy them in a store or use the “old-fashioned” method - tie a paper bow to a thread.
If, when playing with a pet, he bites his hands, you need to remove them immediately, then the cat will understand after a while that this should not be done. Otherwise, the grown animal will continue to gnaw people's fingers.
How to wean yourself as an adult
Sometimes aggression is associated with health problems. If this is ruled out based on the results of a consultation with a veterinarian, then it is necessary to begin weaning off aggression. At the same time, all family members must adhere to the same tactics in behavior, otherwise the cat simply will not understand what they want from him.
If he behaves aggressively, it is necessary to stop it sharply. Say the word “no” loudly, clap your hands, or drop something.
Sharp sounds are unpleasant for your pet and this will help in weaning them from improper behavior. After some time, he will understand what they are trying to get out of him and will stop behaving like that.
Every time the cat tries to bite, you can spray it with water, which will help in learning the correct behavior.
Throwing a towel or other dense fabric over its head helps a lot in weaning a pet from aggression. It is important to remember that the animal has a short memory and punishment should be given immediately at the moment of aggression or immediately after.
If educational measures are carried out after even a few minutes, the cat simply will not understand why he was punished and weaning from the bad habit will not happen.
It is necessary to adhere to regularity - that is, every offense must be followed by punishment. Scolding an animal from time to time is unlikely to produce any results.
Norm or pathology
Sometimes some cats develop mental disorders, but this cannot be detected on their own. For this purpose, it is worth visiting a veterinarian and telling your concerns about changes in the animal’s behavior and the appearance of unmotivated aggression. Only a specialist will be able to determine whether this is related to pathology or is a character trait.
But most often bites are caused by other reasons. Cats are one of the most independent pets and this needs to be taken into account. And everyone's character is different. While some are very affectionate and love attention from their owner, others don’t like it.
Some animals, even living for a long time in a family, try to keep a distance from people and cannot stand a familiar attitude towards their person. These are already individual character traits and it will not be possible to change temperament.
How to correct mistakes in parenting
The pet often begins to bite and scratch due to mistakes in upbringing that were made by the owners. To eliminate this behavior, you need to follow simple rules:
- The kitten should not be allowed to play with its arms and legs; it must clearly understand that there are special objects for this: balls, “teasers” on a string, etc.
- When punishing, you should not get carried away with painful procedures. It is unacceptable to hit or kick a pet. Otherwise, they will be perceived as aggressors and the animal will begin to attack them even more, trying to defend itself.
- Using caresses and stroking before unpleasant or painful manipulations, for example, bathing, cutting, combing, will create a negative experience. The cat will begin to perceive any manifestations of affection as a warning factor that something bad should be expected and react negatively.
- You should not often play and pet the animal when it is in the mood for it.
- It is unacceptable to try to break a cat's character or completely change it. Nothing good will come of this.
- There should be a calm environment at home; swearing and screaming from family members does not contribute to the formation of a peaceful nature of the pet. The animal will react accordingly - showing aggression.
What to do
If your pet is showing unreasonable aggression, take him to an experienced veterinarian. A detailed examination will help determine whether everything is in order with the baby’s health. He may need urgent treatment.
If the kitten is healthy, then the reason is improper upbringing. The best cure for the remnants of a difficult childhood is love and care. Talk to the kitten in a calm, friendly tone, and do not try to pet him unless he asks. Use as toys something that will bring joy to the baby, but will keep him at a distance: a piece of paper on a string, a fur “mouse”, a pair of woolen socks rolled into a ball.
If the kitten accidentally scratches you, do not punish him under any circumstances! Immediately remove your hand, sternly scold the prankster and leave the room. To be more convincing, you can take him by the scruff of the neck and lift him off the floor for a couple of seconds. This is quite enough for the most stubborn biter to soon come running to make peace.
Cult of the master
Some pets love their owners so much that they perceive any stranger in the house as a threat. That's why they rush at guests, scratching and biting them. It is extremely difficult to wean them from such behavior; you will have to try to adapt.
It is often triggered by the arrival of a child in the family. The cat begins to be jealous of him and tries in this way to regain the owner’s favor.
If you decide to get a cat, you should pay attention to breeds with a peaceful and non-conflict character. For example, the Russian Blue or Curl gets along well with children and other animals.
How to stop throwing yourself at strangers
If your cat likes to attack strangers, biting and scratching, you should put a collar with a small bell on him. Then you will hear him approaching and a surprise attack will no longer happen.
Sometimes animals can't stand one of their family friends. It will not be possible to change the cats' opinion about this person, so you can give them a sedative or lock them in another room.
Often a cat perceives strangers in the house as an encroachment on its territory and defends it. In this case, you can try to introduce your pet to guests, warning them in advance about this behavior. Give recommendations for communicating with animals: you should not impose yourself, excessive attention can provoke aggression. Give the cat a treat. If this does not help, you need to move it to another room.
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Rule 1
Redirect the kitten's attention to another object.
If, carried away by the game, the baby begins to go beyond what is permitted, distract his attention with rustling crumpled paper, a ball with a rattle, or a long thin twig with a couple of leaves. Your pet will eagerly rush in pursuit of a new toy, forgetting about your limbs. If this doesn’t help, say loudly, confidently, sharply: “You can’t!” and reinforce the prohibition with a loud clap on a hard object - a table or book.
For some kittens, one or two reminders are enough, others begin to understand the prohibition later.
