Thanks! What's the first thing you should do when your cat bites or scratches you? Thanks a lot! Never call a cat to you and then punish it. For tips from our veterinarian reviewer on training a kitten so it won’t bite or scratch, keep reading! Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. Therefore, hand-raised cats are more likely to bite or scratch when they're trying to play. Thepetnow is the ultimate resource for learning everything about your new cat, or information when trying to find the right one. A cat that is playing will also have large round pupils, because he is excited. (No pulling tails, no hitting, no yelling, no using the spray bottle unless it is absolutely necessary, etc.). It's useful to learn how to prevent biting and scratching, as well as how to react when this happens. Your cat gets the idea that biting is an effective tool. The cat hasn't got a clue why you're responding negatively to him. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Take this into account when considering the cat's other body language - so a cat on your lap should not be excited and not have large pupils. Spray him! One of the reasons cat scratching is so prevalent is that cats have an instinctive need to exercise their bodies and their claws, and so a scratching post can help in this matter. Do not feed or pet the cat until it has calmed down so it doesn’t associate biting you with getting affection. He only does it to me, I think it's for attention. ", "Wonderful article. Next, rub the scratching post with some catnip. This method works with a dominant, aggressive or cheeky cat. Nope! If the biting is totally out of character and sudden, take your cat to the vet for an immediate check-up. I love to keep my cats happy always. POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Buy or create a scratching post, ideally covered in cardboard or sisal (instead of something that resembles carpet or upholstery). That gives it a chance to calm down without reinforcing its bad behavior. Toys that gives out treats are the best way to keep the surrounding enriched and encourage the proper play behavior by giving them the right objects. At first it was very loving and didn't bite or scratch me. Pressing back makes it uncomfortable for the cat, so he/she will stop biting down. Use Noisy Cans. This does not hurt your cat; rather, it annoys him. BSAVA publications. Give the cat a toy to play with instead of your hand. Why does my kitten get under my chin and act like I'm his mother? The very first thing you should ever do with a scratch is to clean it. You need to appear fair but firm. Also, I want to make sure another person takes caring their cats and kittens. ", "Very helpful, something I didn't know. I recommend this site for cat/kitten problems! But even if they do, the reigned-in bite that's acceptable to another cat is probably still too much for a human hand or foot. But just like people, cats can only take so much. Of course, you don't want to leave your cat unattended, but you can use a squirt of water to deter them (never spray them in the face). She plays really roughly and draws blood, sometimes even hurting herself. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. While kittens may take some time to learn the proper place to relieve themselves, … Avoid soothing your cat after biting or scratching. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3b\/Stop-a-Cat-from-Biting-and-Scratching-Step-9-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Stop-a-Cat-from-Biting-and-Scratching-Step-9-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3b\/Stop-a-Cat-from-Biting-and-Scratching-Step-9-Version-4.jpg\/aid103586-v4-728px-Stop-a-Cat-from-Biting-and-Scratching-Step-9-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"