Why Do Cats Suddenly Bite And Scratch

Cats are actually very predictable creatures and biting and scratching are cause and effect behaviors just as most other undesirable behaviors.

Why do cats suddenly bite and scratch. Sudden aggression in cats is a scary and frustrating problem for many owners who fear the unpredictable nature of the kitty fury as well as the physical damage he or she can cause in the throes of an attack. Cat bites can be dangerous if not taken care of properly. There are two basic kinds of biting and scratching behaviors in cats and both of them are often caused by our own human failings. Typically a friendly cat seeks out human attention only to turn on his lavisher of attention once the affection seems to have gone on for too long.

Petting induced aggression and it s a poorly understood topic. Why do cats suddenly scratch or bite while they are being petted. Commonly i see static electricity as a reason for cats to bite during petting. Cats are moody beings.

They might be the calmest at that very moment when you are pampering them by petting or running your hands on their coats but they ll attack you the moment a single strand of hair is tweaked or you move your hand 1 degree to the east or west. So why do cats do this. The repetitive stroking can create little shocks along your cat s skin encouraging him to believe your affection is what causes this irritating feeling creating a negative. Why do cats bite and scratch.

If left untreated or not given proper first aid care cat bites can lead to infection cat scratch fever or in rare cases rabies. Aggressive biting often happens during a petting session when the human companion either doesn t understand or ignores the cat s body language. Kittens develop good manners through interaction with other kittens and their mother. Other cats won t put up with being hurt.

Repetitive petting can cause your cat to become overly excited and trigger an arousal based bite. Cat aggression is truly no laughing matter. While some cats love to be petted for hours on end sometimes a cat becomes overstimulated for one reason or another and want to opt out of the petting session but don t know how to tell you when to stop. It s a controversial topic in the feline behavior world but many believe it s simply due to overstimulation.

If the puncture wound is deep and dirt or outside debris get into the wound tetanus can also be of concern. In addition to the painful nature of cat bites and scratches they can also transmit diseases such as cat scratch fever or serious bacterial infection.