Why Do Kittens Bite
Understanding why kittens bite biting in kittens is similar to biting behavior in puppies.
Why do kittens bite. Why do kittens scratch and bite. Occasionally though scratching and biting can be a sign that your kitten is frightened angry or in pain. In most cases kittens scratch and bite in play. Petting induced aggression and it s a poorly understood topic.
Other cats won t put up with being hurt. Cats have sharp teeth that are able to make deep punctures and cats mouths harbor a lot of bacteria that can potentially cause infection. A kitten usually bites because of a socialization issue while an adult cat may bite for a different reason. They will also bite when they play just like puppies dogs and older cats.
Why do kittens bite. While they are still underdeveloped this is one of their only forms of protection. If left untreated or not given proper first aid care cat bites can lead to infection cat scratch fever or in rare cases rabies. A tender tummy from worms or a sore paw from that bee sting means your touch hurts.
Kittens bite when they feel pain stress or just plain tired and grumpy and don t want you to mess with them. On rare occasions however your kitten may be biting because they are afraid. 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. This might be cute when the kitten is little but as it grows and the kitten s strength increases it can become very painful and the kitten will often draw blood.
If we re lucky their mothers or litter mates teach them to inhibit this behavior. But sometimes they don t learn from their litters that this is not acceptable. Kittens have tiny sharp little teeth. And of course like a human baby and puppies they too go through stages of teething.
Biting and scratching usually occurs as a result of the owner s actions. Many pet owners call this common behavior love biting but feline behaviorists have given it a more formal name. Kittens love to use their mouths when they play with one another so they mimic that same behavior when they play with their human friends. Some owners find it nearly impossible to resist wrestling with a tiny playful kitten they will wrestle the kitten with their hand letting the kitten bite and scratch them.
Kittens may bite if they re sick. This is the time when each kitten learns how to use an inhibited bite so as not to. How do i stop my kitten biting and scratching me. Kittens develop good manners through interaction with other kittens and their mother.
If you suspect your kitten is biting out of pain consult your veterinarian immediately. It s not about aggression it s about youngsters using their mouths to explore their environments.