Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Why does my cat suddenly bite me right after I stop petting him?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 20 lbs

Hi , My adult daughter keeps being bitten by our cat. She will pet him for a while and everything seems lovey-dovey. Then, when she stops , after a little while the cat will light into her. Do you have any idea why?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 7th, 2017

This could be because Peaches is overstimulated, or because he wants more attention. She may want to try very short sessions of calm petting followed by playtime with an appropriate toy. If he bites playtime stops and he goes somewhere by himself. If he seems overstimulated she should stick to very short gentle petting sessions.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on October 16th, 2018
NeeNee gets so excited when you pet her and love her, she does not know what to do with this excess excitement so that she unloads by swatting and biting. This is called Uebersprung.
You can help your cat not get so excited or become able to deal with that better by observing her very closely when you pet her. When you notice her come close to that point where she would swat or bite you, you must stop petting her before she does that. This could be a sign of a tiny flick of the tip of the tail, or other signs. Immediately stop petting her and give her time to come down. It will take months, but I have a cat here who did the same. He was so happy to be loved, that he even bit me in the head at night when he was happiest lying next to me in my arms purring. He hardly ever bites or scratches now, but it took about a year to get him to be able to deal with getting excited when he loved being petted.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Training & Behavior

Why does my cat suddenly bite me hard while I'm petting him?

This could be due to overstimulation. Some cats can become overly excited when petted, and this leads to biting. It's known as petting-induced aggression. Talk with your vet about Oliver's behavior, and they can help you find his subtle signs letting you know he's done with petting before he bites you. Best of luck.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Why does my 5-year-old cat suddenly bite my hand at night in bed?

Some cats start biting because they are overstimulated by petting, or are trying to warn you that they have had enough attention. I would stop petting her before you bite her, so you can stop this behavior before it becomes a pattern.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Why does my cat bite me while petting, then immediately want more?

Thanks for using PetCoach. This is a normal play behavior. (So is reaching out to claw your pants as you walk by or trying to catch your hands with her claws while you pet her.) There are two ways I handle this. One is to stop petting and leave so that she knows play time is over. Honestly it hasn’t really worked yet (she still does it sometimes) and my cat is now 18 mos. What seems to work better is to get up and grab her favorite toy and start playing with that. That is something she CAN bite and claw at and get those natural play behaviors out- without chomping my hands. My girl is OBSESSED with one very similar to the one in the link below. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/leaps-and-bounds-caterpillar-cat-teaser?rrec=true Hope this helps and best wishes to you and Raven!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My cat bites when petted. How do I stop this aggressive behavior?

It sounds like Ivan may be getting a bit overstimulated when being pet. This can happen in some cats, and others may also "bite" as a way of showing affection if they weren't taught not to as kittens. Stopping the petting as you are doing is a great thing to do already. You may also want to stop sooner than a bite if you see things such as a tail flicking back and forth, ears going flat, body stiffening, etc as these are all signs he is starting to become overstimulated. Interaction with a toy instead of petting, giving treats, or just petting "safe" areas such as the head or chin may also help you share affection without it getting to the point of biting.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why does my sweet cat suddenly bite and swat when I'm petting him?

He s so happy that he is petted and loved on that he gets very excited and the biting and swatting is a sign of Uebersprung, ie it is the only way he knows to get rid of the overstimulation. The way to reduce that is to pet him to the point where you notice that he gets excited, ie a tiny flick of the tail, for example, and then stop and give him a chance to come down again. It can take a long time to get him to the point where he will not do the biting or swatting at all, however it does work. I had a tom like that who would even bite my head at night, because he was sooo happy lying next to me, purring for hours. It took about a year before he could be petted and held for a long time before biting. He will need to be adopted out to a home with very experienced cat owners who do not mistake this as viciousness. It basically takes observation skills and the ability to stop petting him in time.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my cat suddenly biting my hand when I try to pet her?

I'd recommend stopping any attention as soon as Lizzie starts to exhibit any biting or pre-biting behavior (like rubbing against your hand). Immediately stand up and walk away if any aggressive play or biting occurs. Withdrawal of social contact with be a powerful learning tool for Lizzie. Also get plenty of new toys and rotate their use so Lizzie has appropriate things to play with and does not get bored. A Feliway Diffuser may be used to help reduce biting behavior and anxiety for Lizzie. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and good luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My 5-month-old kitten keeps biting when petted. What can I do?

Kittens are very playful at Jasper's age, and are often either teething or learning about the rules of play with humans. Shouting when he nips is not the way to go as it can cause him to become fearful of you and may increase his bad behavior rather than teaching him better ones. If gets playful and nippy when being petted, offering him a toy to chew on while you pet him can help him aim his energy to the toy rather than your hand. If he becomes too energetic, simply getting up and walking away until he calms down can teach him that being too rough ends the fun. You can also try to tire him out with a toy such as a feather on a string/pole to allow him to play and bite while keeping your fingers safe. Once he is tired, he may be more open to gentle petting.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share