Why does my cat bite me when I pet her? How can I make her nicer?

Cats can be odd balls when it comes to being petted, displaying affection and expressing themselves. I’m sure you’ve seen cartoons that portray cats only allowing a certain number of pets on the back or only certain parts of the body being touched. This is not abnormal behavior and it does not indicate that he doesn’t like you. It’s possible Cookie is playing rough with you and this is a game in his mind. It’s also possible he’s irritated and taking it out on you! Look at the ears and the tail. A flicking tail alone often means irritation. Ears laid back can mean getting ready to pounce! Pick up a book about cats and familiarize your self with cat body language so that you can pick up on his signals. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction! Please feel free to post any additional questions.

I am so sorry that you are experiencing these problems with biting with Your cat. I am sure it is very upsetting for you. First of all rest assured that this is a very normal young cat behaviour. Cats learn through play biting and it is part of our role as pet parents to help them learn limits. The behaviours will calm down with age. I would not attempt negative reinforcement such as striking Your cat or speaking harshly as this will potentially create more serious behaviour issues such as anxiety and fear-aggression. Try some calm corrections and positive reinforcement. If Your cat bites you, simply say in a calm voice "no" and stop interacting with her for a few moments. This over time will teach her that biting is not a desired form of play. Also try reinforcing her as she starts to play in a good way by not biting, and giver her a small training treat. If Your cat does manage to bite hard enough to break the skin be careful of a possible infection. Monitor your wound for heat. Swelling, or discharge. Make an appointment with your doctor if this occurs. If you are struggling with the biting after a couple of weeks of the above suggested training methods, consider a few sessions with a behaviourist. You can also try increasing her exercise and mental stimulation. These help with behaviour issues. Redirection to more appropriate activities or games will also help Other games which may be fun with Your cat are hide and go seek either with you and another person, or you hide her toys and she has to find them. Or classic fetch. All are surprisingly fun for cats too! Here are some resources to help; https://www.petcoach.co/article/top-5-toys-gadgets-for-your-cat/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-common-mistakes-cat-owners-make/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/9-ways-to-mentally-stimulate-your-cat/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/benefits-of-maintaining-an-active-lifestyle-for-your-pet/ I hope this was helpful!

Some cats are simply aloof and prefer to be alone with less physical contact and others prefer to be in the center of any action. I'm not sure that I entirely understand your question, so feel free to ask another question if this answer does not address your concerns.

I am so sorry that you are experiencing these problems with biting with Count Blackula I am sure it is very upsetting for you. First of all rest assured that this is a very normal cat behaviour. Cats learn through play biting and it is part of our role as pet parents to help them learn limits. I would not attempt negative reinforcement such as striking Count Blackula or speaking harshly as this will potentially create more serious behaviour issues such as anxiety and fear-aggression. Try some calm corrections and positive reinforcement. If Count Blackula bites you, simply say in a calm voice "no" and stop interacting with him for a few moments. This over time will teach him that biting is not a desired form of play. Also try reinforcing him as he starts to play in a good way by not biting, and giver him a small training treat. If Count Blackula does manage to bite hard enough to break the skin be careful of a possible infection. Monitor your wound for heat. Swelling, or discharge. Make an appointment with your doctor if this occurs. If you are struggling with the biting after a couple of weeks of the above suggested training methods, consider a few sessions with a behaviourist. Other games which may be fun with Coubt Blackula are hide and go seek either with you and another person, or you hide his toys and she has to find them. Or classic fetch is surprisingly fun for cats too. I hope this was helpful!

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!

The best way to know if there is a medical issue causing pain is to have Kit examined by the veterinarian. Sometimes back pain or fleas can make a cat reactive. Some cats also will exhibiting petting related aggression: https://www.petcoach.co/article/petting-related-aggression-in-cats/ I hope this provides some guidance. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Sophie should grow out of this behavior, especially if you ignore her and don't give her an opportunity to bite. Let her come to you when she wants and only pet her on her head and neck for a short time. If you see her tail swishing it's time to stop. They bite more when people pet them on their bellies and around the tail. Cats like affection on their terms! I'm glad she is good with your toddler. Give Sophie her space and she should become more affectionate when she's older. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sophie.