My 8-year-old cat is biting randomly. Is this normal or pain?

Older cats can sometimes start to show signs of dementia, but usually these cats tend to wander, get 'lost' in the house or vocalize for no obvious reason. There are some other medical conditions that could cause a change in behavior including hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland) or possibly pain from arthritis or another condition. I'd recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam and potentially testing like blood work to make sure there isn't a medical reason for the biting.

If this is a recent change in behavior I'd recommend having your veterinarian perform a thorough physical examination as a first step. Some common diseases in older cats like hyperthyroidism can make them much grumpier than usual. Pain from arthritis can also make cats react in an aggressive way. If your veterinarian feels there is no medical reason for the behavior change I would then recommend talking to a feline behavior specialist to see if there are changes you can make at home to address this behavior. Cat bites are no joke - veterinarians have lost fingers due to infected cat bites and cellulitis! But it sounds like there could be some other things to look into before deciding on euthanasia.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Most cats do not like to be touched past the head normally. But of this is a sudden behavioral change I would recommend a Vet exam since she is getting older. They can see of she is more painful than normal in her back and be sure she hasn't lost weight. There are glucosamines/chondriotins for cats like Dasuquin and Cosequin. In the mean time don't pet her where she doesn't like. Cats do get ramped up if we keep doing things they don't like. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3571 https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=26149

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.

This is extremely concerning since cat bites are very serious. You can end up in the hospital for multiple days because of them. I would make sure you have a place for him to hide in, climb on and look out the window. I would also make sure you really wear him out. Playing with him with toys only (not your hands) and seeing if that helps. You can also talk to your veterinarian about trying behavior medication. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

There could be a reason for Aspyn's change in behavior. Sometimes a sudden change behavior can be a sign of a medical illness. I think it would be a good idea to have her seen by a vet for a health check.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. By far the most common cause of biting in cats is anxiety. Has anything in her life changed recently? New person or pet in the house? New routine? Did you move? Painters or construction in or around your home? And sometimes we can never identify a cause. If she is an indoor cat, it is unlikely to be infectious in nature. Try the following which are all shown to reduce anxiety in cats. If these do not help, talk to your vet about prescription behavior modification medications that can help.

 -Feliway- calming cat pheromone- comes in many forms from pet stores or online. 

- Adding a litter box. Studies show that the ideal number of litter boxes for a home is #of cats +1 . This is regardless of how clean you keep his current litter box.

 - making sure she has plenty of “high space”. The safest (and therefore least anxiety-inducing) place for a cat is UP. If you don’t already, get a cat tree or put up a shelf or two that she can go perch on. Best wishes to you and Mitzi!