Why does my kitten bite me hard after I pet him and he purrs?

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!

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.

In reality, unless what you are describing is truly a vicious attack (obviously I am not there to see it), a young cat exhibiting this kind of behavior is simply trying to play. When Abigail attempts to engage in this type of activity, you have a couple of different choices on how to address it. You can simply get up and walk away completely disengaging from the activity. Do not try to punish or reprimand as this sort of training method simply doesn't work at all in cats. The other thing you can try is instead of walking away, you can try to play with your cat in another way. Use toys, strings, balls, whatever makes Abigail the happiest. Hopefully this takes her mind off of your arms and feet and on the item you are wielding. If you truly feel there is an actual behavior problem that is continuing as she gets older, this would be something to address with positive reinforcement training and/or assistance of a professional. Hope this helps.

This actually sounds like normal kitten behavior. Was he hand raised as an orphan or weaned too early from his mother? Those are the most common reasons that a kitten would act out in aggression. I recommend you put some Feliway diffusers in your house and do some environmental enrichment for him. Usually these two things help. ( https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser ) ( thedrakecenter.com/materials/environmental-enrichment-indoor-cats ) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AejmrLa_Cs4 ) Be sure to get him neutered as soon as you can. Hormones can also increase aggression.

Cats are naturally independent and defensive and it is important to understand their body language and needs in order for you both to enjoy the best of each others company. It is unlikely that your cat is being mean but more that she is feeling uncertain as to how to deal with the situation - many cats feel intimidated by being picked up as this removes their ability to escape if they need to and many cats are very defensive if petted under their belly or behind the chest/shoulder area. Watch closely for her cues of swishing the tail or putting back her ears which indicate she is unhappy and allow her to jump up to you when she is ready. Icatcare (international cat care) website has some very interesting articles on cat behavior in the house and are worth a read to better understand her behaviors

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The opening or kneading of the claws when happy or being pet is normal in cats. It DOES hurt if their claws are on your leg. Keep the nails short. You probably are not going to be able to teach him not to do something that is instinctual. If he starts to bite you then stop petting him and watch for clues from him that he has had enough petting: ears turning back, turning to look at your hand, tail flicking and stop touching him before he goes to bite. Try not to yell no at him if that triggers biting. Kittens are full of energy and they grow out of it eventually. Provide lots of toys and play time. Soon enough he will be a sleepy adult cat and you'll miss the hyper kitten! Have a good day!