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Why is my senior cat biting me and drawing blood? What can I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 13 years and 11 months old | 8 lbs

My cat is 14 and is always biting me. I know she doesn't do it in a mean way, but she draws blood every time. I have had cellulitis and been hospitalized twice recently. I don't want to give her away because I really don't think anyone else would be as tolerant as I have been. My husband also gets bit occasionally and he is wanting to have her put down, which I can't bear to think of. She can be affectionate and sleeps right next to me every night. I am desperate for some advice.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 10th, 2017

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.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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