5 Tips on How to Get a Cat to Stop Biting

Your cat shares some of her genes with predators like tigers and panthers. So even in play, your feline friend might mouth or bite more than you are comfortable with, mostly out of instinct. If you are wondering how to get a cat to stop biting, we’ve come up with five tips that you can check out below.

We’ve included some information on the reasons this behaviour happens so that you can prevent it from becoming a habit.

Tips on how to get a cat to stop biting

Stop playing with your cat when it gets too rough

Love playing with your feline friend but hate it when things get rough? You can put a stop to the biting behaviour by ending play sessions right after aggression appears. Don’t make a big deal out of this -- simply step away and leave. Sooner rather than later, your cat will understand that aggressive behaviour ends playtime.

Make sure your cat has enough toys

You don’t have to use your hand to play with your cat. And even if you do, cats are easily distracted by toys. They’re usually more appealing to them compared to your hand, too!

Make sure your feline mate has access to a wide variety of toys. Whenever your pet starts biting your hand, just replace it with a stuffed toy. Also, it might be a good idea to always play with your cat using toys that put a distance between the two of you, such as a wand toy or a ‘fishing pole’ equipped with a feather or mouse at the end.

How about a friend?

Cats that are the only pet in a household and that spend a lot of time by themselves at home while you’re at work, have a much higher chance of exhibiting aggressive behaviour than those that have another cat to share their time and space with.

When you are away from home, most cats sleep or get bored, and they have no opportunity to practice their hunting skills. For this reason, you might notice that your cat seems to want to bite more than she does during the weekend when you can spend enough time with her.

Be patient

It takes time to teach a kitten that biting is bad behaviour. You should wait and see how things progress using the tips we’ve mentioned here. Do not use physical punishment as it will only make your cat even more prone to being aggressive. After all, she has to protect herself.

Replacement behaviour

While training cats is far more challenging than training dogs, simply because they are so independent, you can try your best. Whenever your cat tries to attack your feet, for example, you can teach her to stop and sit and then reward her.

Reel Fish Crunchers make a great treat for this type of training, especially since they are all-natural and rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Final thoughts

The majority of cats will bite simply out of boredom. Making sure that your cat gets enough play every day can prevent most aggressive behaviours. Ten minutes of play in the morning and the evening can do wonders.

Changing your cat’s toys every once in a while is another great idea, especially since cats appreciate variety. If you can’t buy your feline companion toys all the time, just don’t keep them all out - rotate them so that they always seem new to your cat.

Sometimes, aggressive behaviours are a result of anxiety or stress. Make sure that your cat is relaxed by eliminating all stress-inducing factors from her environment. Learn to know when your cat is stressed - such as when she doesn’t use the litter box, is hiding all the time, or over-grooms herself.