We all love our cats when they’re playful! But let’s be honest – getting surprise bites or scratches isn’t very fun.
Sometimes, our cats can be a little too feisty during playtime. And sometimes, they lash out because they’re sick or stressed. Whatever the case, it’s important to address the issue somehow!
There’s good news though! You don’t need to resign to a life of quick reflexes to avoid those kittytacks. If you try some tips from this list, you can help your cat feel more relaxed and teach them to play nice!
1. Understand The Cause
One of the most important things to understand is that cats don’t scratch or bite for no reason. They could be overstimulated, something may be scaring them, they could be sickly, or you’re being too rough with them.
Either way, you should observe their behavior and figure out the cause! Treating symptoms isn’t going to treat the underlying illness! So, try to see if anything lies beyond the initial sharp reactions!
2. Provide Outlets
If you’ve ever played video games or had a streak of bad luck in one day, you’ll know just how annoying it is to have no outlet for frustration.
Cats need to scratch and bite to satisfy the instincts hidden in them! Offer them a bunch of scratching posts, or chew toys! It’s like stress balls for us humans. We all just need to let off some steam sometimes!
3. Don’t Use Your Hands As Toys
It may be adorable to let kittens play with your hands at first. I mean, when they’re young and silly, it doesn’t even hurt! But the problem is that this could teach them that biting and scratching is okay!
Keep it simple: use toys instead. Sometimes you need a safe distance from those sharp claws and teeth! Try wand toys or feather teasers.
4. Positive Reinforcement
Rewards work wonders! Feed your little friend some treats and praise them whenever they play nicely. They will eventually come to associate good behavior with rewards!
Important note: avoid punishment. Seriously. Yelling or swatting can make them more fearful and aggressive.
Think of how you’d feel in this situation: you’d always prefer to get nice things for doing things well. And if someone gives you attitude for acting badly, you’ll just start doing the opposite.
5. Deterrents For Unwanted Behavior
Another method you can go for is to gently disengage. If your cat bites or scratches, just stop all attention until they play nice. Cats hate being ignored. It teaches that bad behavior pushes their hoomans away!
But please, keep your reactions calm! Jerking away is way too aggressive, and as I explained in the previous section, it can have the opposite effect. It could even cause severe fear of not only you, but other humans too!
6. Keep Their Nails Trimmed
This one seems a little obvious and straightforward, but it needs to be mentioned anyway. Regular nail trims make sure that the damage done by scratching is minimal. If your cat friend is a whole little devil who hates it, then try nail caps!
Keep in mind: trimming nails does not mean declawing! Do not declaw your cat! I repeat, do not do it! It’s dangerous, painful, and horrible!
7. Teach Bite Inhibition Early
If you have a kitten, discourage rough play as soon as possible! Trust me, it’s a lot better than fixing mistakes as you go.
If they bite too hard, try vocalizing it with a sharp “ouch” and try to make your discomfort visible. Then do the gentle disengaging.
If you can, adopt two kittens! Kittens learn bite inhibition from their littermates. You can watch them train each other. Cat WWE!