{"id":26741,"date":"2022-08-31T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hartzdevelop.wpengine.com\/?p=26741"},"modified":"2024-04-12T15:51:49","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T15:51:49","slug":"petting-aggression-how-to-handle-a-cat-that-bites-when-petted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hartz.com\/en-ca\/petting-aggression-how-to-handle-a-cat-that-bites-when-petted\/","title":{"rendered":"Petting Aggression: How to Handle a Cat that Bites When Petted"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Petting

Cats don\u2019t always want to be touched and will demand that you stop by biting or scratching.<\/p><\/div>\n

What happened? You thought you were having a nice time together. Why do cats sometimes bite you when you pet them?<\/p>\n

Understanding Pet Aggression in Cats<\/h3>\n

Petting aggression, sometimes referred to as overstimulation, is all too common among indoor cats. It includes cats who become upset or irritated after any type of handling. It could be petting, it could be picking up, or it could be when brushing your cat. Often, biting and scratching<\/a> appears to come up suddenly and without warning, and you aren\u2019t sure what even happened. Of course, this is upsetting to many cat owners and damages the bond between human and cat significantly. Petting aggression is one of the least understood forms of aggression amongst cat owners. The good news is that it's one of the most easily managed.<\/p>\n

As humans, we love to pet animals. We see something small and furry and feel an irresistible desire to touch them. Especially with our own animals, we want to show them affection and bond with them. Often, petting is the best way we know how. It hurts \u2013 both physically and emotionally \u2013when your cat swats your hand away and hisses. However, we don\u2019t often consider that . And that\u2019s okay! You don\u2019t always want to be touched either, even by people you know and love.<\/p>\n

Imagine that a loved one is tickling you. At first, it\u2019s fun, and everyone is laughing and having a good time. But it goes on, and on, and on, until suddenly, you aren\u2019t having fun anymore. When this happens, you ask them to stop. What if they don\u2019t? Would you smack their hand away? Maybe lash out verbally? It\u2019s similar with cats. Often, cat owners are uneducated as to their cat\u2019s subtle body language and signals that he is no longer enjoying the interaction. At first, he is enjoying the petting; then, suddenly, he no longer is. Maybe his tail swish or his ears going back were ignored, so now he feels that he must demand that you stop, rather than simply ask.<\/p>\n

Managing Your Cat's Behavior<\/h3>\n

If your cat bites you when you pet him, don\u2019t worry. There are many ways to manage his behavior:<\/p>\n

\"Petting

Test if your cat wants to be petted and respect his wishes if he doesn't.<\/p><\/div>\n