The cat bites: causes and tips
It is not uncommon for cats to bite. There is therefore hardly a cat owner who has not yet made the acquaintance of his feline's teeth. For the most part, the bites aren't overly firm and are a harmless part of playing. But sometimes cats can bite quite hard, which can even lead to injuries.
In the following, we will explain why your cat bites and how you can best stop your four-legged friend from doing this.
Why cats bite
If a cat applies its teeth and bites, it does not necessarily indicate aggression. Besides hunting and fighting, cats also use their teeth for various other purposes.
Mothers of kittens, for example, carefully grab their youngs by the neck with their mouths to carry them around. Apart from that, it can often be observed that, as part of grooming, cats bite themselves if they itch on a certain part of the body.
Cat bites while petting
In addition to the situations mentioned, it can also happen again and again that a cat bites its owner. For example, it is not uncommon for your four-legged friend to snap while being petted. This can either mean that it doesn't want to be touched at all or that you have touched a sensitive area of its body.
This is not a cause for concern at first and your four-legged friend will usually not bite hard in this case. Still, it makes sense to keep an eye on your cat, because it is possible that your four-legged friend is in pain and for this reason bites you when you stroke it. If you have any suspicions, we recommend that you make an appointment with the vet.
Cat bites while playing
When playing, it is not uncommon for cats to use their teeth and bite. Although this behaviour has nothing to do with aggression, you should still be a little careful and, if possible, provide your four-legged friend with alternatives in the form of suitable cat toys to satisfy his or her hunting instinct.
Especially when playing with young animals, you can save yourself a painful encounters with the cat's sharp teeth.
Cat bites out of affection
Cats love to cuddle with their owners extensively and might use their teeth while doing so. In this situation your cat will not bite you hard. After all, it just wants to show you with the love bites that it really likes you and is comfortable with you.
Cat bites because it is bored
In addition to the reasons already mentioned, it is also possible that your cat bites you because it is bored. By snapping at you, it hopes to get attention. In this case, you should honestly ask yourself whether you spend enough time with your four-legged friend or whether you should allocate more daily playing time for you cat.
Even though biting as a way to attract more attention should not be excused, it is ultimately your responsibility to offer your four-legged friend a varied everyday life.
When cats bite aggressively
Even if most cat bites have nothing to do with belligerence, it is possible that a cat can bite aggressively if it feels threatened or is afraid of something.
In this case, you should take a closer look and try to determine the possible trigger for the aggressive behaviour of the four-legged friend. By eliminating the cause, you will promote your cat's well-being while counteracting undesirable behaviours such as biting.
Natural reassurance for aggressive cats
Eliminating the fear triggers is essential for breaking a cat's habit of biting aggressively. In addition, a suitable dietary supplement such as Shiimun Calm can be useful.
Shiimun Calm is a natural dietary supplement with selected ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms and green tea, that can help your cat calm down more easily and cope with frightening situations better.
Are cat bites dangerous?
In principle cats are much too small to seriously injure a full-grown human with their teeth. Nonetheless, a cat's teeth are very sharp, and compared to their size, they can also bite hard.
It is therefore not uncommon for a serious bite from a cat to be painful and bleeding. However, the real risk lies in the fact that there are a lot of bacteria in your four-legged friend's mouth.
This can certainly lead to infections. For this reason, we recommend that even seemingly harmless bite wounds are examined by a doctor in order to avoid possible problems such as infections.
Cat bites - our conclusion
As you can see, there are many reasons why a cat bites. In most cases, the bites are harmless and not associated with injury or significant pain.
If you suspect that your cat is biting you because it is in pain, a visit to the vet is highly recommended. If your four-legged friend has intentionally or accidentally bitten you bloody, consulting a doctor is also advisable for you due to the risk of infection.
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