How to Stop a Cat From Biting

Cats and kittens bite when they are excited or playful, and is natural behavior between cats. However, it is unacceptable for a cat to bite its owner, so it is not considered mean or "abuse" for you to punish your cat for biting. There is a way to stop this bad behavior, but it takes some time and patience.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A cat
• Patience
• Squirt bottle (optional)

1. Every time your cat bites, you must immediately stop and punish the behavior.

2. The easiest way to punish a cat is to say "no!" loudly, and hit the cat in the nose gently but firmly.

3. Some cats will get angry and try to bite more, so take the cat off your lap, push it away, or move the body part the cat was biting. This will also punish the cat by removing your affection and attention.

4. You can also punish biting behavior by squirting the cat with a squirt bottle - most cats hate this. Be sure to avoid spraying the cat directly in the face or eyes.

5. You can train a young kitten to stop biting early by enticing your kitten to play, and punishing with a "no!" and nose-tap when she bites. She will soon learn that playing nicely equals longer play time.

6. Cats can be stubborn and are not reward-motivated like dogs, so this process can take some time. However, with consistency and patience you will have a cat that does not bite.

Tips & Warnings

• Cats should never aggressively attack people. Playful stalking is ok, but if your cat draws blood repeatedly and/or does not respond to training, you should seek professional help and have your cat checked with a veterinarian.

[starlet67]

on 7/7/2009 Great guidelines for stoping a cat from biting!5*