Cat Behavior 101: Lesson 8: Painful and Harmful Biting and Chewing

If you can't see this email, click here

Cat Behavior 101 Lesson 8: Painful and Harmful Biting and Chewing From Franny Syufy, your Guide to Cats Bites and scratches on the hands or ankles hurt, and untreated wounds from cats can become infected. Likewise, cats and kittens can suffer injury and sickness from chewing on harmful substances, such as electric cords or poisonous plants, like the Tiger Lily pictured here. Thankfully, these risks can be mitigated with the advice you'll find here. Painful Biting and Scratching Understanding Petting Aggression Petting aggression can be startling as well as painful. Amy Shojai writes, "The cat begs for attention, loves the petting, but then bites you after only a few strokes. These cats use the "leave me alone" bite to stop interactions such as petting, being lifted or approached, or moved from a favorite perch." Amy Shojai, CABC, teaches the warning signs of petting aggression, and tips for gaining control of the situation. Ask Amy: Mean Cat AnnMarie writes, "My ten year old cat Mischief always seems so angry. I try to get kissy and huggy with him, but if I'm not careful he will hiss, scratch or bite. He's not at all affectionate." Amy offers rock-solid insights into the factors behind Mischief's displeasure, and how to work with him to make him happy. Help for Curbing Aggressive Biting and Scratching by Cats Franny offers reasons why cats often bite and scratch their humans, and the reason why we should never use our hands as "toys" with kittens, as these actions can come back and bite us (pun intended). How can we keep our adult cat from biting during play? From a reader: "We have adopted an 15 month Maine Coon Cat who was absolutely ballistic when we got her. She hid for days under the sofa and we now have her calmed down and her loving personality is coming out with surprises each day. But we still cannot stop her from biting us when we try to play with her. My wife in particular seems to get the brunt of it each time. Is there a way which we can show her that her "staff" do not appreciate this behaviour and we would appreciate it if she stopped this bad habit? " Read Franny's advice on using love and patience to surmount this problem Desctructive and Harmful Chewing Destructive Chewing by Cats and Kittens From Franny: "Destructive chewing by cats is undesirable, first, because of the potential danger to the cat, and second, because of damage to family valuables. Causes of destructive chewing by cats can range from teething in kittens to curiosity, to boredom, and even (surprise!) because of a nutrient deficiency. Kittens, like human babies, explore with their mouths, and these habits carry through to adulthood. " Please read the full article for more information. Ask Amy: Cat Chewing Electric Cords Carol and Ed write: ""Sass is a small, black shorthair with Siamese-like behavior as she "talks" like a Siamese, etc. She is the Alpha cat of the house. She chews on electric cords, and really loves chewing on paper and cardboard. We have covered cords, and have even sprayed them with hot sauce." Amy explains that "Cats' chewing can be an OCD behavior, or it can be caused by other factors, both health related and environmental." Read Amy's full article for more information. Why do cats suck wool? "I've had my cat since she was six weeks old. When I first got her, she wanted to "nurse" on my fingers or my earlobe. She would knead my face while sucking on my ear, and her sharp little claws were very uncomfortable. When I discouraged her from this activity, she eventually switched to sucking on the corner of a small blanket I used to line her bed, kneading all the while. She is three years old now, and I think it's time she outgrows this behavior." Read Franny's advice, and learn the #1 reason for sucking behavior by adult cats. This email is written by: Franny Syufy Cats Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Missing a lesson? Click here. About U. is our collection of free online courses designed to help you learn a new skill, solve a problem, get something done, or just learn more about your world. Sign up now, and we will email you lessons on a daily or weekly basis. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the About.com 'Cat Behavior 101' email. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2010 About.com   Advertisement