Kitten Kindergarten - San Francisco SPCA

WHY CATS BITE AND SCRATCH PEOPLE
by Kate Gamble
Whether you have a kitten or an adult cat, scratching and biting can be a
problem unless you set firm, but gentle, consistent boundaries for the cat to learn
and understand from the moment the cat arrives in your home. Do not let bad
habits begin as cats learn by habit. You never need to and never should do anything
that will hurt a cat in any way, but you can learn to teach the cat that biting and/or
scratching people is never allowed. By being patient and giving the cat other options
to release biting and scratching onto, you will find retraining is possible. Never hit,
spank or use your hands for anything but petting and grooming the cat, or you will
have a cat that is afraid of you. Also, any kind of harsh punishment will only add to
the aggression you are trying to correct.
Many times people teach cats to bite and scratch without even realizing it!
The first time an owner uses his fingers or hands as a toy for the cat to bite or
sink claws into, that person has told the cat, “It is perfectly acceptance to bite
people”. So, if a cat learns this behavior is not only a fun thing to do, but the owner
actually encourages the behavior, the cat will certainly continue to do it! (Wouldn’t
you!)
Kittens come into the world all claws and teeth it seems. The mother cat will
always set limits with her kittens to teach them what she will tolerate and what she
will not accept. When she has had enough she will let her kittens know in very clear
cat language. “That’s it! No more biting, gang!” She often will let out a high-pitched
meow that stops all misbehavior from that particular kitten. Many times kittens are
not with their mothers long enough to learn this initial lesson and it will be up to you
to teach the kitten. An older cat can be retrained also; the biggest asset you will
need to train a kitten or an older cat is that ALL HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS GIVE
THE EXACT SAME CONSISTENT MESSAGE TO THE CAT AT THE EXACT
MOMENT IT NEEDS CORRECTION. If one person is not allowing the misbehavior
and another person is letting the cat bite/scratch, then the cat learns that biting is
O.K. to do some of the time. It is also frustrating for a cat to keep getting
different messages and, again, this can add to the biting/scratching problem since
a cat needs to release the buildup of frustration. The tension release may then be
done on the people in the home.
Ideas For Teaching A Cat Not To Bite/Scratch People
Never, ever use any part of your body as a toy; using your hand or moving
your feet under the bedcovers for kitty to attack or letting kitty bite your ankles
as you walk should NEVER be done by an owner or anyone else. Never play roughly
with a cat; it is stressful plus aggression provoking.