Is It Normal For Cats To Bite When Playing

Kittens do engage in play with each other and even with their mothers.

Is it normal for cats to bite when playing. This is a quick way to kill prey so your cat is likely keeping his hunting skills sharp. However once a kitten bites another the bitten kitten will keep away. Rough play is normal in kittens and cats up to about 2 years old and that includes biting each other under the neck. Biting and mouthing is a normal behavior in kittens.

The alternative to creating a cat that play bites and may someday end up in a shelter labeled as aggressive and facing a bleak future is really quite simple. Play aggression is the most typical reason for aggressive biting particularly among young kittens and cats. It is aimed at teaching the kittens that they should not bite each other during play. Kittens look so cute when they re cuddled up together but they can appear fierce during playtime.

During a play session biting is often minimal and does not cause any harm. Petting induced aggression and it s a poorly understood topic. How to prevent and correct play aggression. Give your cat 15 minutes of active play with a toy whenever you can.

Many pet owners call this common behavior love biting but feline behaviorists have given it a more formal name. Usually by about four months of age play biting and scratching should subside. However if you notice one cat biting the other in order to cause harm then your cats are probably fighting instead of playing. Because cats mouth and paw objects to explore their world it s natural for them to bite.

Playing with our hands can teach the cat to be aggressive. This is a type of social play that the cat usually does to other cat as well as people that owned them. For cats playing consist of biting scratching punching and many other action that seems aggressive for human but actually normal in feline world. But kitties can learn to inhibit the force of their bites and to use soft paws without claws.

Regular play sessions will keep your cat happy and provide enough interaction to satisfy him. Our cats are a part of our families but they are still animals and need to play to let out some of their excess energy as well as to instinctively hone their natural hunting skills. Instead of playing with your cat with your hand use fishing pole or wand toys. Young kittens will bite or scratch each other or their owners as part of play and this is normal.