How To Stop Cats From Biting Fingers?

By | September 15, 2014

Cat Chewing on my Fingers

Do you wonder about your pussy’s gnawing habit? Is it just a game for you or those scratching and biting acts need some special attention? Most of the times, the cat chews their human companion’s fingers without any aggression. This harmless act seems playful and an act of affection. But, can there be another side to this story? Let us find out the reasons behind this biting behavior of the pet and check whether it needs to be changed or not.

What are the reasons behind any kitten’s love bites?

Often touted as love bites, the small harmless bites of the cat are considered as a gesture of love. It has been an ingrained habit in almost all cats as the litter communicates with each other and the mother by gnawing. Studies suggest that cat’s have a normal tendency of biting, chewing and nibbling. It is a part of their one to one communication. Most of the times, it is a manner of expressing affection, mischief and on rare occasions it suggests aggression.

Most of the times, gnawing fingers would not be hurtful. Cats would often do it as a return gift of your petting and stroking. They hold your finger between their paws and munch tiny bites to suggest that they really love you. It is also their favorite pass time activity. However, there are times when cats chew human fingers to show their distress or aggression. Unneutered male cats show it as a sign of sexual aggression. And when he does not like hands poking on him then he would bite your fingers.

How to deal with cat’s biting habit?

Well, take it lightly as she is just reverting your love. You need to take some action when this habit becomes troublesome especially if you have children at home. Or you need to actually train your cat to stop this habit if the scratches or bites are harsh. Apply some tricks to bring more discipline in her if she becomes unruly and shows of her temper by chewing your fingers.

Tricks to stop kittens and cats from biting fingers:

Little Ouch: In order to stop the kitty from biting your finger, you can just stop her the moment she gets ready to start munching. Just stop her gently and shout “ouch” so that she comes to know that it may be hurting you. This will give her a signal to stop instantly. Do not push her back. Giving this indication a couple of times will reduce the finger biting nature of the cat.

Shift attention: Cats often nibble fingers when they do not have toys or chews to play. This is at its peak when the feline is going through teething time. So, give her some soft chewable toys, which she can munch on and save your fingers. Just shift her attention towards the toy and you are done with the training session. She will be busy with the toy then.

Hint him end of the game: Leave the room instantly or stop the game session and move out. This will alarm the kitty that you are not having fun anymore. She will come to know that finger biting will end the fun time. Do it a couple of times and she will know what not to do next time. Closing her in a room is another method but should not be used until you have a really heady cat.

Scruff the kitty: If the pussy is a hard nut then you need to use feline community’s traditional method of punishment. It is about holding her from the scruff of the neck and pushing her away. You can push her down towards the floor and yell ‘No!’ in a firm voice. Make sure you hold her scruff for 4-5 seconds only. This much time is enough to ring a bell in her. She will take her lesson instantly.

Neutering: If your pet is not neutered then also he may show these signs as a part of sexual aggression. Studies suggest that neutered pets show less of finger biting habits as they become more calm and relaxed. Consult your Vet regarding this. Follow his advice.

This is it. You just need to be a little tricky to bring back orderliness in your cat. A gentle reminder is that you are doing this only to stop the kitty from causing harm. So, make sure you do not harm her adversely by being harsh or rough with her. It is your plan to make her gentle so, you should be tricky yet tender. In extreme cases, just reach out to your Vet and follow his advice. Wish you luck!