Biting hands but wants petted

[karagraaf]

Hi I rescued a 4/5 month old kitten cat a few weeks ago. She is very friendly (and pregnant) but will randomly bite my hand while I pet her (it doesn't really hurt) . I stop and then she will put her head at my hand, nudging it as though she wants petted some more. She also mouths my hand when she wants pet, I don't mind this so much but the biting during petting bothers me and I don't want it to get worse, as I also have 3 kids.

Is she trying to tell me she doesn't want pet or does she? I stop petting her and then she seems to want me to.

 

[vball91]

First, thanks for rescuing her. Poor girl, only 4 or 5 months old and pregnant already.

As for the biting, is it hard enough to hurt or is it just a little mouth grab? Sometimes cats give "love nips" during petting. It can be a little startling at first (it was for me), but it doesn't hurt at all as long as you don't pull away.

Some cats do get overly stimulated during petting and bite, but it's usually a sign to stop petting.

 

[fhicat]

She sounds like my cat. Could it be that she gets easily stimulated? When my cat does that I just stop petting him, but you need to say "no" or "ouch" in a sharp voice when she bites - she needs to learn that it's not okay to bite a human hand.

It does sounds like she gets easily stimulated. A bit like tickling - it feels great at first, then it just becomes torture. You just have to learn when to stop petting, preferably before she starts biting. Look for signs - for my Jed, he has this funny look with his pupils when he is about to bite, so when I see that I stop petting him.

 

[karagraaf]

When she is laying on me and I am not petting her and she just mouths me, it doesn't hurt at all, I think she is trying to tell me to pet her. It does slight hurt( nothing serious) when she bites during the petting so maybe she is just overstimulated, I'll keep a better eye out for signs and make sure I say no. Also, thanks!

 

[karagraaf]

Is this a sign that she wasn't around her mom to learn no biting. Or is it normal stuff? Will I have to teach her kittens no biting as well or will she take care of it?

I wasn't sure if the biting was a protective pregnancy thing, she does seem very affectionate at the same time so I wasn't sure if it's pregnancy related or just how she is since I never had a chance to know her behavior while not pregnant

 

[nbrazil]

About that over stimulation thing... I've read (and seen on Animal Planet) that it is more common when you (continue to) stroke their back. I like the explanation above comparing it to tickling, I may have to steal that one some day.

A safe(r) place is the chin, head or ears. So are you petting her by stroking her back and THEN she bites (while sort of indicating to continue petting her)? Then it is probably over stimulating, stick to her chin, follow her lead.

Disclaimer: I'm not a cat behaviorist, but I watch one on TV (only older Americans may get the 1986 commercial reference).

 

[maestromad]

My oldest girl does the same. It's her way of getting attention and she's 7 now so no chance of stopping her

 

[di and bob]

Mine did the same thing, you stroke her once or twice, that's it! Then she'll tell you she wanted to be petted again, just once or twice!

 

[kittycatlover11]

My kitten doesn't react like this but it seems similar this is what she does *petting her back stroking it* and then she'll start pulling out her claws and scratching whatever's closest im worried cause i don't want her clawing me when she's on my lap and im petting her (im scared of being scratched by those claws)