Central Coast Home & Lifestyle Magazine Winter 2025

N othing ruins a snuggle session faster than a surprise nip on the hand! As a Cat Psychologist, can promise your cat isn’t doing it to be mean. Biting is one of the most misunderstood behaviours in cats, and it’s usually their way of saying, “Hey, I’m trying to communicate!” Once you understand why, those nibbles start to make perfect sense. 1. Playtime Gets Too Real Kittens naturally bite. They wrestle, stalk, pounce — and yes, bite. If your cat grabs your hand with their teeth during playtime, they’re not being aggressive. They just think your part of the game. Tip: Keep a wand toy nearby and save your Cats can get overstimulated when patted, even when they seem to be enjoying it. This is one of the most common reasons people get bitten. Flicking tails, flattened ears, tensed muscles, or suddenly dilated pupils are your cue to stop before the bite comes. Tip: Watch for these subtle body language signs and stop before reaching their "I've had enough" point. 3. Fear Biting is a Real Thing Fear-based aggression is one of the most common cat psychology consultations I see. When a cat feels cornered or threatened, biting becomes a defensive move —remember fight vs flight. If a cat cannot flee, they’ll feel ‘forced’ to fight with a bite, and it’s not about dominance or being “bad”. Tip: Always give your cat the choice to walk away. Respect Why Does My Cat Bite Me? hands for cuddles, not combat. 2. The “I’ve Had Enough” Bite

builds trust. 4. Redirected Aggression

Cats can get riled up by something else: a loud noise, another cat, a dog outside then takes it out on the closest target. I call it misdirected frustration. One moment they’re fine, the next: surprise nip. People do it too — like when your partner has a bad day and comes home to take it out on you. Classic redirected aggression. Tip: Notice subtle signs of discontent with the external stimuli and leave your cat alone! Give them time to cool down and reset if they seem wound up. 5. Attention-Seeking Bites Some cats bite gently to get your attention. I like to call these “hey, look at me!” or the “don’t go away” bites. We sometimes see the “don’t stop patting me” bites too. They’re often soft, unexpected, and usually followed by purring or head butts. Tip: If you reward gentle attention seeking with play or pats, you can reinforce positive, non-biting behaviours. 6. Pain-Related Biting If your normally gentle cat suddenly starts biting, pain is high on my list of causes. Dental issues, arthritis, a sore tummy can make them reactive. As a vet nurse, I’ve seen countless behaviour cases improve when underlying medical issues are treated. Tip: Always get sudden changes in behaviour checked by your vet — it might be pain talking, not personality. 7. Are Some Cats More Likely to Bite? Earlier research showed that male cats were more likely to be bite, but a recent study found female cats had higher odds of biting their owners and other cats. We’ve all heard of the

“naughty tortie” and yet, some tortoiseshells wouldn’t hurt a mouse. Some breeds are mouthier, but my studies have shown there’s a combination of inherited behaviours (mostly from the paternal parent), innate behaviours (nature because they’re cats!), lack of socialisation as a kitten, and a few nurture based factors that contribute to the bitey cat. Tip: Focus on individual cat’s needs and signals, not their gender or breed. 8. Who Gets Bitten the Most? Interesting fact: adult women over 19 are statistically the most common bite victims. Tip: Family members most loved by your cat, be mindful of those over stimulation signals during cuddles. Jules’ Top Tips to Prevent Cat Biting • Swap hands for toys during play • Learn their body language (ears, tails, pupils!) • Don’t punish — reward what you do want • Respect their need for space and autonomy • Offer plenty of enrichment (puzzles, vertical spaces, scent toys) • Get regular vet checks to rule out pain 25 years of experience caring for and studying thousands of cats. Always here to help! Phone: 4314 6654

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Jules is a qualified Veterinary Nurse and Cat Psychologist, her and her team provides high quality cat holidays where love, care and attention comes first above all else. All our staff are qualified and highly trained. Specialises in high care and senior cats including cats with medical needs, diabetic cats or behaviour needs.

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