The Cattery Chronicles: Issue 3 - Biting Cats & Sponsor Alert

Understanding your cat's behaviour can be the key to making sure your furry companion has everything they need from you. The result? A more loving and affectionate cat! 

Here at The Cattery Cat Shelter, our team of professionals see it all - from aggressive behaviour to rare symptoms and disabilities. It can be hard to keep track of everything you need to know when it comes to your cat, but we're here to help.

Don't forget: you can use the blog search bar and categories to find what you're looking for! If we haven't answered your question before, you can leave a comment and we'll make sure to address it in future blog posts! 

Why do cats bite?

Cats make sure to let us know almost everything they're feeling. So, if your cat is biting you, there's a logical reason! 

Adult Cats

Adult cat's bite for a variety of reasons, including: 

• Overstimulation
• Sickness or medical reasons*
• Assert dominance
• To combat a threat
• To demand attention 
• Playfulness

If your cat is overstimulated, they might bite in a request to stop. Usually, after a bite of this nature, the cat will stop if the source of overstimulation has ceased. If your cat continues to be aggressive, and not back down, this can mean the bite was an attempt to assert dominance. Make sure to keep an eye out for the 'airplane ears', too! That's a sign your cat is emotionally distressed, and acting out of fear.

However, it's important to remember that biting is a natural state of playing for most mammals, but especially cats. It's important when playing with your cat to use a toy, instead of your hand. 

*If you suspect your cat is biting due to illness, we recommend talking to your veterinarian immediately, who will be able to advise further.

Kittens

With kittens, it's a little bit different. Like all small creatures and babies, kittens like to explore with their mouth. This can be with a few testing nips to see how something or someone may react. 

Biting, like with adult cat, is a source of play for them. If you're looking to correct this playful behaviour, we recommend distracting your new kitten with a toy whenever they attempt to bite. This will teach them to redirect that playful behaviour. 

Redirecting your kitten to a scratch post will also have a similar effect and give them something to chew on if their teeth are causing them issue. Kittens go through teething, too! At around 4 months old, you can expect to say hello to full-grown cat teeth. 

Guardian Sponsorship

This month, our amazing people over at Patreon have sponsored Cyrus! He's an FIV+ cat with loads of love to give, and a purr that will melt your heart.

Do you think you can give the lovely Cyrus a home? Then email us at [email protected], and we will book you into the next available appointment for you to meet him!

​And remember: FIV isn't as scary as once thought.  FIV+ cats can even live with kitties that don't have FIV, if introduced properly!  We will give you all the information you need to about FIV during your adoption, and as always, we will answer all your questions.

What is a guardian angel sponsorship?

A guardian angel sponsorship is part of our Patreon program. Any cat under the guardian angel sponsorship can be adopted for an amount of your choosing (with a minimum of $5) rather than our set adoption fee of $75. This allows us to find a loving home for our sponsored cat, and means a new family can gain a forever companion without the worry of cost. 

Want to join the Patreon family? For as little as $3 a month, you can help sponsor a cat like Cyrus!

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Author

Lizzie is a freelance content creator with a passion for everything feline. She is ruled by a 12-year-old ragdoll cat called Tink, who loves pillow forts and Temptations™.