How do I stop my cat from scratching me?
Monday, March 8th, 2010 at
1:05 am
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Filed under: Cat Furniture
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Don’t assume automatically that cats that bite are vicious creatures. You must distinct between play-biting and real aggressive biting. Kittens for example like to play, and sometimes pretty rough. They use their claws and teeth to wrestle with each other. This is how they learn to hunt and catch prey, so that’s normal. They usually go unharmed because their fur protects them from serious wounds. However, human skin is a different story, but kittens don’t know that.
When you stroke your kitten it can take it as an invitation to play and clasps your hand and bites. That might hurt a little but is generally nothing to worry about. Some cats make a sport out of leg biting. They jump up on you and dig in. Research has show that it’s a sort of unsatisfied hunting and prey instinct and lack of activity.
- Teach your kitten from an early age that hands are for feeding and stroking and NOT a toy!
- Avoid playing with your bare hands
- Use a fluffy toy or a feather on a string instead
- In case it grabs your hand, draw it away slowly and do NOT punish your cat, it will understand it as an attack and make matters worse.
- Anytime your cat scratches or bites you, make a loud yowling sound to show that you have been hurt, (even if you really aren’t hurt). Your cat will understand.
- If your cat is a "leg biter" try to spend more time playing with it and redirect its attack to a toy. Leave toys lying around so that he can also amuse itself, particular when you keep your cat indoors. Cats need a wide variety of toys to keep them interested, so don’t expect a couple toy mice to help.
Cats clawing you while playing is a natural behavior. This is how they act when around another cat so in a sense, your cat just considers you one of the guys. The only way to really stop it is to alter your play methods. Instead of physically connecting with him to play, offer toys such as bouncy balls, catnip mice, or laser pointers for them to chase. These will give him the exercise he needs, both of you the bonding experience you like, and keep you scratch free. Good luck!
If it’s an inside cat declaw the front .. alot of people frown on that but my 2 cats don’t scratch me anymore
I assume it’s a female, right? females are more temperamental.
but also sometimes cats will claw at you for more atention. keep the nails trimmed or get it declawed if it bothers you – cat scratches carry alot of bacteria and can cause severe infections and allergic reactions.
declaw it
Trim its nails and don’t put your hand on its belly.
You don’t say how or why this happens.
But for one thing, don’t use your hand as a toy. They will claw their toys.
Hiss at her when she claws you. Cats understand the hiss. A little hiss for a mild warning, a big hiss for a big warning.
If she does it when she isn’t angry or annoyed, she may not understand that you don’t like it, if you don’t hiss.
I don’t think the people saying get the cat declawed can know that declawing is the amputation of the cats last toe joints and that it leaves the cat crippled for life. Cats need their claws for walking, grooming, playing, self defence AND exercise.Even indoor cats need their claws to dig in, to stretch their leg, shoulder, stomach and back muscles, many declawed cats develop arthritis because they can’t do this.Other results of declawing are biting, stress illnesses, messing outside the litter tray (because of the pain in their stumps)and depression.
There are people who say their declawed cats are fine,not true, cats hide their pain and although they may seem OK,problems can arise months or even years after the declawing operation.
You don’t say how old your cat is but do you have a good tall strong scratching post ? Never play with your cat with bare hands, always have a catnip toy handy. Show her how to use the scratching post by dragging your own nails down while she watches,then gently lift her front paws up until she digs her claws in.Praise her when she has a go ! After that, if she goes to scratch you or anywhere she shouldn’t, don’t say a word, simply lift her to her scratching post and praise her when she uses it.
Scratching is not bad behaviour, it’s neccessary behaviour. Don’t ruin your cat’s life by putting her through the cruellest operation that is ever done to a cat:
http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4312
Retired vet nurse UK
Oh you poor diddums, did no-one tell you cats had claws? Why ever did you get a cat? You don’t even bother to describe the circumstances where you are getting scratched, is it when you are playing with the cat? Have you got toys to play with, if you’re playing with your bare hands then of course you’re going to get scratched. Take notice what makes the cat scratch you and avoid it, it isn’t rocket science, I’ve had cats for 35 years and the only scratches I’ve had have been through my own negligence.