Many cat owners have had the pleasure of petting their cat,
when seemingly all of a sudden, the cat bites their hand and
runs way, often stopping to groom. This may be termed
petting-induced, petting-related, assertion, or status-related
aggression.
What causes this behavior?
Cats are normally not as social as dogs, nor do they have as
much physical contact with others of their species. They may
groom each other and sleep close to each other, but have few
other contact behaviors. Petting is something outside of their
normal instinctive behavior. There are multiple theories
regarding the cause of petting-induced aggression.
Improper
socialization:
Cats need to be socialized to people very early in their life. Cats
that have even 5 minutes of human contact each day of their
life up to 7 weeks of age will be much more trusting of people
than those cats that did not have human contact until they
were older than 7 weeks. This theory does not totally explain
aggressive behavior since properly socialized cats can still
display petting-induced aggression.
Sensitivity
threshold: According to this theory, the cat enjoys the human contact at
first, but then the repetitiveness of the petting becomes
irritating. The cat turns and bites as a way to say, "I've had
enough." An analogy to human behavior can be made. If someone
pats you on the back, it feels good. If they continue to pat
you, it becomes annoying and you will either move away from
them or ask them to stop.
Pain:
Some theorize that constant petting not only causes
irritation, it may also cause static electricity or actual
pain because of the cat's unique nervous system. If a cat has
a painful medical condition, your touch or even the cat's
perception that he may be touched in a painful area could
cause the aggressive behavior.
Sudden awakening:
Cats may find petting very pleasurable and actually fall asleep
(even though their eyes may be open.) If they suddenly awake,
they may not recognize the petting as such, but feel that you
are trying to confine them. They instinctively bite and run
(displaying petting-related aggressive behavior) before they
are fully aware of what is going on.
Control:
In this theory, aggressive behavior is explained by the cat's
need to control the situation – when the petting starts, and
when it stops. It is a way for the cat to assert his
dominance.
How can petting-induced aggression be controlled?
There are several things you can do to decrease the chance
your cat will suddenly bite you while being petted.
Have your cat
examined by a veterinarian. It is important to find out if your cat has a
medical condition that may cause pain when he is being petted.
For example, arthritis in the neck, back or hip joints, or a
sore tooth or ear infection may be painful. Petting may cause
the pain to worsen or the cat to become anxious that you may
touch a painful area.
Realize some cats
just do not like to be cuddled. Each cat is unique. Some cats enjoy
human contact, love to be held, and never seem to get enough
petting. Others, for whatever reason, may enjoy human
closeness (sitting on your lap) but not necessarily
human-initiated contact. Understand that you will not be able
to change the basic personality of your cat and need to accept
him as he is.
Know the warning
signs. Some owners will report that their cat suddenly turns and bites
them. However, if the owner is very observant, certain clues
will often become apparent:
 |
The ears may go back |
|
The skin or tail may start to twitch |
|
The pupils may dilate |
|
There may be a low growl |
|
The claws may become unsheathed |
|
The body may stiffen |
If you see any of these signs, stop all movement and allow the
cat to leave.
Predict the time.
Once you are aware of the warning signs, you can start to time
how long your cat likes to be petted. If the warning signs
start about two minutes after you begin petting the cat, then
never pet the cat more than a minute and a half. (But still
watch for warning signs!)
Change the way you
pet the cat. Some cats may prefer to receive short small strokes,
similar to those they would receive if another cat were
grooming them. Some cats prefer to be scratched under the chin
or between the ears instead of receiving whole-body strokes.
Do NOT physically
correct the cat. Do not give your cat any physical correction
if he does turn and bite, since it may cause him to be more
aggressive.
Use
counter-conditioning. You may be able to relieve your cat's petting-related
aggression by offering a reward for not biting. For example,
after each stroke, offer your cat small bits of cooked chicken
or other food he really likes. Repeat this several times a
day, giving only a few strokes each time so you do not
approach his threshold of intolerance. (Stop if your cat shows
any signs of irritation.) In time, your cat may start to
relate the petting to something very enjoyable (a food treat).
Summary
Many cats will show aggression after a certain amount of
petting. Recognize the warning signs in your cat and stop
petting before they occur. Make sure your cat does not have a
medical condition that could cause pain or irritability. You
may be able to make petting more enjoyable for your cat, or
you may need to accept the fact that your cat only wishes to
be near you, and not touched.
