Stressed Rescued Cats

Studies indicate that cats are stressed when moved to rescue centers. This confirms what we know through the application of common sense. Cat caretakers know that when you move to a new place it may take you and your cat up to 6 months or more to settle in. Initially, your cat will be quite anxious and hide. We have all seen that. It took Charlie, my cat, about 2 weeks to simply calm down a bit! He hid under a desk or anywhere he could find for the first couple of days.

Shelter cats show signs of acute stress over the initial period of being at a new shelter. The time taken to adapt depends on the individual cat. That is common sense too.

However, the time taken to adapt will be several days to several weeks. Stress is caused by being in a strange place, strange routine, strange smells, people they don't know, close proximity to other cats, strange smells and importantly for shelter cats there is no where to hide.

I ask therefore how can shelter employees assess a cat's character under these circumstances (and therefore suitability for adoption)? I presume that they at least wait for a few before making an assessment.  But that might be impractical.

It would seem that cats who have nice characters, who are ideal as cat companions but who are slow to adapt to the new environment will be assessed as unsuitable. Or am I missing something?

This chimes with stories you hear of animal control grabbing cats and trying to put them into cages and getting scratched, then declaring that the cat is aggressive and putting the cat down. Totally idiotic, really. But it happens.

Lorraine St John who runs the Kent Wildlife Rescue centre in Kent, England says that the "biggest killer you get at animal shelters is not the illness...but stress". She was talking about the nursing back to health of a fox that had been hit by a car. He was blinded and comatose. He was put in a cage with abandoned kittens. The kittens nursed the fox back to health playing their part with the staff at the centre. The fox and kittens formed a great friendship which made the foxes recovery highly successful. Sadly they were separated when the fox was released back to the wild and the kittens rehomed. See the story.

Associated: Multi-treatments from a vet can cause stress too.

Reference: The Welfare of Cats ISBN 978-1-4020-6143-1

Social Situation - Domestic vs Feral Cats

The feral cat environment is a more natural environment for the cat than the domestic environment. OK, the feral cat environment is harsher and the life shorter but in a strict sense it is more natural.

Feral cats are essentially domestic cats turned wild. Domestic cats have developed the ability to live in groups.

The difference between the more natural outdoor environment and the artificial household environment plays a part in the creation of stress in multi-cat households.

Feral Cat Environment

In the feral cat, farm environment, groups of cats are usually made up of related cats that get on as a group. The group has evolved naturally. The food source dictates the size of the group. Individual cats in the group do their own hunting. These factors result in no or less competition for resources, which in turn restricts the need for a hierarchical system (dominant and submissive cats) and leads to reduced stress.

Domestic Cat Environment

In the domestic environment where there is a multi-cat household the cats in the group are less likely to be related. Normally, the cats' caretaker would have brought them into the group. The introduced cats are sometimes adults too. The existing cats would not regard these new cats are part of the same social group. The cats are living close together and there may be competition for litter resources and food. This is a recipe for stress born out of threats to territory and competition. Hierarchical systems have to develop to help avoid conflict. There is the potential for stress.

Angry cat or irritated cat?

Here is a little animated photo that shows a cat biting a person's hand.

What do you think? The picture comes from a website in which the person says that this is an angry cat.

Just because a cat bites it does not mean that the cat is angry. The cat might be angry but often bites are in play or as a message. A gentle bite like this one is more likely to be a form of communication.

I sense that the cat is a little irritated by the person's hand. The person may have deliberately provoked the cat's reaction for the camera.

Cats that are a bit unhappy and/or irritated with a situation will tell you by biting in this way. It is about one third the normal strength. When an adult cat bites with genuine anger and aggression you'll know about it. It will really hurt. Clearly this person is not hurt.

Alternatively, play involving gentle biting can turn to stronger biting as the cat becomes wound up. Note: I have published this picture believing it is in the public domain. If I am wrong please tell me.

Why are cats mean?

ANSWER: cats are not mean. People who ask this question, and quite a few people do, have preconceptions that are misguided.  I am sorry to have to say that but it is true. Even the use of the language indicates misconceptions. To use the word, "mean" in relation to a cat's character is a definite sign of anthropomorphising a cat  - making the cat human. This is because we have no idea if a cat can have the characteristic of meanness. I don't believe that cats can be mean. It is a human concept. People are often mean in many ways but cats? No they are far more instinctive on a more basic level. It is all about survival for a cat and basic emotions such as fear, feeling comfortable, anxiety, contentment etc. I would say that meanness is a higher emotion or form of behavior that is probably reserved for the human.

You could probably take a guess and say that the people who ask "why are cats mean?" are themselves possibly mean - can we all be mean sometimes. We have the capacity to be mean, anyway. People who are kindly towards cats and other people would probably not ask that question.

In addition people who are mean and maybe a bit nasty (there are people like that aren't there?) are more likely to provoke aggression in a cat, domestic or wild. In which case mean people will meet defensively aggressive cats, which reinforces their inaccurate preconceptions. Mean people are more likely to elicit defensive aggression in domestic cats because they will behave inappropriately towards the cat in such a way that makes the cat uncertain and defensive. Also, it is likely that the domestic cat can sense a hostile person as they have finely tuned senses. A person whose character is not predisposed to being kind towards cats will potentially seem hostile to a cat.

Another possible reason why people think cats are mean is the cat's expression when smelling something deeply. This has the appearance of a sneer, when in fact the expression is due to the mouth being slightly open as the cat inhales air to pass over an organ in the roof of his or her mouth. This organ has a super sensitive smelling capability.

Let's for a moment turn my argument on its head and agree that cats are mean.  As mentioned I don't believe this but if it is true why are cats mean? If all humans were mean why would that be? It could only happen if the circumstances under which the person or cat lived were such that it made the person or cat mean. So if cats are mean it is because of the environment that we create for them. It would be our fault as we have complete charge of the environment and circumstances under which our cat lives.

There is at least one other reason why people erroneously think cats are mean. A cat's general facial expression can give a misleading impression as to the cat's emotional state. Be kind to a cat. Understand the cat. Love the domestic cat and it will never enter your head to ask, "why are cats mean?"

How to stop my cat from biting me?

Here is how to stop your cat from biting you. The first thing to do is to decide whether your cat is biting you in play or in anger. If you like to play with your cat and if play gets a bit rough (in a nice way), your cat might nibble your hand as part of play. The force used by your cat will be about 25-50% of maximum. It still may cause you discomfort and it may break the skin of your hand, but the cat is playing. The way to stop this is to stop playing rough. Play more gently and stop when your cat becomes a little agitated. Cats can go from play to genuine hunt mode if wound up enough. For the cat, play is a substitute for hunting.

Cat Bite - photo by vainglory

The more difficult "problem" to deal with is if your cat bites you aggressively for no apparent reason. In a normal household with decent cat caretakers and well socialized cat(s) this will not happen. For a cat to bite his or her "owner" the cat has to be nervous and defensive and/or in pain or discomfort. Something will be wrong from the cat's point of view.

Assuming that the cat is:

• not ill and
• not in discomfort and 
• not being mishandled by his human caretaker and
• is well socialized, 

...it is likely that he is insecure for some reason. There are likely to be environmental reasons. We create the environment. Cats like calm, quiet, routine and a reassuring home. These areas should be checked out. We should ask if we have created the correct environment. Check for illness with your vet as a precaution.

There are other reasons why a cat might be aggressive but these will probably be one-off incidences. If a person is asking, "how to stop my cat from biting me" it implies that it is happening all the time.

Ninety percent (90%) of the time, the reason why a cat is biting his owner will be because of something the owner has done and/or created provided the cat has been socialized to animals and humans during the first 7 weeks of his life.

You might ask yourself if your cat is socialized to domestic life. Breeders will ensure that the cats they breed are socialized. They are allowed to run around the house and interact with other animals, visitors and the breeder's family. Without that the cat will behave like a feral or semi-feral cat and be defensive towards people causing him to bite when approached.

My cat hates you

The "my cat hates you" website is disrespectful of the domestic cat and the authors are ignorant of the behavior of domestic cats.

I know there will be a lot of people who think I am mad or gay or something else. I am none of these things. I just don't like to see idiot websites built on the back of ignorance that can lead to the mistreatment of cats and any animal.

Cats don't hate people. Cats might and often are intimidated by people which makes them defensive which in turn might give the impression that the cat hates the person. But it simply is not true. If a cat acts defensively towards a person it is the person's fault or some other person's fault. We should not criticize the cat but instead look at ourselves and what we are doing.

It is a site looking for easy visitors. It is site exploiting the domestic cat and indirectly promoting animal cruelty because it promotes the idea that cats are aggressive and mean. A lot of people, especially younger, stupid people consider cats mean. This is idiotic. The concept of "meanness" is a human concept. Cats have no perception of its meaning. It is not part of a cat's personality, whatsoever.

There is enough ignorance and cruelty in the world already in respect of animals. Efforts should be made to reduce it. We should not allow people to built websites that underhandedly promote the mistreatment of cats. It is time for an international regulatory body to police the internet and to get rid of all the rubbish clogging it up. Google are a business. They find rubbish and present it in search results and they don't care. It is not their job to care but to make money.

The site URL that I am talking about is below. I know no one will agree with me and younger visitors especially of the male sex won't change their ways but I am having my say.

http://www.mycathatesyou.com/

Why do domestic cats bite?

Domestic cats bite as a defensive, protective measure when threatened and they might bite when playing as a substitute for hunting. Domestic cats also bite to kill small mammalian prey by severing the spinal cord.

Cat play bite - photo by pat00139

If a domestic cat bites you it might be a friendly nibble in play or even as a sign of affection. Or if it is a serious bite it will be because the cat is intimidated and threatened by your presence and he or she feels the need to defend him or herself. Or you may be mishandling your cat. For example restraining her for too long or carrying her in a way that makes her feel insecure.

Another occasion when a cat might bite you is if she is in pain and you pick her up which hurts her.

Another possibility is when a cat is agitated because of something that happened previously. The aggression that was directed at say another cat, is then inadvertently directed at you - transferred aggression.

Ill cats can bite. A mood swing may have been caused by feline distemper or the feline equivalent of hypoglycemia. Modern dry cat food is high in carbohydrates and might make a cat diabetic and hypoglycemic.

In general if a cat bites us we should assess what we are doing that might have caused it. Cats act instinctively so it is a reaction to stimuli in front of the cat. Premeditated, planned bites by cats for reasons such as dislike or hatred don't exist. These are human concepts.

Top Cat Breeds for Children

People like the idea of finding a cat breed that is suitable for children and rightly so. I suppose we are looking at cat breeds that are mellow in character and able to put up with a child's boisterous behavior and perhaps the odd bit of mishandling.

Catster.com have a page on the subject and they list one of the qualities of a suitable cat as "not territorial". Sorry Catster but all cats are territorial. It is just a complete misconception to think that a certain cat breed is not territorial. All cats, random bred or purebred, have the same form and fundamental behavior as wildcats. Wildcats are decidedly territorial.

Also without wishing to be unnecessarily critical or argumentative, you will not find a lot of difference in character between the cat breeds. This is because cat breeders don't prioritise character and behavior or health. They prioritise appearance. And if they did try and breed a super mellow cat it would not work. If it did it would have happened by now.

Certainly some cat breeds might tend to be more mellow and accepting, the Ragdoll comes to mind. But the laid back nature of this cat breed is, to be honest, over hyped. Sometimes, you'll get unsocialised Ragdolls that are not great to be with.

Which brings me to the much more important question of socialisation of cats and training of children!

If any cat, random bred or purebred, is very well socialised to accept children, other cats, noises, adult people, whatever, they will be fine for a child. But the child must also be socialised in one way: trained to handle a cat.

Any cat not matter how well socialised will possibly respond temporarily aggressively if handled badly; say for example picked up roughly and turned over on his or her back. This makes a cat feel vulnerable.

In addition individual cats within a certain cat breed will have a greater range of character types that have a stronger impact on suitability for a child than the general character of that breed.

So it is really about individual cats that counts and the child's behavior.

In conclusion, therefore, if you are searching for the top cat breeds for children, you should instead look for a cat breed that you like and that your child likes and ensure that the adopted cat is socialised extremely well (check with the breeder and by playing with the cat). And...the big "and", ensure also that you, the mother, have trained your child to respect cats, to handle and to play with them properly, by which I mean in a manner that the cat finds acceptable and non-threatening.

Simple really. Top cat breeds for children don't really exist.



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High value purebred cats have more behavioral problems than moggies

Dr. Trevor Turner in this book Veterinary Notes For Cat Owners says that "owners" of cats are more likely to see him for cat behavior problems if the cat is a high value purebred cat rather then a random bred cat. Dr. Turner works or worked in the UK.

The book was published in 1994. At that time he says that 8 per cent of British cats were purebred cats of recognised breeds. However, 44 per cent of the cats seen by him for behavioral problems were cats of a cat breed. 14 per cent were "first cross strains" and 42 per cent were moggies both long and short haired cats.

Of the 8 per cent cats that were purebreds, 24% were Siamese cats. The large majority of these cats were seen for spraying indoors. 20% were Burmese cats. The biggest behavioral problem for Burmese cats was aggression towards other cats in the house (multi-cat households) and cats outside is allowed outside. 13% of the purebred cats seen were Abyssinians. The behavioral problem for Abyssinians was a breakdown in relations with other Abyssinians in the household. Finally 13% were Persians who had inappropriate elimination problems.

The classic case profile for Dr Turner was a neutered 1-2 year old male domestic Siamese or Shorthair cat that lives with one other cat and which sprays or soils inappropriately indoors.

The conclusions as to why cited by Dr Turner are:

• Owners are more likely to bring an expensive purebred cat to a veterinarian for behavioral problems because they want to fix the problem rather than relinquish the cat due to the cost of the cat.
• Purebred cats are more likely to be full-time indoor cats and the problems are more noticeable "due to being more reactive to change within the home".
• Purebred cats such as the Persian and Siamese are more sensitive and highly strung.

Drugs to solve behavioral problems are "rarely curative and usually inhibits learning".

Lynx Kittens Fight Each Other

Lynx kittens fighting
Photo by Joachim S. Müller (Flickr)

Lynx kittens of the same litter fight each other spontaneously and in a manner that is so violent that it can cause serious injury and even death. What is going on?

Anastasia Antonevich and Sergey Naidenko are conducting research into this phenomenon that goes far beyond simple sibling hard play and rivalry. These are serious unprovoked attacks by one sibling on another.

They have observed sudden attacks by one kitten on another. The mother has to beak it up. Injuries can be serious and include bites to the paw and neck. Sometimes limbs are broken and a cub is occasionally killed.

The fighting has been observed between 7 week old Eurasian lynx cubs (60% of time) and can go on for several days. "Almost all of the litters.." of the Iberian lynx fought in this violent way. The fights occur once but the hostility can last for several months.

The research investigates why lynx kittens fight each other so violently and how these fights affect the development of the cubs. They are not motivated by shortages of food.

Bobcats apparently also demonstrate sibling aggression. It is not known whether the Canadian lynx litters engage in these fights.

The fights occur in the wild and in captivity. My observations? Well I am not sure. It seems that the young lynx starts to prepare for independent survival at a very early age. When adult these siblings will have to survive in competition with each other. Perhaps the competition starts at 7 weeks of age for the lynx and the sooner one can dominate and even eliminate another so much the better for the winner.

See also rewilding of lynx wildcat.



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Cat Declawing

I want to write about cat declawing but I don't want to alienate people who keep cats and who are good cat caretakers except for the fact that we disagree about declawing cats. As you might know I strongly dislike the operation and its sister operation the cutting of the tendon to the claw (tendonectomy).

I'd like to explain why I dislike declawing. I hope that people with the opposite view or people who are wavering in the middle ground, will listen and present their alternative ideas in comments.

There are numerous reasons why cat declawing is wrong. I'll present just the main ones here. I'll also present the reasons why vets support and encourage (yes, lots do) declawing. Actually there is only one reason that they can come up with. The cat owners who declaw also can only come up with one reason to declaw. Some cat owners may have a misunderstanding about the operation, so I would first like to show you the bits of cat that are cut off after the operation and it is not just removing the claws:

Set of ten toes and claws of declawed cat -
copyright protected. Don't breach copyright, please

I hope you are as shocked as me. As you can see that cat declawing is the removal of the last phalange or phalanx of each of the front toes of the cat. It is usually only done to the front paws as it is these that scratch. They are the primary weapons with the teeth that protect the cat.



Video above: this is me doing a spur of the moment video on cat declawing. See my Flickr photostream.

The first reason why cat declawing is wrong is because it is a major mutilation of the cat that does not benefit the cat's health and welfare - quite the opposite.

Think what we would feel like if the last joint of each of our fingers were amputated for no good reason. We would be massively distressed and physically disabled.

As you might expect ten amputations cause a lot of pain and blood and distress and confusion etc:

As I said, pain, fear and confusion reign after the operation

And all this controlled brutality befalls little kittens in the first months of their lives. Yes, kittens are the primary target for the vets in respect of this operation.

There have been numerous studies as to the effect cat declawing has on the cat, both physical and psychological. If you have declawed your cat you might well, justifiably argue that your cat looks and acts fine after the operation. He might be but he might not. You can't be sure because cats are damn good at hiding pain and discomfort - it is a survival thing and a declawed cat has a massively reduced chance of survival in normal life. They have to be permanent indoor cats for the rest of their lives.That entails greater responsibilities for the cat owner (caretaker is a better word, I think). Here is a story about how two dogs played tug-o-war with a declawed cat. And here are two more stories: Declaw Cats (please scroll down when you get to the page)

There are many potential and actual complications of declawing and many myths and truths. Please click on the two last links. One is the onset of arthritis. Here is an individual example - a semi-domesticated CANADIAN LYNX gets a haircut!



There are also many easy alternatives to declawing so it is not necessary to put a cat through it.

A good scratching post and the right expectations about cat behavior from us will take us 99% of the way to avoiding declawing our cat. Please see this example Free Cat Scratching Post and this advice: Will my cat use a scratching post?

So what reason do the vets give for cat declawing? Answer: It saves lives. They argue time and time again in defence of an operation that is banned in over 30 western countries that the operation saves lives. A new country is about to join them: Banning Declawing in Israel.

They argue that if the cat is not declawed the owner will abandon the cat. This is emotional blackmail isn't it? And it simply misses the real point. That cat owners who need to declaw their cat before acquiring it should not really adopt a cat at all. Or as mentioned they should explore alternatives. The vets also like to muddy the water by introducing distorted so called "facts" about the consequences of cat declawing. Their purpose is to reassure the cat owner. Please be aware of this. And please note that laser declawing is not what it is made out to be by the vets. Vets like to fudge the reality and they even deceive themselves.



Vid above: Vet presenting the usual reassuring blurb to adoring customer! There are actually some vets who never declaw. There are not that many but I have listed them and mapped their location on this page: North American Veterinarians Who Never Declaw - please use them if you can.

People who declaw shamelessly declare that their sofa is more important than the cat and it has to be declawed to protect the sofa. At least that is honest. The vets, I regret to say aren't when in comes to cat declawing.

I don't think a piece of furniture is more important than a living creature. If a person thinks that they can't be the ideal cat caretaker can they?

See over 150 visitor articles on declawing cats.



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First Time Cat Owner

Some tips for the first time cat owner. Before starting to think about adopting a cat it is wise to get one's expectations right. I call it "expectation management". If we have the correct expectations were are unlikely to be disappointed. If we are not disappointed and do not struggle to care for our cat adequately, we are much less likely to relinquish our cat. This is so important in respect of cat welfare.

People adopting a cat need to know about the realities of cat caretaking. Before I go on it is worth mentioned that I prefer the phrase, "cat companion" and/or cat "caretaking" to "cat owner". I explain why on this page: Should we "own" a cat?

If you are buying a purebred cat this page might help: choosing a cat breed. If things go wrong this page may assist: How to sue on a cat contract.

New Cat - I hope the owner understood cats - Photo by -Qualsiasi

Here are some posts that provide tips and guides for the first time cat owner:

• 15 ways to avoid cat behavior problems - this covers a wide range of issues all of which should help the first time cat owner. I think it is an important document. It is a PDF file so will open differently and look different.
•  We should remember that cats live in a land of giants and we are the giants. Go gently and quietly (use a melodious voice) and create a harmonious routine for your cat. Cats love that. It will reduce stress and a confident unstressed cat is what we like because stress causes behavioral problems including inappropriate elimination.
• Learn how to speak cat.
• Learn how to keep your cat calm or calm him or her down. A calm, confident cat is a happy cat. Here are two posts on the subject: Post One - Post Two.
• A stimulated cat is a happy cat.
• Understand aggressive cat behavior. There is always a logical explanation and it can be avoided.
• Provide the best cat food (USA). Best Dry Cat Food and Best Canned Cat Food.
• Know what it cost to keep a cat for the life of a cat and it is for life. Be prepared for the near certainty of your cat dying before you. It can be heartbreaking.
• Know a bit about cat health. Understand the main diseases and watch out for them: upper respiratory infections, lower urinary tract infections, FIP, FeLV, FIV, Distemper, diabetes, allergies. They are all listed here: Cat Health Problems.
• This page might help too: Cat behavior explained.
• Act responsibly towards other people in relation to cat caretaking. Some people don't like cats. Don't piss them off by allowing your cat to trespass on their land etc.

I think that covers the important subjects. There are lots more. You can search for more using the search box above right.



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Cat Predicts Person's Oncoming Epileptic Fit

I know there is a little bit of exaggeration and mysticism about the ability of cats and dogs to sense impending events. Cats sensing the start of an earthquake comes to mind. And we have the famous Oscar, a cat who lives in a hospice and who can tell when a person is about to die. He joins them and comforts them.

There is a scientific explanation. We just don't know for sure what it is.

It is more than likely going to be due to a cat's acute senses. Dogs are the same. Dogs have the most sensitive of noses but cats, although less sensitive, have a very acute sense of smell many times better than ours  - The Cat's Nose. Humans are relatively feeble with regard to senses compared with our companion cats and dogs.

The all sensing cat - Photo by Simon Hammond

One cat got into the news for her ability to sense her human companion's impending epileptic fit. Her name is Lilly. She is a darling cat. But let's not forget that all cats have the skills to do this.

Lilly is an ordinary yet extraordinary cat.

Her human caretaker (wrong...this is a two way situation - symbiotic in the perfect sense of the word), is Nathan Cooper.

He suffers from epilepsy. When a fit is not yet apparent but is about to start, Lilly starts running up and down the stairs and meowing loudly although she is usually a "quiet little thing".

This early warning system allows Nathan's family can take preventative action that stops him falling over or knocking furniture over.

On one occasion Nathan stopped breathing and Lilly, "started licking his mouth...". This started up his breathing. His family believe that little Lilly saved Nathan's life.

Ordinary cats, extraordinary skills. Who says cats aren't useful?



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My Cat Bites My Ankles Advice Please

I'd like some advice as my cat attacks my ankles and it is getting to be a problem. This is the plea from a cat keeper and the answer is pretty clear. This cat might be young, probably is. What the cat is doing is playing, chasing and, yes, practicing hunting skills. Nothing wrong with that, totally normal for the cat. What we as humans forget is that what we perceive as "cat behavior problems" are, in fact, human expectation problems.

We expect and/or hope our cat will behave as we want him or her to. We want the cat to fit into our life style. This attitude is manifest in many ways, the most cruel of which is declawing cats. We should accept that the domestic cat is a whisker away from the wild cat. After all the domestic cat was a wild cat some 9,000 years ago. They are still very close in character. A domestic cat can leave our home and survive with nothing. We couldn't do that.

So, if our cat is chasing and biting our ankles, we should rejoice in the play and play back. Playing with our cats is an important part of our relationship with them, particularly indoor cats, when it becomes essential to alleviate the boredom of an unnatural habitat. As to the bite, cat bites can be nasty because as an "expert" said, cat's mouths contain lots of bacteria. So do ours. But this can lead to an infection. My stray cat, Timmy, has an infected cat bite (but he is on the mend with antibiotics etc.). See cat fights can cause an abscess.

An expert said to reprimand the cat by saying "no" firmly if the cat is playing with our ankles. I disagree whole-heartedly with that. This is bad advice as the cat is behaving normally. How does the cat feel being told off for being normal. How would we feel under those circumstances? The cat might become confused. No, I'd spend time playing and build a stimulating environment for the cat. That will probably resolve the problem but in a much more constructive manner.

My Cat Bites My Ankles Advice Please -- Play back and enjoy it.........! This is how it can be done!



See

• cat biting
• Cat Scratch Fever
  

Cat Biting

by gadgetgirl

Cat Biting is bad, so said a cat breeder who was asking for advice on one of the Yahoo Groups for cat breeders. But for who is it bad?

The advice given by other breeders (and these are experienced cat breeders) was to punish the cat. One would tap the cat on the nose with the finger and thumb. Another said to put the cat in a cage for 5 minutes having said "No".

Apparently these work. But I am sure the cat hasn't a clue what he or she has done wrong, because from his standpoint he has not done wrong. He has behaved normally. Biting or chewing things whatever it is, is normal for a kitten particularly.

My cat still gently nibbles my hand as a sign of affection. Their mouths are useful for many tasks. The point that I am making is this, do we want a cat as a companion or do we want a companion who does what we want (a kind of modified cat that behaves like a submissive human)?

All cat behavior by a normally socialized and healthy cat should be accepted and we should live with it and around it. We shouldn't modify it to meet out personal preferences. If a cat bites aggressively and unnaturally (for a cat) it will be because of our behavior towards him or her or because she is ill or both. Any one of these reasons is not one that demands that the cat be given remedial training to the cat as described above. It is the people who need training in good cat caretaking.

From Cat Biting to Cat Facts