Avoiding misunderstandings with your cat: games and caresses
We love and admire our cats for their ability to retain the wildness of their ancestors. At the same time, our daily actions and interactions often conflict with this unique trait. Two common types of overstimulation—play and petting—demonstrate how a better understanding of these natural cat behaviors can help us interact more peacefully.
Caressing the wrong way
You're sitting comfortably in bed, reading, nonchalantly petting your kitty with one hand while holding your book in the other. Suddenly, you feel small, sharp teeth piercing your hand. Looking up, you see your cat sitting quietly on the other side of the room. What happened?
Observe your cat's behavior with other cats to get the answer to this question. Petting between cats is usually short-lived—a time that you probably exceeded without realizing it! Your cat has most likely given you several little warnings before biting you: dilated pupils, stiffening, tail shaking, or even a head that quickly turns around when your hand reaches a "forbidden" spot. So, in order to avoid petting your feline companion too much, it would be a good idea to pay a little more attention to his behavior and respond to the signals to stop that he sends you.
If your cat has a relatively low petting threshold (more common in unneutered males), you can slowly increase it by combining petting with meals or treats. If he can accept two or three pettings calmly, complete those, then offer a treat and pet him again before ending the session (slowly increase the number of pettings after each treat). If your cat has a lot of difficulty accepting petting, do it once or twice while giving him his food bowl.
“Aggressive” games
You are walking down the hallway slowly when suddenly your cat grabs your toe and bites it. What happened?
Chances are your cat is simply practicing the skills it would normally practice to survive in the wild, such as chasing, stalking, swatting, scratching, and biting. It may flick its tail, rotate its ears from back to front, or remain motionless in a crouched position before jumping up and wrapping its front paws around your hand or foot while biting it—a body position similar to that of a cat preparing to pounce on its prey.
These "playful" attacks usually happen when you least expect them, whether it's when you turn a corner of the house, move under the covers, or go down the stairs, and can often be differentiated from aggressive attacks by a sideways jump or bounce, an arched back, a half-open mouth, or silence (no growling, hissing, or growling). Despite your cat's playful intentions, they can result in scratches, inhibited bites (bites that don't break the skin), or serious injuries (scratches and bites can become infected). Cats most likely to play aggressive games are those under two years of age, often the only feline in the household, and who spend more than eight to ten hours alone in a day.
Tips and tricks to keep your gaming time interesting, while sparing your fingers and toes
Encourage appropriate play
- Channel your cat's energy into positive play by engaging in enjoyable feline sports two to three times a day for three to ten minutes per session.
- Include daily interactive play with your cats using cat fishing rods, feather wands, catnip mice, and bugs on a string (keep these within reach when your cat is unsupervised).
- Build a central outdoor entertainment enclosure with perches, boxes and shelves to redirect your cat's energy.
- If you can afford the extra expense and have the time, consider adopting a younger feline companion for your home-lonely cat so he has someone to burn off his energy with (make sure the new addition has the same level of energy).
- Avoid playing aggressively with your cat or encouraging him to bite your hand or foot during play (also make sure all family members comply with this rule).
Games of distraction and diversion of attacks
- If you can predict when your cat will attack, toss a toy in front of you to draw your cat's attention away from your feet.
- If your attempts at distraction or diversion don't work, remove all attention by entering another room, then close the door long enough for him to calm down.
- Avoid hitting, shoving, tapping, or flicking your cat to play more aggressively with him (or blocking him with your foot or running away). These tactics are more likely to scare him, escalate the play, or cause him to shift from play to aggression.
- Be sure to clean any bites or scratches thoroughly and apply antibiotic ointment to them. If you have received a bad bite, you should see a doctor immediately.
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