This is a mistake that’s easy to make and may initially seem harmless when your cat is a kitten. It can, however, be the start of a serious ongoing problem. Kittens are naturally playful and are attracted to any movement. With a kitten it can be tempting to wiggle your fingers to solicit playtime, but it sends the message to the impressionable kitten that biting you is acceptable.

Even if you hide your fingers under the bed covers or you use those special playtime gloves that have strips of fabric extending from each finger, it still gives a clear message that the human hand is an allowable target for biting and scratching. While a young kitten’s teeth and nails may not inflict too much pain, as he grows, those bites and scratches will hurt more.

If the cat learns that it’s acceptable to bite during playtime, he’ll also assume that biting and scratching your hand is acceptable overall as a form of communication. Therefore, when you’re petting him and he’s had enough, he may choose to bite as his signal to stop. If you pick him up to hold him and he doesn’t want to be held, he may bite to let you know he objects.

Hands should only be used for petting, holding, (and unfortunately also medicating). Hand should never be used as toys.

For playtime, use a fishing pole-type toy so there’s an established distance between your fingers and the cat’s teeth. Don’t even hold one of those small fuzzy mice in your fingers because an excited cat may not be able to distinguish where the mouse ends and your fingers begin. Save the small fuzzy mice for your cat’s solo playtime. When it comes to interactive play, stick to safe toys such as Da Bird, the Cat Dancer, or other interactive toy.

For more information refer to the book Think Like a Cat  or Starting from Scratch.

© 2009 Cat Behavior Associates, LLC