Being a pet parent is not an easy task, you know very well that there are situations where you have to face your kitty’s mood swings.
One moment she is enjoying your cuddling session and the very next fraction she is angry, and you have no idea what flipped her.
Well, this scenario, sounds similar? Don’t worry, you are not alone who has questions like why does my cat bite my feet? Why does she attack me?
Cat bites for many reasons, sometimes they will scratch you, bite your hand, leg. To clear your clouds of doubts, we have jotted down some interesting facts related to cat-biting behavior.
Reasons Feline Bite Your Tootsies
Cats are unpredictable by nature, it’s very tricky to say what’s going on in their head. One moment they are playing with you, the next very second they start chasing you scratching your body biting your feet, etc.
If this situation sounds familiar to you then don’t worry you are not alone, it’s very common to encounter such behavior in felines.
Let’s dig in more and get interesting facts about your cat’s strange behavior.
1. Your Feline Is Seeking Attention
One of the possible answers to your question, why does my cat bite my feet?
Could be that you are not giving your feline sufficient time or attention. For instance, after trying out all possible ways of moving around you, rubbing her body against you, licking, etc. Still, she is not getting your attention at that time, she might just prefer to come and bite your feet or leg so that you can finally give her a look.
Generally, cats attack your feet when she is not getting your attention. Your kitty might be hungry or want to spend time with you, or want to step out, it could be anything.
In such a scenario, it is advisable to not make it her habit of biting your feet and then asking for her needs. It’s better you pay attention to her body language and if she is in need of something, fulfill it without fail.
It is also possible that out of anger or over petting session she might just start biting, it’s her way of indicating you to back off as she is not liking it.
2. Kitty Wants to Play
As we all know, playtime is important for cats, it helps them to stay active and energetic. Especially, in the case of indoor cats, regular playtime is mandatory as it not only helps felines to maintain their weight but also reduces the chance of other behavioral activities which they adapt out of boredom.
Play is probably one of the reasons your feline bites your feet. Because felines have instincts that trigger their mind when they find moving objects.
For instance, it’s playtime with your kitty, but you are sitting on the couch and doing binge-watching. Then it’s a high possibility that she will try to grab your attention to play with her by moving around you, rubbing her body, or simply biting your foot.
3. She Might Be Practicing to Hunt
Hunting could be one of the reasons behind your cat’s biting behavior. Cats are natural hunters, they are born to stalk and hunt.
In such a case, if your kitty is engaged in a stalking mood then she might end up attacking you, your feet. So don’t worry it’s nothing personal, she is just in hunting mode.
This hunting behavior is common in indoor cats, as they don’t get many opportunities to play and hunt because they don’t get a chance to hunt or step out. So, when their hunting instinct takes over their mind that moment they will try to attack you, bite your feet to calm their mind.
4. It’s a Sign of Affection
Cats love to give bites, lick their parents, it’s their way of showering love. So, many a time you must have noticed that your feline pal gently gives you a love bite especially when you are making her meal or serving her at that time she will come closer and bite your feet.
It’s her way of conveying love and appreciating your care for her. It’s also been observed that mother cat grooms their kittens by biting or licking them, her way of showing love for her babies.
If you are parenting a kitten or cat family then you must have observed that they grow up by licking biting each other, it’s their way of grooming a showering love for each other.
Especially, they adapt this behavior with you when you are too busy and not paying attention to her. Then there is a high tendency to grab your attention, they come closer and bite your feet.
5. She Might Be Biting Your Foot Out of Boredom
Wondering, why does my cat bite my feet?
Well, my friend, there is a high possibility that your kitty is bored, and she wants some attention, so out of boredom she might bite your foot.
Suppose it is a weekend evening, and you are chilling at the comfortable corner of your house and didn’t pay much attention to your kitty. You are enjoying your “me time” but what about your kitty?
In such a scenario, there is a high possibility that to grab your attention she will try to bite your feet because a bored cat will find ways to grab attention so that she can have some fun activity or playing session.
If your cat is in a calm mood, then she will simply come closer and give a gentle bite to your hand or feet, in other words indicating you to play with her. However, if she is in a frustrated mood then my friend you might have to encounter some harder bite than usual.
6. There May Be Latent Sexual Behavior
According to the survey, it has been observed that felines encountered latent sexual behavior even after being neutered. They have a habit of grabbing and biting during mate, so there is a high possibility that your feet are easy to target when they are overstimulated.
Both in male and female cats, you will encounter this behavior, if your feline pal is clawing and biting your feet continuously while playing or doing any fun activity. She might have highly mistaken your playing behavior as sexual aggression.
Such behavior is mostly found in cats whose social training is not done properly. It will disappear with time, but it is advisable even after stopping she is not quitting her behavior, then consult a vet for better action/guidance.
7. She Might Be Suffering from Underlying Health Issues
One of the possible reasons behind your kitty’s biting feet behavior could be that she might be facing an underlying health issue.
There is some severe health issue that increases anger issue in your cat, and she might lash out at you to start biting, feet are the easy target, so they generally end up biting feet area.
If you notice such behavior in your kitty, it is advisable to take her for a health check-up, as she might be suffering from a severe health issue. It’s better to start medication on time rather than take risks.
8. Your Feline Is Scared
Cats get scared easily when they notice unknown pets around them or a negative vibe because it makes them frightened. It increases their stress level and in such situations, they search for their loved ones to seek protection.
So, out of insecurity or scariness, it’s a high possibility that your feline might bite your feet. It’s her way of conveying the message to you that she is not feeling safe and need your protection.
In such a scenario, calm her down by petting or showering love, once she is convinced that you will not leave her alone she will stop biting your feet.
When to Consult the Vet?
So far as we discussed the various reasons behind your kitty’s biting behavior, it could be anything. She might be seeking your attention, want’s to play, scared, or any other reason, so you don’t have to worry about it.
However, if you noticed that your cat’s behavior is converting into aggression mode, and frequently she bites your feet, scratch your body. Then in such a case, it is advisable to immediately consult the vet because this might lead to a serious issue.
The vet will ask you several questions and observe your kitty’s nature according to that she will recommend you how to deal further. If she is suffering from any severe health issue, they will start her treatment to avoid further complications.
With time and patience, your kitty will be normal and soon her biting behavior will stop if you regularly follow the vet’s guidance and therapy.
Conclusion
Here, we would like to conclude our blog, why does my cat bite my feet? Confidently, we were able to serve you appropriate content related to possible reasons behind your kitty’s biting behavior.
As we have discussed, there could be many reasons behind this behavior, so it’s very important for you to observe your kitty’s body language and according to that you will easily identify why she is behaving this way.
The more you will observe your feline pal, it will be easy for you to click her problem. Plus, felines need a lot of love and attention, so if you will make them feel that she is your priority, it will make them happy and feel secure.
If your feline pal is happy then it’s good for both of you as they will stop adapting weird behavior.
References
- How To Stop a Cat From Biting – PetMD
- Cat Bite Injuries to Humans – VCA hospitals
- Feline Behaviour Problems – Cornell University