Why is my cat acting crazy and biting me

You’re on the couch, petting your purring cat just like you have on many previous quiet evenings. She turns on her side as you rub her belly, and she kneads her paws in contentment. Then, before you know what happened, she hisses and bites your hand. What gives? What happened to turn your mild-mannered cat into Cujo?

Unfortunately, aggression is not uncommon in felines; in fact, it’s the second most common reason for a visit to a behaviorist. Sudden aggression in cats is a scary and frustrating problem for many owners, who fear the unpredictable nature of the kitty fury as well as the physical damage he or she can cause in the throes of an attack. In addition to the painful nature of cat bites and scratches, they can also transmit diseases such as cat scratch fever or serious bacterial infection. Cat aggression is truly no laughing matter.

What Does Aggression in Cats Look Like?

Although owners often report a cat attacking out of nowhere, cats often exhibit subtle changes in body positioning before launching into an actual act of aggression. These postures may be a clue in pinpointing the trigger for the aggressive behavior, as well as a much-needed warning before future attacks.

Defensive postures are intended to make a cat look smaller and position herself in a protective manner. These postures may include: crouching, flattened ears, turning away from the person, hissing, swatting at you, raised hackles, or a tucked head. A defensive cat is often experiencing fear or anxiety about a situation that may or may not be apparent to you. You can be the recipient of fear-based aggression even if you’re not the one causing the anxiety.

Offensive postures make a cat look big and intimidating. These postures include: stiffened legs

• Hackles raised

• Moving toward you

• Staring at you

• Upright ears

• Growling

• Stiff tail

In either case, you want to avoid interacting with a cat exhibiting these postures as they are on the brink of moving on to the real damaging moves. A cat in attack mode can move with startling speed and aggression, and inflict extensive damage in a very swift period when the mouth and all four paws are engaged.

What Causes Sudden Aggression in Felines?

Cat aggression falls into a number of categories. Taking a full and complete history about where the cat was located and what was happening right before the aggressive behavior began is a key component in determining the cause.

Fear Aggression

Fear aggression is triggered by a cat who perceives a threat that he or she cannot escape. This can be a learned behavior based on past experience, and you may not be entirely sure exactly what the cat is fearful of.

Aggression Due to Medical Issue

Aggression with a medical origin is also common.

Pain is the most sudden medical cause for sudden aggression, particularly in older cats or those who have always had a calm temperament. Arthritis, dental disease, trauma, and infections are just some of the conditions that can cause pain and subsequent aggression when a cat is touched or thinks he or she might be touched, in a painful area. In addition to pain, cognitive decline, a loss of normal sensory input, or neurological problems can all lead to aggression.

Territorial Aggression

Territorial aggression happens when a cat feels an intruder is infringing on his or her territory. While often directed at other cats, people and other animals may be the subject of the aggression as well. Triggers may include introducing a new pet or even a new person into the house, a recent move, or new cats in the neighborhood.

Status Aggression

Status aggression occurs when a cat attempts to run the house. Cats who growl when you try to move them, block doors, or bite you when you pay attention to another pet may be asserting themselves in this manner.

Petting-Induced Aggression

Petting-induced aggression, the type described in the opening paragraph, occurs when a cat who enjoys being pet suddenly changes his or her mind. It’s thought that the repetitive motion over time turns from pleasant to irritating.

Redirected Aggression

Redirected aggression is one of the most unpredictable and dangerous types of feline aggression. In these cases, a cat is in a hyper-aroused state by some sort of external stimulus—an animal outside, squirrels running by that he can’t chase, a frightening noise or smell. In your blameless state, you walk by and wind up on the receiving end of this pent-up outburst, seemingly out of nowhere.

What Should I Do If My Cat Experiences Sudden Aggression?

The first stop any time a cat shows these aggressive signs without obvious provocation is your veterinarian. She can examine your cat and make sure he does not have a medical condition causing the unwanted behavior. If your cat has a clean bill of health, your veterinarian can refer you to a behaviorist who can help determine the triggers of aggression and the steps you can take at home to resolve the problem.

In many cases, simply being aware of the early signals of a cat about to freak out gives you the chance to remove yourself from the situation before it escalates to violence. While you can’t always control the causes of the anxiety, owners can often give the cat the space he or she needs to wind down without injuring anyone. With patience and some good detective work, many cats are quickly back in everyone’s good graces.

Want to learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of aggression in cats? Read an overview of the condition.

Find out what’s going on when your favorite feline gives you an out-of-nowhere bite.

You're petting your cat and she's making a bliss face, clearly loving it. Suddenly, she grabs your hand in her mouth. What just happened?

Cats have proximity issues, and they can get overstimulated fairly quickly. If you have a cat who swats and bites during friendly petting, you already know this. One minute she's asking to be petted and the next minute she's telling you to stop—now! This sudden switch is often the result of conflicting emotions. Many cats both love and hate to be touched. And which side of that conflict wins can change from moment to moment. 

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To avoid being bitten during what's supposed to be an affectionate petting session, learn what causes your cat to suddenly bite, what her body language means, and how to pet her safely.

Why Do Cats Bite?

There are many reasons cats bite, from love and affection to fear and frustration. While cat bites may all hurt the same on the human end, you can pay attention to your cat's body language and other clues to let you know what caused the sudden bite—and prevent it from happening again.

Compared to humans, cats have limited impulse control and emotional regulation, so they can get frustrated easily. Sources of frustration, like too much petting, can cause a cat to get upset. However, because cats don't have words to express their emotions, they need to tell you through their body language—which may include biting.

A frustrated cat often shows warning signs by holding their tail straight out, vocalizing, flicking her tail, or dilating her pupils. If you notice any of these warning signs, it's best to give her some space.

While cats may bite when they want less attention, some will also bite to demand more attention! If your kitten bites you and then runs over to a toy or bowl, she's probably trying to get you to play or give her a snack. If this is the case, it's best to discourage the biting behavior by avoiding the reward immediately after the biting. However, she's probably trying to get your attention for good reason—so make sure to give her enough playtime throughout the day and also provide her enriching activities to use when you're busy.

Biting is common for kittens while they play, so it's common to get a few gentle love bites from a cat who's just trying to have some fun. While it may seem cute as a kitten, you'll want to redirect this behavior onto cat toys so they don't continue to use your fingers, wrists, and ankles as toys into their adulthood. 

Cats are also natural hunters and need stimulation to release their prey drive throughout the day. Without enough playtime or enriching toys, they may go searching for prey to attack in your home—which is often your ankles and feet.

RELATED: 15 Easy Ways to Enrich Your Cat's Life

The Right Way to Pet Your Cat

We all want to avoid being bitten, and luckily there is a right way to pet a cat that will lessen your chances of being nipped. Of course, there are cats who love to be petted forever, cats who can tolerate about five seconds of petting, and cats who fall somewhere in between. It's all about personal preferences. And honestly—people are like that, too! Some of us are very touchy-feely, some might be more hands-off, and countless others tend to fall somewhere in the middle. 

Before petting a cat for the first time, always start slowly and introduce yourself. Let her sniff your hands and know you're not a threat before touching her. Most cats prefer to be gently petted on the head, neck, and chin, so those are the best starting points. And while we could all pet cats forever, if you don't know the cat well, it's best to stop petting after a few seconds to make sure they don't get too frustrated.

Get to know your own cat's preferences by paying close attention to their body language while petting them. Slowly try petting for longer periods of time and testing different spots. While most cats prefer you to stay away from their tummy, legs, and tails, all cats are different. Who knows? You may have a super affectionate belly rub lover on your hands!

How To Tell if Your Cat Is About To Bite 

Because cats often suddenly bite out of frustration, it's important to learn their body language clues before a bite. Each cat has their own ways of saying, "I've had enough," or "Don't touch me there." Sometimes they just move away. Sometimes it's more subtle, like a whisper.  

Some feline versions of "I've had enough" look or sound like this:

• She may vocalize (other than purring).
• Her ears may go back, sideways, or flat.
• She may start to flick or lash her tail.
• Her skin may twitch.
• Her pupils may dilate or look like slits.
• Her claws may come out.
• Her whiskers may come forward.
• Her legs or shoulders may become stiff. 
• She may look at your hand.
• She may raise her paw.

If you don't heed these whispers, your cat has to shout—with a hiss, swat, or bite. 

To learn your cat's signal for I've had enough, pet her gently only when you can look right at her—not when you're watching TV or talking on the phone. Watch for even the slightest change in your cat. As soon as you see it, stop petting. If you're not sure, stop petting anyway.

RELATED: Do Cats Love Their Owners? Here's How You Can Tell

Remember to Respect Your Cat's Preferences

What should you do if you can't figure out what your cat's body language is saying about her boundaries? Earn her trust. Just pet the cat twice and take your hands away. If she decides to stay next to you, wait a few minutes and then pet her twice again. Leave her wanting more. When she sees that you're not going to overload her, she'll relax and you can gradually work up to a few more strokes. 

When you learn your cat's personal preferences and respect them, something very wonderful happens: She starts to allow more petting. She knows you will stop as soon as she asks, so she feels less ambivalent about it. She knows she doesn't have to resort to biting to get her point across, that you will honor smaller, more subtle signals. And that teaches her that you are a trustworthy person. 

It's important to remember that companion animals have a right to decide when they want to be touched, where they want to be touched, and how long they want to be touched. Our cats want to be assured that we will respect their boundaries. When we do, there's no need for biting.

A previous version of this article including reporting by Beth Adelman, MS.