Weird Cat Panting and Biting Game

by Becky
(California)

This is in response to 'Weird Cat'. The person says they would sniff around their cat the way the cat does to them and the cat seemed to be irritated and gently bite. Well, my husband discovered as a kid that his cat didn't like it if he would pant loudly around him. The cat would get agitated, paw at him and bite softly. He's done this playfully to the cats we now have and they react the same way! I've always wondered why they react this way.


Dear Becky,

As I wrote to Trina in her original cat behavior question "Sniffing Game with My Feline", chances are your behavior, which in this case is panting instead of sniffing, is bringing out instinctive predatory behavior in your cat. Over time, this could develop into a serious cat biting habit and someone could be bitten more aggressively.

Since cat biting behavior can become a serious problem, I would encourage you to avoid doing anything that reinforces your cat's urge to bite. While it may seem cute now as a "game," it could become less than ideal if your cat starts biting even when you are not playing or doing anything particular to encourage it.

Regards,
Dr. Neely