On this frequent cat guardian situation, one second you’re strolling barefoot throughout the lounge flooring, the following a fur ball streaks out from beneath the sofa and sinks its tooth into your ankle. This painful occasion generally known as ankle-biting doesn’t imply your cat is inherently aggressive and can sever your jugular within the evening. It simply means you may need to cowl your toes with a thick pair of socks till you’re not a shifting goal.
Seasoned cat dad and mom perceive ankle-biting as a part of regular playful, predatory cat conduct. New cat dad and mom nonetheless can expertise alarm, not to say ache.
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Sylvie Sterling, the CEO and founding father of Feline Soul Academyopens in a brand new tab, is a cat knowledgeable and licensed cat psychologist and behaviorist and says there are numerous causes your kitty could also be into biting your ankles, “and it’s normally not what folks assume!”
Frequent causes your cat is biting your ankles
Deepak Shuklaopens in a brand new tab, founding father of Pets Let’s Journeyopens in a brand new tab and cat guardian to Jenny, understands how complicated it will probably be when your cat begins biting your ankles. “I’m a cat proprietor myself, and my cat Jenny has positively had her moments of mischief, together with just a few ankle-biting episodes! Primarily based on my expertise, there are just a few frequent explanation why cats like Jenny interact on this conduct.”
Looking instincts
Cats have pure looking instincts, in order that they could also be chasing after your ankles as a result of they need to train a few of that hunting-style play. “Cats are a predatory species,” Dr. Marci Koski, licensed feline conduct and coaching advisor at Feline Conduct Optionsopens in a brand new tab, instructed Kinship in a earlier interviewopens in a brand new tab. “They’re barely domesticated and programmed to hunt, so if we don’t give them these alternatives by means of play, they will get bored, which may result in melancholy, harmful behaviors, stress, home soiling, aggression, and extra.”
Primarily based on her personal expertise, Shukla is aware of that cats generally simply see their dad and mom as a shifting goal. “Once you stroll round, particularly in the event you’re shifting shortly, they might even see your ankles as a goal. “It’s one thing that’s nearly instinctual for them,” Shukla says. “Jenny, for instance, would usually pounce on my ankles like they had been prey, particularly when she was youthful and extra playful.”
Playtime
Sterling advises making your property a cat-friendly surroundings the place your cat can exert themselves, each bodily and emotionally. “All the time be sure your cat has sufficient toys and issues to play with or climb on or scratch on or do any style of bodily exercise,” she says.
Consideration-seeking or boredom
Sterling provides that when cats appear to “need consideration,” they’re speaking one thing stunning. “They’re actually attempting to point out us people that we are burdened out! That we aren’t comfortable. That we’re stressed, or that we are offended,” she says. “Cats are very empathetic and so they at all times really feel our emotional states and our moods. So, once we people are going by means of emotional ups and downs with out noticing that we’re in a sure state, then our cats will come to us and alert us to the undeniable fact that we want to chill out or destress or simply discover that we aren’t comfortable. By clawing us or biting us, they’re attempting to get us to concentrate to that truth!”
Boredom can play a position as properly. Cats are curious, playful creatures who want common stimulation, particularly in the event that they dwell indoors. Construct in each day playtime, arrange a cat tower or set up a window shelf to preserve your cat entertained and mentally engaged. Cristin Tamburoopens in a brand new tab, cat behaviorist, instructed usopens in a brand new tab that 10 to quarter-hour a day of play is a great common guideline.
She provides: “Youthful cats and kittens usually have quite a bit extra power and can keep engaged in play longer than older cats, so I like to recommend, every time potential, to play along with your cat till they tire out.”
Stress or nervousness
Sadly, many kittens are taken too early from their mom and littermates, which Sterling says ends in poor socialization. “Their mom couldn’t educate them not to be tough or not to chew the people.” Or, she says, “They don’t have a sibling to play with or socialize with, in order that they’ll take your toes for playtime and stimulation of their senses.”
Stress and nervousness contribute to aggressive conduct like bitingopens in a brand new tab (which once more doesn’t imply your cat is aggressive by nature). Take into consideration latest modifications in your cat’s surroundings or routine. Do you might have a brand new pet? Visitors within the bed room with the litter field or loud noises from development round the corner?
Sterling says simply as people launch stress with a punching ball or different objects, so do cats. “Typically they should launch strain,” she says, which works again to constructing an surroundings that meets their wants.
Medical situations
Medical situations like arthritis could make cats irritable, main them to chew.
Behaviorist Karen London wrote for Kinship opens in a brand new tab that ache in cats usually causes cats to carry out behaviors you might not have seen earlier than: “If a cat immediately displays conduct that has by no means been seen earlier than, the explanation for the brand new conduct may very well be ache. It’s commonplace for a harm cat to turn into agitated, and even aggressive — particularly if touched or startled. Typically, a cat who’s struggling bodily ache will uncharacteristically start eliminating exterior of the litter fieldopens in a brand new tab. That will be as a result of it hurts them to enter the field or as a result of they skilled ache whereas in there.”
In case your cat can be biting while you choose them up, think about a visit to the vet to rule out bodily points.
Teething or dental points
Kittens and puppies have the urge to chew once they’re teething. Shukla says when Jenny was youthful, she went by means of a teething section the place she bit every part in sight. “This pure course of may cause some momentary chewing behaviors, so if you might have a kitten, ankle-biting may simply be a section they develop out of,” he says.
When Jenny received older and started experiencing dental points, she was additionally extra possible to chew. “ Dental ache opens in a brand new tabor joint issues can generally trigger cats to behave out, and it’s at all times a great concept to get them checked if the conduct feels uncommon,” Shukla says.
The best way to forestall your cat from biting your ankles
Right here’s some homework for cat dad and mom: Keep away from overreacting to random assaultsopens in a brand new tab. Don’t ever lash out at your cat once they chew your ankles (that consists of elevating your voice, pointing a sprig bottle at them, or chasing them). That may result in fear-based aggression, which is a bigger downside than episodic ankle-biting. As an alternative, say “ouch” loudly, then gently transfer away out of your cat. Of their thoughts, they didn’t get the consideration they may need been looking for.
Shukla redirects Jenny’s consideration to a toy or engages her in play classes. “Interactive toys, corresponding to feather wands or laser pointers are nice for maintaining them entertained and off your ankles,” Shukla says. “I’ve additionally discovered that offering sufficient psychological stimulation and constructive reinforcement when she performs gently has labored wonders in curbing the ankle-biting conduct.”
Present sufficient playtime
So as to get your cat to cease habits you don’t need (like ankle-biting), you could interact with them extra. Mikel Delgado, animal behaviorist, cat conduct advisoropens in a brand new tab, and writer ofopens in a brand new tab The best way to Play With Your Cat, instructed Kinship that the majority folks don’t even perceive that their cat likes and needs to play. She recommends setting time apart each day to be sure you’re partaking along with your cat (or encouraging solo play) in order that they can use their power that method, and never for turning your ankles into chew toys.
“I noticed this potential subject the place both folks didn’t perceive how one can play with their cats, or they didn’t acknowledge play of their cats, or they didn’t know how one can play,” she instructed us in an interview. opens in a brand new tab“To me, a pure antidote to that’s encouraging play and exercise in our cats. Identical to once we train, we get an endorphin rush, and it form of takes our thoughts off our issues; I need folks to do the identical factor with our cats.”
Behavioral coaching
Behavioral coaching with constructive reinforcement is the perfect strategy to encourage your cat to ask for issues with out biting your ankles. When your cat appropriately asks for meals and a focus (like by meowing, sitting and searching at you calmly, rubbing towards your legs), reply with treats, playtime, and any reward your cat understands to be constructive.
LeeAnna Buis, animal behaviorist and cat conduct advisor at Feline Conduct Optionsopens in a brand new tab, wrote for us opens in a brand new tabthat it’s essential to begin your cat’s coaching as younger as potential. However working with constructive reinforcement all through their life is simply a crucial: “Whether or not in a proper coaching session the place you’ve given a cue and so they’ve adopted it, otherwise you occur to catch your kitten doing one thing you need to encourage, like utilizing the scratching submit as a substitute of the sofa, reward it! Rewarded behaviors are extra possible to be repeated. That is the perfect strategy to prepare your kitten (or cat of any age).”
Guaranteeing a stimulating surroundings
This goes again to creating positive your cat has sufficient to preserve them from losing interest while you’re away from dwelling or busy. This is very essential for indoor cats. Catnip toys, scratching posts, puzzle feedersopens in a brand new tab, a window perch, or perhaps a cardboard field will interact and entertain them in your absence.
When to get skilled assist from a vet or coach
As we talked about earlier, it’s essential to take your cat to the vet in the event you assume any of your cat’s conduct may very well be simply manifestations of their ache. By no means wait to consult with somebody in the event you assume that is the case; it’s essential to rule out any well being issues or underlying points.
Persistent or aggressive conduct
Cats will quickly exhibit aggressive conduct for a number of causes. If the biting persists or seems to be linked to well being points, it’s greatest to seek the advice of a veterinarian for a check-upopens in a brand new tab.
Stress or nervousness indicators
In case your cat displays different indicators of stress (corresponding to litter field avoidance, extreme vocalizationopens in a brand new tab, and hidingopens in a brand new tab), ankle-biting could also be another method their nervousness is displaying itself. Should you’re internet hosting a celebrationopens in a brand new tab, or your home is stuffed with folks and your consideration is diverted at a time once they usually count on consideration, your cat will really feel confused and anxious and should chew your visitors’ ankles. The kindest factor you’ll be able to do to your cat is to provide them a quiet place behind closed doorways and reconnect when the visitors go away.
FAQs
Why does my cat like my ankles?
Your cat likes your ankles as a result of your ankles are the correct top to chew. As complicated as it could be, ankle-biting occurs for a lot of causes, corresponding to playfulness or boredom (see above). Nevertheless, if this turns into persistent conduct, it’s best to search recommendation from a vet.
Why does my cat randomly assault my ankles?
Cats randomly assault ankles as a result of they’re in all probability in a looking temper, feeling bored, or are being playful. For all these causes, your ankles function irresistible shifting targets. Keep in mind to remain calm, and redirect the conduct. Your ankles will thanks.
References
Kate Boatright, V. M. D. “Behavioral Indicators of Feline Ache.” Dvm360, vol. 52, 6 July 2021, www.dvm360.com/view/behavioral-signs-of-feline-painopens in a brand new tab.