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Why Do Cats Bite Their Humans: Viral Thread Explaining Overstimulation In Cats

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    "Overstimulation in Cats"

    Cat

    "Hi Imgur, I'm your friendly neighborhood feline behaviorist.  Cats are often misunderstood creatures- I can't tell you how much misinformation I see out there about them.  Part of this is because cats have NOT been studied scientifically nearly as much as some other species, such as dogs!

    I want to help cats by making sure that humans have a better understanding of them, and thus don't have unrealistic expectations for their behavior.  I figured why not share some info on Imgur!  Even if you don't want to read it, you can at least enjoy a few pictures of some shelter cats!

    This post is about overstimulation!  I could have SWORN I already made a post about overstimulation but I can't find it anywhere, so here we go.

    Sometimes, you'll be petting or playing with your cat- and they'll scratch you, or nip at you.  It happens to all of us!  This kind of behavior is typically referred to as overstimulation, and there are multiple ways it can happen, but there are always warning signs; many people just don't know what to look for because understanding cat body language is definitely an acquired skill!  If you can figure out what the trigger for the nips and scratches are, and learn to notice the signs that it's about to happen, you can reduce or eliminate the behavior.

    **Please note that I am NOT talking about aggressive/defensive bites in this post**"

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    Cat

    "Some cats can get 'touch overstimulated', which basically means that while being pet feels good for a while, eventually it may start to feel irritating or even painful.  A good way to understand this is to compare it to being tickled- some people enjoy it for a minute or two, but then the feeling becomes 'too much' and you want it to stop.  If you don't pick up on your cat's signals to stop, they will use a bite or a scratch as a more obvious sign that they need a quick break.  All cats have a different threshold of what is 'too much', and different parts of their body have different sensitivities.  Many cats tend to be sensitive on their stomach or paws and can reach their overstimulation threshold faster- or sometimes immediately- when being pet in these areas.  If you think this is the type of overstimulation your cat may be exhibiting, I strongly recommend watching this video by Jackson Galaxy."

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    Sleeve - KIRKL

    "Another type of overstimulation is 'play overstimulation' where a cat is hyped up from playing with a toy or watching a bird out the window, and then your fingers or foot move in a fashion that makes kitty's instincts kick in and go for a pounce.  Or maybe your cat WANTS to play and isn't being engaged, so is seeking their own outlet for their energy.  This is especially common in cats who, as kittens, were enticed to play with waggled fingers or a moving foot under a blanket.  Avoiding encouraging cats to play with body parts, and immediately redirecting to a toy when it does happen, is the best way to avoid this behavior.  If your cat is trying to play with your hands or feet when there doesn't seem to be any stimulation present telling them it's play time, they may be letting you know that they have a lot of stored-up energy and need an outlet for it.  Make sure you have regular play-time with your cat each day, and provide them with toys and enrichment that are easy for them to engage with even when you are busy with something else, such as a battery-operated motion toy or a ball-on-track toy.  Every cat can have different preferences for the style of toy they like, so you can experiment and find out what they love."

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    Cat

    "Cats may also give 'love bites' where they nip or lick to express their affection/claim you as 'theirs'.  These bites are typically fairly gentle, though firmness of the nip can vary from cat to cat.  However, it can be difficult to distinguish when a nip is out of affection vs. when it is a sign of overstimulation, so it's important to pay attention to your cat's body language."

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    Cat

    "Every cat may have individual signs that they are becoming overstimulated, and they may present with varying degrees of subtlety, but I promise you your cat never bites you 'out of the blue'- there is always a reason and there are always signs, you may just not be picking up on them.  One cat may thrash their tail in large motions, whereas another may only move the very tip a slight amount.  Some cats may hiss or growl.  You should always do your best to tailor cuddling and petting styles to each individual cat; one of your cats may LOVE getting their belly rubbed, while another cat may find this experience extremely unpleasant and react negatively.  Common signs of overstimulation include a twitching or thrashing tail, dilated pupils, fluffed up fur (particularly around the base of the tail), ears twitching frequently or quickly, and a quick jerk of the head in the direction of your hand as you are petting your cat.  If you ever feel a cat's skin 'ripple' under your hand as you pet them, this may also be a sign they're getting overstimulated.  The more time you spend observing your cat, the easier it gets to notice their individual signs and prevent nips and scratches from ever happening!"

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