How to stop my 6-month-old cat from biting and scratching during play?

Question

My cat gets aggressive when playing. So he seems to always want to grab my hand, bite, kick and claw my arms up. I’ve noticed that his pupils get wide, his ears tilt back, his tail is flicking, but he’s not making any sound. So I know he thinks we’re playing. But any type of stopping, or picking him up by scruff, blowing on his nose, or anything would make him pounce/attack even harder. He’s also about 6 months old. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 6 months and 16 days old | 5 lbs

Dr. Elizabeth · Accepted Answer

It sounds like Gatsby is playing and some cats do like to play very rough. Try to think of other ways to give him that wild play he desires. Try to set aside at least 30 minutes a day to play hard with Gatsby so that he is running around being crazy! You can also try to use something like a large stuffed animal to see if he will wrestle with it (with you holding it obviously) instead of your hand. Provide a cat tree or other climbing opportunities as this helps to satisfy his instinctual needs. Lastly, when he starts to play to hard, stop the play and ignore him. You can give him attention again when he calms down. You could try a pheromone diffuser as well like Feliway. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any additional questions!

How to stop my 6-month-old cat from biting and scratching during play?

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