Why does my sweet cat suddenly bite and swat when I'm petting him?

Question

So there is a very old Male cat at the shelter I work at. He is declawed and has minor dental issues but otherwise healthy. He is sweet as can be and people will be petting him and he's loving it and then out of nowhere he starts biting and swatting, then you come back later and he is sweet again. Our vet is stumped. What could be causing this? Is there any way to stop it so that we can safely adopt him out? Its completely random, no specific triggers. Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 4 years and 3 months old | 12 lbs

Andrea M. Brodie, DVM · Accepted Answer

He s so happy that he is petted and loved on that he gets very excited and the biting and swatting is a sign of Uebersprung, ie it is the only way he knows to get rid of the overstimulation. The way to reduce that is to pet him to the point where you notice that he gets excited, ie a tiny flick of the tail, for example, and then stop and give him a chance to come down again. It can take a long time to get him to the point where he will not do the biting or swatting at all, however it does work. I had a tom like that who would even bite my head at night, because he was sooo happy lying next to me, purring for hours. It took about a year before he could be petted and held for a long time before biting. He will need to be adopted out to a home with very experienced cat owners who do not mistake this as viciousness. It basically takes observation skills and the ability to stop petting him in time.

Why does my sweet cat suddenly bite and swat when I'm petting him?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

My newly adopted pet won't eat hay. What can I do to encourage it?

Why is my new pet biting? Is she stressed or scared in her new home?

How do I safely fix my dog or cat's painful hangnail at home?

My robo hamster is limp, bleeding, and collapsed. Is it wet tail?

Is my pet's occasional sneezing and eye crust a URI symptom?

How to keep a pet mom and her newborn babies warm and calm?

Share