Cats often bite during play because they are expressing their natural hunting instinct. For kittens, biting and bunny-kicking are normal play behaviours. They play like this with their littermates and mothers and it mimics how they pounce, grab and bite their prey.
Cats typically perform this bunny-kick move when engaging in aggressive play or when they're attacking their prey (i.e., your arm).
"The short answer is 'No. ' Even in play, bunny kicking is an aggressive response that you do not want to promote with your cat." Dr. Susan adds, "Though your cat may not mean to harm you and is just engaging in aggressive play, the damage their claws can cause your hands, arms, feet, or legs can be severe.
Cats bite because they are fearful, stressed, or frustrated. They do not act out of spite or anger. There is always a good reason (in their mind) behind the behavior.
Sensitivity threshold: The cat enjoys the human contact at first, but then the repetitiveness of the petting becomes irritating. The cat turns and bites as a way to say, “I've had enough.” An analogy to human behavior can be made. If someone pats you on the back, it feels good.
Never hit or yell at your cat for biting.
This will only reinforce in her mind that hands cause pain or that petting isn't enjoyable and she will become even less tolerant of handling. She could also become afraid of you.
Biting is generally something people associate with negative feelings, but cats are a little different. When your cat nibbles you playfully, she's really offering her affection. This is much different from a fearful or defensive bite that's meant to cause harm, and the feelings behind it are different as well.
Avoid trigger situations where possible. Do not encourage aggressive play: this involves ignoring unwanted behaviour (not reinforcing it with your attention). If your cat tries to play aggressively, move away from the situation, preferably into another room, shut the door and do not react.
There's a difference between rough play and aggression
During fun play, ears and tails will be straight up in the air. There may be some hissing, but play is usually quiet. If you notice a cat's ears turn toward the back of the head (“airplane ears”) or you hear growling, the play has tipped over into aggression.
Cat biting when playing
Cats often bite during play because they are expressing their natural hunting instinct. For kittens, biting and bunny-kicking are normal play behaviours. They play like this with their littermates and mothers and it mimics how they pounce, grab and bite their prey.
When cats bunny kick, it can be playful! Many healthy cats enjoy the act of “play wrestling” with other familiar cats, toys, pets, or humans. So, when a cat grabs ahold of their toys or your hand (ouch!) and starts giving it cute little cat bunny kicks, they're likely playing, and not violently attacking.
If the rabbit and cat are of similar size, or if the rabbit is bigger, then the rabbit is quite capable of defending itself. But an adult cat can easily harm or kill a smaller bunny, especially a baby.
Hugging your arm or leg and biting you is a classic cat hunting move. When cats catch large prey, they will often grasp it with their front legs and then bite it while 'bunny kicking' with their back legs. If your cat is doing this to you, they are misdirecting their hunting behaviour onto you.
Some kitty lovers call this a 'love bite', others call it petting aggression. It's a controversial subject but it's believed that if your cat suddenly bites you for no apparent reason, it could be because they are being overstimulated by the constant stroking - which you thought they were enjoying!
Cats that bite or scratch in the middle of being petted are cats in emotional conflict. They want attention but they fear it too. To begin with they enjoy a little contact and love, but after a certain time they get frightened. At this point they bite or scratch in order to bring the petting to an end.
Make a sharp or unexpected noise.
Making a loud noise can shock the cat into releasing its grip if it is unwilling to give up on its attack. Try making a loud noise or throw something across your room that will make a loud noise when it hits the floor. You can try to shock the cat by simply clapping very loudly.
An angry cat will be rigid, with tail held out stiff and straight or curled around and under their body. They will act very differently from usual – they could be silent, hissing, spitting or growling.
Growling, hissing or spitting indicates a cat who is annoyed, frightened, angry or aggressive. Leave this cat alone. A yowl or howl (they sound like loud, drawn-out meows) tells you your cat is in some kind of distress—stuck in a closet, looking for you or in pain.
Love Bites: Much like kneading, love bites are a sign of affection. This is usually shown through cats grabbing you with their paws and lightly nibbling you with their teeth. Cat's may also give you love bites to communicate that they want something, generally food or attention.
Biting is common for kittens while they play, so it's common to get a few gentle love bites from a cat who's just trying to have some fun. While it may seem cute as a kitten, you'll want to redirect this behavior onto cat toys so they don't continue to use your fingers, wrists, and ankles as toys into their adulthood.
Unlike aggressive bites, cat love bites typically do not break the skin. Furthermore, while a love bite may seem playful, a real bite has a more violent undertone and may occur quite suddenly.
If you are playing with your cat and he does manage to bite a part of your body, firmly say "no," and then withdraw from the play session for a few moments. If every time your cat's teeth touch human flesh, playtime ends, your cat will quickly learn to stop biting. Never yell at or hit your cat for play biting.
Overhead movements or certain noises may frighten an abused cat, triggering a long-term memory of prior trauma. It's possible your cat will carry that unpleasant memory for the rest of his life.