Why Does My Cat Bite My Feet?
If you have spent any amount of time around cats, you will undoubtedly run into a least one cat that likes to bite your feet or paw at them as you walk by. There can be a few different reasons why your cat goes after your feet.
One of the reasons your cat bites your feet can be because they want attention. It is more likely that your cat sees your feet as a moving target. Your cat is chasing and playing with your feet the same way he would any other toy that he would play with. Your cat does not realize that his behavior may be causing you pain.
Cats, especially when they are kittens will play with almost anything and that includes your feet. It will only take one instance of your cat getting a hold of your feet by biting or clawing to realize how painful this can be. But no need to worry, this behavior in your cat can be changed.
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First of all, it is natural to chase, paw at, and bite things and your feet may be one of the things your cat has chosen as a target for these actions. It hurts and we are assuming that you could be looking for a way to change this behavior in your cat.
How to Stop Your Cat from Biting Your Feet
If your cat is biting your feet when you are in bed, it can be because they realize it is morning and they are wondering why you are not up. Many pet parents feed their pets in the morning and if your cat has gone awhile without food, they may be hungry. Attacking your feet may be their way of telling you they are hungry and they want to eat.
My cats always seem to know when we are in bed past the normal “rise and shine” time and they let us know about it. Here are a few suggestions for changing your cat’s behavior when comes to waking you in the morning.
When we had to cut Boy’s portion size so he could lose weight, we knew he would be hungrier than normal. It was at that time that, we changed his feeding time to 8 pm. The cats all went to bed with full tummies and it eliminated the morning hunger that can lead to your feet being bitten while you are sleeping.
Another tip for keeping your cat calm in the morning is to keep the room dark until you are ready to get up. You can use blackout blinds or curtains to control the light and keep them from getting up before you do.
With us having 3 cats at the time, they had their own nighttime space. It was in the basement, they had everything they needed down there. They went there after 11 pm and came back up at 6 am. And they did let us know when it was 6 am. These cats knew their daily schedule.
If your cat is chasing your feet as you walk, he is most likely seeing your feet as a toy. He is playing with your feet just as he would anything else that he would chase or bat around. Cats love to chase things and feet make the perfect items to chase. Kittens especially enjoy biting and trying to catch feet.
If your cat chases your feet while you walk, you may want to consider socks or footwear. The best way to not have to deal with this is to try to change his behavior. Wearing thick socks or slippers will protect your feet from sharp teeth and claws, but is not a long-term solution for many. Try to ignore your cat if possible. Negative attention can still be considered attention by your cat and this is what you are trying to avoid. Toys make great diversions for a biting cat.
Toys for Biting Cats
Wand Toys – A wand toy looks like a fishing pole with a toy on the end of it. The toy is usually a small stuffed toy and it may also have feathers. Wand toys make it easy for you to play with your cat while they are away from your hands and feet. These toys can be a lot of fun for you and your cat and they don’t draw blood.
Throw Toys – Toys are one the best ways to divert your cat’s attention from your feet to something he is allowed to bite. These small stuffed toys are perfect for tossing across the room when your cat needs something to chase. A cat will even chase a wadded-up ball of paper or aluminum foil. Throwing a toy across the room is an easy way to take your cat’s attention from your feet to something he is allowed to chase.
Kick Toys – Bunny-kicking is another activity that cats enjoy. Bunny-kicking is a great way for cats to work off some energy and get the biting out of their system. The best toys for this are long thin toys where you can get all 4 of her feet on the toy.
Cats like to chase things that move and that includes your feet. Using withdrawal techniques is a good way of teaching your cat that biting your feet is not a desired behavior.
Firmly say “no” to your cat when he bites or scratches. If you are playing with him, immediately stop. Remove yourself from the area and give your cat a chance to calm down and return to playing with your cat after the undesired behavior has passed.
Don’t ever yell at or hit a pet. These actions will only make your cat fearful. And you don’t want your fur baby to be fearful in his home. Fear can result in a number of aggressive or nervous behaviors.
Realize that certain movements may cause your cat to pounce or reach out and grab your hands. Repetitive movements are attractive to many cats and they will go after whatever is moving. Tell your cat “no” firmly and throw one of his toys so he can chase it instead of getting your hands or feet. Praise or reward your cat if she goes after the toy.
Try not to pull away from your cat. That will most likely cause your cat to come after you more aggressively as she sees you as prey that is trying to get away. Push into your cat gently and hopefully this will confuse her enough, that she will let go.
Final Thoughts
Cats all have different personalities and over the years we have had many. Some were feet chasers and others could care less about feet. The one thing I remember clearly is none of my cats were lifelong biters. Truthfully most of them outgrew the behavior once they got past the kitten stage. And the ones that were more consistent biters, we tried to keep away from temptation. With some effort and patience, most cats can be trained to play with things other than your feet.