Cats

Why Does My Cat Bite Me Unprovoked? 4 Reasons.

Written by Julianne Smith · 4 min read >
Why Does My Cat Bite Me Unprovoked

Cats are majestic yet, cute creatures. They jump, purrs, and sometimes even bite us. In this situation, you are often wondering Why does my cat bites me and holds on.

Just imagine a scenario you pet your cat, but suddenly he bites you Unprovoked. (Suprise bites). This is the worse bite you can expect from a cat.

This usually means that either you are hurting your cat or your cat desperately wants something which you have.

In this post, we’ll give you some pointers on how to stop your furry friend from biting you Unprovoked when they want something from you.

Also, we have listed many reasons to answer your question Why Does My Cat Bite Me Unprovoked?

Why Does My Cat Bite Me Unprovoked

Sometimes, no matter how much you love your cat, they aren’t always that great. Maybe it’s their age, or perhaps they’ve gotten a little too comfortable with you.

But unfortunately for us, there are times where cats will bite us and hold on to our skin which is rather painful.

Whether the bite is on our face or hand, we need to know how to protect ourselves from them and what steps we should take after the incident happens.

With this article, I hope to provide some insight into what makes cats act out in such ways and help you learn more about the process of healing.

Your cat is being territorial.

Sometimes pets can be pretty territorial and protective of their space around humans due to a lack of experience interacting with people rather than other animals.

This can often result in what is referred to as territorial aggression. This type of aggression usually does not stem from an attack on the human or another animal, but rather it stems from the cat feels threatened by being in its environment.

Cats are typically very cautious about their territory and will try to get away from someone invading it.

However, if they do get trapped, they will either freeze where they are or flee out of fear until that threat is gone. This is where your cat might jump and bite you Unprovoked. This type of behavior is viewed the same way by the cat regardless of whether there are multiple animals involved or just one person intruding on its territory.

If your cat’s bite does happen to be territorial, you will want to let them know that this behavior is not acceptable. This can be done by reprimanding them through words or movements such as shaking your head, raising one finger, and making a “tsk” noise like you would when disapproving of something.

If this doesn’t work, then you’ll want to reinforce the behavior you’re trying to correct by giving them a treat every time they show that behavior.

Also, never reward cats for attacking anyone and instead focus on rewarding them for not actively attacking someone or any other behavior that will make these situations more peaceful in the future.

If the cat continues to bite after all these happenings, you will need to find someone else to take care of it until it learns its lesson, again with treats replacing punishment whenever possible.

Your cat is afraid of you.

There is a possibility of your cat is afraid of “YOU”. This can be due to an action done by you. If your cat is biting and holds on Unprovoked he might be doing it out of fear.

If your cat does bite you out of fear, there are a few steps you can take to ensure the cat isn’t feeling threatened by you. First, make sure to give your cat lots of love and reassurance. If they do not bite you again, the relationship with the cat will be a lot more stable and easy-going. This can make these situations a lot easier since your feelings aren’t as hurt from the biting as they would be from an aggressive biting experience. If your cat does continue biting after this reassurance has been given, then there are a few steps to take to apply some serious peace to these violent situations.

The first step to take in this situation is to give the cat a space of its own. Usually, when cats are in this situation, it’s because they don’t want you in their environment at all when you’re trying to help them out.

The solution to this problem is to give them options of leaving your presence but still make sure they won’t feel uncomfortable with the activity.

Give the cat some chew toys or other objects that they can play with, which can help them feel relaxed and make sure they do not wish to be involved with you, they can leave without feeling like they’re abandoning something important choice. This could help you to control your cat biting you unprovoked.


This will make the cat feel like they can leave whenever they like, and this action will make them feel more relaxed in your presence.

The second step to take is to give your cat plenty of space or a place to hide if they feel threatened by you. If the cat feels that you’re too close for comfort, then it might lash out and bite.

To resolve this problem, but a large box which has been cut open next to the area where you want to be with your cat, and you want it to be happy with.

The last step is to make sure your hands smell good for the cat.


Bite inhibition is a process of learning that cats go through to overcome fear and decrease their aggressiveness. When a cat first bites, this generally marks the beginning of inhibiting the behavior so they will not bite again in this particular situation.

This is why it’s important to give your cat lots of reassurance immediately after they’ve bitten you. Eventually, you will understand that any kind of punishment doesn’t work, and only rewards will help them regain their confidence in you.

Your Cat might be startled

If you suddenly jump at your cat and scream to surprise him, there is a good chance that he will jump and bite your unprovoked. This is an automatic response which rises out of fear and curiosity.

Your Cat is Reacting to Physical Pain

This is a strong reason why your cat is biting you unprovoked.

For example, Meowise (My Cat you know this :D) had its leg injury. So while petting him if I touch that leg he bit me most of the time.

So if your cat is biting you when you are touching a specific place of your kitty there is a good chance that your cat has a painful injury on that place. So it is your responsibility to check it out.

Tips to Prevent Biting and Keep YOU Safe

By making sure these steps are taken during these dangerous situations, the cat will be more likely to feel safer around you, making future incidents less likely to happen if at all possible. You will also begin to slowly earn back your cat’s trust with each situation that doesn’t result in biting. If you find yourself in a situation where your cat has bitten you, it is very important to ensure proper healing happens quickly.


After the initial treatment for any bite, it’s essential to reinforce these treatments with an antibiotic cream or lotion. This will help heal the wound faster and prevent any infections from happening during the healing process. Also, make sure to cover these wounds with sterile gauze to ensure they are safe from dirt or anything else that may come near them, which would stop the healing process early on.

Hope now you are clear on Why Does My Cat Bite Me Unprovoked.

Written by Julianne Smith
I’m an experienced vet who is working mainly with shelter animals. I’ve helped many animals overcome their fear of the vet, taught them how to use the litter box, and treated them for countless diseases. I hope that my writing can help you take better care of your animal companions! Profile
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