One of the most curious behaviors that we can observe in cats is when one of them, the male, bites the female on the neck. This act, although we might think that she does it because there is really a conflict that she wants to solve with her, in reality it has nothing to do with it; at least, not always.
If you want to know why the cat bites the cat's neck, Below you will know the answer to this question that, surely, all the cat caregivers have asked ourselves ever.
Why does he do this?
Wants to mate with her
In the vast majority of cases, a cat bites a cat on the neck because it wants to mate. Turns out that the penis of felines is covered by micro-thorns that cause pain to the cat when the male removes it from the vagina. Thus, if he did not bite her, it is most likely that he would receive more than one scratch.
In addition, it is also believed to stimulate the female to produce eggs, which could help the cat to be certain that it has deposited its genes in a new generation of kittens.
Play with her
It is unusual, but it may happen that you simply want to play, especially if you have lived with the cat since she was a puppy. By nibbling it, you can even try to groom it, that is, to remove the possible parasites that it may have in its neck, thus showing it, in a somewhat curious way, that it loves it; so if this happens, in principle we should not worry.
We will only act if one of the two (or both) growls / n, if they start to get nervous or if they intend to fight (wagging their tail, bristling the hair on their back, showing their teeth).
My cats bite, how can I avoid it?
It is common for cats to nibble each other, and even have some "battles" in which they kick, chase each other and so on. But if one of the two harasses the other, if he bites him hard, if he huffs at him, and if you see that the other is having a hard time (living in fear, in tension), then you will have to take action:
My cat bites the new cat
When the victim, so to speak, is the new cat, it is because the presentations either have not been done, or they have not been done in the right way. When we bring a new cat home, it is highly recommended to keep it in a room for about 3 days, during which we will exchange the beds daily so that they get used to the other's smell.
After that time, we will take out the new cat and, putting each one on one side of a baby barrier or similar, we will let them smell and touch each other. If everything goes well, that is, if there are snorts but their hair does not stand up or show their teeth, you can remove the barrier; otherwise, you will have to wait a few more days.
And that's just what you should do if your cat bites the new cat. But if you see that they do not improve, do not hesitate to consult an ethologist or feline therapist who works positively.
My big cat bites the little one
They are most likely interacting in a positive way. It is very, very rare for an adult cat to bite a kitten in order to harm it. It is usually more to say 'stop bothering me', or 'be still'. Kittens are very unruly, they have a lot of energy, so it is common for them to annoy adults.
But if it is an adult cat that is sick, or that has lived or lives in tension, it is better to keep the kitten separated from the adult, at least until consulting with a professional who can help.
My cat bites the other
It may be that they are playing, unless one of the two has complained, in which case it would be necessary to see what happens to the biting cat. Is he stressed? Sick? What do you know about his past?
Before doing anything, I would recommend taking him to the vet for a checkup. If all is well, you have to ask yourself why you feel this way, in tension, and take steps to regain your calm.
How do you know if two cats get along?
The cat-cat relationship is similar to the one we have with other people; that is to say: there are those who we like the first time, others who will never like us for various reasons, and others who as you get to know, you gain confidence. With each of them we behave in a different way, as I say, depending on the degree of confidence we have.
If we talk about felines, we will see that they act in a way with a friendly cat, than with an unknown cat. How to know then if they get along or not? Well, If they trust each other, we will see that:
- They play
- They groom each other
- Spend time together
- Their fights are good vibes, that is, playing, without grunting or strong biting
- If one of them inadvertently hurts another (for example, a kitten to an adult cat), the other is enough to growl a little to leave him alone
My cat bites everything, why?
If it is a young cat less than 1 year old, it does so because its teeth are coming out. In case it is greater, the reasons are diverse:
- Is stressed: this is an animal very little tolerant to stress. If you live in a house with a tense environment, or where you are not respected, you can get to bite everything.
What is done in these situations is to try to calm nerves, live calmly, and respect the animal. - Boring: it is common for a bored cat to chew on everything. He has nothing else to do. You can make him happy again if you play with him and spend time with him.
- Your teeth and / or mouth hurt: You may have gingivitis or another disease. In any case, you have to take him to the vet.
My cat bites me hard, what to do?
What you have to do is teach him not to, but always positive. It is normal for kittens to nibble on everything while their teeth are coming in, and it is also normal for adult cats who have not been taught to bite.
For this reason, both some and others must be careful not to let them bite you. How do you get it? With a lot of patience and time, especially if they are adults 🙂.
Try to always have a toy nearby (stuffed animal, string, ball, ...). As soon as I bite you take the toy and show it to him. Then, leave your hand still, and when he lets go of you and he has calmed down, give him his stuffed animal, ball, or whatever you caught.
Another thing that works - I insist, with the passage of days and weeks - is that of, if it has bitten you in bed or on the sofa, lower it to the floor. It is likely to rise again; If so, stop it, but if it bites you again, put it down again and ignore it. Repeat if necessary until he calms down, but if you see him getting more nervous, leave the room for a few minutes.
Tips:
- If you yell a little while biting (not in an exaggerated way, but a little loud), over time he will associate biting you with that noise that is annoying to him (remember that they have a much more developed sense of hearing than we do) . Thus, little by little you will see that it stops biting you.
- A tired cat is a cat that does not or barely bites. Play with it every day, an average of 1 hour spread over several sessions.
What NOT to do
Basically, what should not be done is never mistreat him. Hitting it, yelling at it, pouring water on it, ... all these things only make the animal fear, that it does not trust you, and of course it does not live happily.
Remember that abuse is a crime, and that everyone deserves to find a good home, where they are respected and loved.
We hope this article has been of interest to you 🙂.
Because my six month old cats bite their older brothers (1 year old) and they are not cats, they are cats. Will they be gay?
Hello Betzabé.
It could be that they are just playing. Anyway, are they neutered? I ask this because cats usually reach sexual maturity at six months.
A greeting.
Hello today my cat started to bite my kitten. But she is still very small. I don't know her age because I adopted her a few weeks ago. It weighs 800 grams. It is normal? Or has the heat already started?
Hello Allegation.
The cat is more likely to be in heat. Cats with six months of age, which is when they begin to have it, weigh around 2kg.
Is your cat neutered? However, it may also be that he is simply playing.
A greeting.
Hola!
Thanks for the post! I have seen my cat biting my cat and I have worried if I have a vampire cat and what I wanted to do was harm it.
My question is, I have a female and a male and both are neutered… They will just be playing, right?
Thanks again!
Hello Monica.
We are glad you like the blog 🙂
And yes, if they are neutered they are just playing.
A greeting.
Hello, I have a cat and a cat (the cat is older), they do not get along very well to say, whenever they see each other, the cat then goes to bother her, but lately I have seen that they bite their necks, before only They were fighting and the cat was the only one who growled, but she no longer says anything, they are both sterilized. My question is, are they just playing games?
Hi Arantza.
It could be that they were playing games, or putting limits on each other. If you see them growl, stand on end of hair and / or have an aggressive attitude, try to distract them, for example by slapping the air hard, or with food.
A greeting.
My 2 year old cat bites my 5 month old cat and they are not neutered, will they be playing?
Hello Boruto.
If the little girl does not stay or look scared (that is, she does not hide or tremble when she is near the cat), that is not a problem.
But it is advisable to castrate them as the female will soon go into heat, if not already.
Regards!
Hello, how are you? I have 3 cats each one and a half years old, I just picked up a 1 month old baby from the street and I have him in another room separate from the others since I am treating his eyes that have bad ... I have already put kitten blankets on the big 3 but they fight each other, growl and pull out their teeth, is that normal?
Hi Jenifer.
No, it is not normal. If you can, put the kitten blanket on one adult cat at a time. For example, when the other two are sleeping in different rooms.
By the way, are they neutered? If they are not, it is also highly recommended to castrate them as that way they may be calmer. Of course, when they return from the clinic, keep them each in a separate room until they recover, otherwise there could be fights.
Greetings.
Hello!
I have 2 year and a half sphynx cats who have lived together since they were little. I adopted them a month ago. I have castrated the male and the female came pregnant, we estimate that it pays off next week.
We have noticed that when grooming the male sometimes grabs the female by the neck, which we ignore because we know that it is not bad. But this morning he threw her on the ground, turned her on her back and nibbled on her neck. We have also noticed that it nibbles on things, which until now it did not. Could something happen to him? We are especially concerned about the pregnancy of the female, that this does not stress her and we have problems, since after today she has been nervous.
Thank you very much and best regards.
Hello
The male will surely notice that the delivery is near, due to the attitude that the cat must have.
My advice is that you pay a lot of attention to both of you. When the cat is caressed, for example, immediately afterwards caress the male; or better yet: both at the same time. Give him special food (cans) from time to time, both in the same room at the same time.
It may also be interesting to use Feliway (pheromones), as they could calm the cat.
Greetings.
Hi! I have a one-year-old cat and two weeks ago we brought a kitten of almost two months to our house, they are both males, they get along well and play a lot, but the older one usually grabs him by the neck and the little one cries, we thought maybe they were playing But today, when I check the little boy, I see that he has teeth marks, he doesn't bleed or anything, but it did hurt him a little, would I have to consult the vet? The oldest is not neutered but we are already in talks to do so
Hello Milagros.
The ideal is to castrate them, both (the little one when he is older, with six months or that). So both will be calmer.
Given the situation you are telling us, it is great that they play and get along, but I would not let the older one take it. You can play with them, with a small aluminum foil ball for example, and that way they will be distracted.
Greetings.
Hello, my cat brought a cat, which we feel is pregnant, they are relatively well, however when I put the cat on the bed he bites her on the neck, not hard but enough to move her, so why does this happen?
Hello Elsus.
Male cats bite female cats during mating. Even if the cat is pregnant, and even if they are not mating at the moment, it is possible that the cat has the instinct.
Greetings.
Hi! I have two kittens, a 5-year-old (neutered) and a 2-month-old. They have been living together for a week and already play together and bathe each other every day, but there are times when the big one grabs the little one very tightly and starts to bite her. Is it due to rejection or is it normal for him to do so?
Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Lorena.
It is normal, yes. But watch them.
If they groom each other, there is trust and they feel safe with each other, so the fact that sometimes the older one nibbles on it is normal. It is surely his way of playing.
But that, it is not enough to monitor them.
Greetings.
Hello, good night, excuse me, it's been about two months since I adopted two brothers (male / female), the problem or I don't know, is that the male tends to bite the female in the neck but in a very strong way that sometimes the female is She complains, sometimes she is lying down quietly and the male comes to bite her and makes her scream, so I would like to know what your opinion is on this.
Thank you.
Hello Julian.
How old are they? If they are 4 months or older and temperatures are warm, the female may already be in heat.
But if not, they are simply playing 🙂
Greetings.
Hello, I would like to know how I do so that no one and a half year old cat accepts the new one month old baby kitten, I do not know why he licks her and then throws her love thanks
Hello Cristina.
It is possible that he is simply playing. There are cats that are a bit rough when they play. You have to be aware, yes, just in case. We also recommend playing with both of them, giving them their favorite food, and love.
Little by little it is possible that they will be accepted.
Greetings.
Hi there! We have 1 2-year-old cat and a 4-month-old kitten that we just adopted a couple of months ago, the kitten is not sterilized, but the cat is, (at least that's what they told us since we adopted it when it was 5 months old), Today I heard our cat meowing very strange and when I went to see what happened, it was biting the kitten on the neck and was on top of her, as seen in the Image of this article, my question is, it is possible that it is still trying to mate when he is sterilized? Can he hurt the kitten? My older cat is "suffering" from living with an unsterilized kitten that can produce hormones? If we want to sterilize her but we had been recommended to wait until 6 months, thank you very much
Hi Beka.
Yes it's normal. I had a neutered cat that did too.
It would be good to castrate the cat, not so much for the cat but rather for her and for you. You will be calmer.
It is best to wait for 6 months as they told you, but if it is healthy there would be no problem doing it at 5 months. One of the stray cats that I take care of came into heat at that age and we had no choice but to castrate her because there was a risk that she would become pregnant.
Regards!
Thank you very much for your answer, I was a little calmer, I will be on the lookout more than anything so that I will not hurt her with a bite, the positive is that neither of them goes out on the street, they are kittens that do not come out of home
Regards!
Hi Beka.
The fact that they don't come out is very positive. You keep them safe at home, and that's very, very good.
But that, don't worry about nibbles. It is normal that sometimes they occur.
Regards!
Hello there!! How's it going
My name is Silvia and I have two fabulous cats. Versace is a Persian cat that has been with me for over 11 years. Independent, grateful .. Now we have Simba who is 5 months old and a Siamese. They get along very well; they sleep together, they play, sometimes it tires the big cat and they fight a bit .. But I'm worrying that the big cat sometimes tries to grab the little one by the neck and I think how to lift it. I do not know whether to lift him, reassure him, suffocate him ... Could you clear this doubt for me? They are the two males. Thanks!!
Hello Silvia.
Are they both neutered? It is that if it were not like that, maybe that is why the big cat has started to do that.
In any case, it would be very good if you played with the little one, for example with balls or ropes, since that way the big one would be calmer 🙂
Greetings.
Hello, I have a kitten of about 4 months and a few days ago I brought a kitten of about 2 months, I have her separated in a room but I let her out several times a day when I am in front of watching them, sometimes they growl and then he she bites on the neck, she stays there almost always doing nothing but I am afraid that she is hurting her, is this behavior normal?
Hello Melissa.
Yes it's normal. Anyway, with those ages you don't have to have them separated. As the two cubs are of such similar age, it is only a matter of time before they play together.
Anyway, you play with them too, so they are tired and not upset.
Greetings.
Hi there. I have 2 sibling kittens, a female and a male. They sleep together, get along and play. However, sometimes, the male plays rough (or so I think) and bites the kitten and she complains as if in pain or discomfort. What should I do?
Hello Mariano
It may be his way of saying that he leaves her alone.
If they are siblings, they will be the same age, so surely the kitten just wants to play with her.
Anyway, it would be good if you played with them too, so that later when the two of them play alone they won't hurt each other.
Greetings.
Hello, I have a neutered cat and it is 1 year old, I just adopted a kitten, now it is 6 months old and the heat has already started but my cat bites it, is it normal for him to be neutered and still bite her? They are very affectionate lately, I am worried that the sterilization has not been done so well and I am worried that I could get the kitten pregnant?
Hi Julissa.
Yes, it is normal for him to bite her, since he perceives the pheromones of the cat and that awakens his instinct.
In these cases, the ideal would be to castrate the cat. That way the cat would be calm.
Greetings.
Hello, I have two male cats with a difference of 2 months, they are about a year old, they are not neutered, but I notice that the older cat often bites the smaller one in the neck and does it as if he were trying to marry him like a cat and that is me It's weird because she climbs on top of him, she always does and the weirdest thing is that she tries when no one sees them, by the way they get along very well and sometimes they lick each other, but I'm very worried about how she treats him and the strangest thing is that It gets excited because when I meet them the older cat's penis becomes erect. For all this I ask, can cats be gay?
Now she does it less than when she was in heat, but she still does it
This is definitely the weirdest cat I've ever had, with a unique personality, besides being very smart, I'd say too smart.
Hi Shirley.
Honestly, I can't be sure, but many years ago I also had a cat that behaved just like yours. He had a friend that he was with almost all the time, and more than once I saw him trying to "mate" with him.
But I'm telling you, I don't know if it was because he was, as you say, gay, or because I wanted to show him that I was stronger than him.
Now I have cats again, and I have not seen that behavior again. Yes, they are all castrated. That is why I would tell you that it may be interesting for you to castrate your own.
A greeting.
Hello Monica.
I have two cats, one male and one female. The male is already three years old and I have had him since he was two months old, and I adopted the female two months ago, she was rescued but she is about a year old or more. He is castrated, I think not, we will do it soon.
The male is chasing and harassing her all the time, he bites her in the neck and they fight practically every day, and I don't know what to do anymore.
They can be both in the same room quietly, but usually when he gets too close to her, she starts to growl.
Anything you recommend? I don't want to have to give someone up for adoption.
Hello Caroline.
Castrate the female. It is the best. Although the male is neutered, he does not stop being a cat; that is, he is still able to perceive the pheromones of the cat
Of course, when you take her back home after surgery, leave her in a room with the door closed until she recovers. If the male smells her, he will smell the odors of the veterinary clinic and will not recognize her, which would make the situation more complicated.
Once the cat is fine, let them see each other again. This should solve the problem.
In any case, help them a little by giving them both canned food at the same time and in the same room from time to time, playing with them, and giving them both the same affection.
Cheer up.