If your cat has been biting your other cat, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about it.
So, why does my cat bite my other cat? Likely reasons why your cat bites your other cat are that it is being dominant, it is playing or that it is fearful.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your cat bites your other cat and it could be due to a combination of causes. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Why does my cat bite my other cat?
Below are likely causes and what would make them more likely.
Dominance
It could be the case that your cat has been biting your other cat due to dominance or trying to claim territory. This would be more likely if your cat is aggressive towards the other cat when it tries to sit in a certain spot or do things such as eat first. In this case, it could help to give your other cat another place where it can go.
Grooming
Sometimes, cats will bite eat other when they are grooming each other but get to a sticky piece of fur. It could actually be the case that your cat is helping your other cat to groom itself which would be more likely if it does it when it is also licking your other cat.
Play
Cats will often practice hunting by playing and it could be the case that your cat has been biting your other cat because it is playing. This would be more likely if your cat does it when they are both playing and if it tends to do it more in the early morning or late evening when cats tend to be a lot more lively.
Fear
The cause could actually be that something has been causing your cat to be fearful. This would be more likely if your cat does it when your other cat approaches it or when there are other things happening in its environment that might cause it to be fearful.
Medical issues
Sometimes, cats can become more aggressive when they have medical issues or an injury. If your cat has started being aggressive suddenly, it could be due to medical issues. This would be more likely if it has been behaving unusually in other ways as well such as being aggressive towards you or being fatigued. In this case, it would help to take it to a vet for a checkup.
Things to consider
Here are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.
If your cat has always bitten your other cat
If your cat has not always bitten your other cat, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as something causing it to feel threatened or medical causes. It would also help to consider if anything changed it in its environment when it first started being aggressive.
The timing of when your cat does it
If there is a certain time that your cat tends to bite your other cat, it would also help to consider if there is anything different about the timing. For example, if it only does it when your other cat sits in a certain spot, your cat might be being dominating.
What to do about my cat biting my other cat?
Below are some things you can do to deal with the behavior.
Limit reasons why it might be fearful
If it seems like your cat has actually been doing it due to being fearful, it would help to limit reasons why it might be fearful such as by letting it stay in a different room.
Get help
If your cat has been being very aggressive or it has been behaving unusually in other ways, it could also help to take it to a vet for a checkup. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular cat and to rule out medical causes.
Give it toys to play with
If your cat seems to be doing it when it is playing, it could also help to try giving it toys that it can play with instead.
Give your other cat a place to go
Another option would be to give your other cat a different spot that it can go to.