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Why does my cat bite my legs?

If your cat has been biting your legs, you might want to know why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of possible reasons and what you can do about them.

So, why does my cat bite my legs? Possible reasons why your cat bites your legs are that it is playing, it wants you to stop touching it, it sees your legs as prey or it is intimidated.

It is possible that there are a number of different causes and it could be due to a combination of causes. However, there are a number of things you can consider when figuring out the main reason and there are a number of things you can do about it.

Why does my cat bite my legs?

Below are a number of possible reasons and what would make each of them more likely to be the main reason.

Intimidation

The cause could be that your cat feels intimidated. This would be more likely if it does it when you are touching your cat with your legs, your cat seems to pull away from you and if it also scratches, or hisses. In this case, it might be the case that you are not being gentle enough or you are approaching it too boldly.

It’s playing

The reason why your cat does it might also be that it is playing. This would be more likely if your cat does it when you are walking or when you are moving your legs while sat down.

It wants you to stop touching it

If your cat does it when you are touching it, with your legs, the cause could be that your cat wants you to stop touching it with your legs. This would be more likely if it also tries to move away from you.

It sees your legs as prey

Your legs move about like a mouse might. The reason why your cat grabs your legs might be that it sees your legs as prey. This would also be more likely if it does it when you are moving your legs around.

Affection

Sometimes, cats will also bite when they are being affectionate. The reason why your cat has been biting your legs might actually be that it is showing you affection. This would be more likely to be the reason if it does it when it is showing positive body language such as by purring.

Things to consider about your cat biting your legs

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.

If it has always bit your legs

If your cat did not always bite your legs, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it might have something to do with a change in the way you have been touching your cat with your legs.

What is different when it does not bite your legs

If your cat does not always bite your legs, it would also help to consider what is different when it does not bite your legs. For example, if it only does it when you are moving your legs, the reason would be more likely to be that it is playing and sees your legs as prey.

What to do about your cat biting your legs

Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Get your cat to sit somewhere else

If your cat bites your legs when you are sat down, one option would be to get your cat to sit somewhere else. One way to do so would be to put a cat bed somewhere for it to lay down in.

Wear shoes

If your cat has been biting your legs at a specific time, another option would be to simply wear shoes at that time.

Give it distractions

Another option would be to give your cat toys that it can be distracted by so that it is less likely to attack your legs.

Why does my cat bite my legs?

Your cat might bite your legs for any of the reasons mentioned above. It would help to consider the timing of when your cat does it.

Why does my cat bite my legs when I walk by?

If your cat only bites your legs when you are walking by, the cause would be likely to be that it sees your legs as prey.

Why does my cat bite my legs in the morning?

If your cat only bites your legs in the morning, it would be more likely that your cat is doing it because it is trying to remind you to feed it. This would be more likely if your cat stops doing it after you have fed it.

Why does my cat bite my legs for no reason?

If your cat seems to be doing it for no apparent reason, it could be due to any of the reasons mentioned above. However, it would be more likely that it is showing affection which would be more likely if it also shows positive body language when it does it.