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I got a new kitten.
I am obsessed. He’s small, he’s snuggly, he’s almost always purring and my other cats miraculously love him as much as I do.
There is just one problem, and it seems small in the grand scale of things, but he LOVES nibbling my feet. Especially, annoyingly, when I’m in bed. It’s not necessarily painful but it is extremely frustrating, especially since I can’t sleep well if my feet are under the covers.
In an attempt to understand this furry little menace, I researched exactly why kittens do this, and, well, it’s too cute to stay mad at.
Why kittens nibble our feet
So, for the most part, they’re trying to play, according to Catster.
The cat experts said: “Play is probably the number one reason why cats enjoy biting our feet. Your feet are accessible to a cat. They’re on the ground and are tantalisingly close enough that a cat might just not be able to resist lunging, grabbing, and biting them, especially because you’re moving.
“Cats have instincts that are triggered when they see a moving object.”
They’re still learning! They don’t know that feet are friends, not food!
The thing is, our reactions make them more likely to want to keep going. Catster said: “What makes it even more fun is they usually will get a reaction from you. You jerk away, maybe jump and probably make a noise—shriek, scream, yell, laugh.”
I do all of the above. Oops.
How to stop kittens from biting your feet
While it may be tempting to leave cats to their instincts, it’s probably best to get them out of the habit of chowing down on toes.
Feliway recommends nipping it in the bud straight away. The pet experts said: “React by saying a sharp ‘no!’, redirect them onto a toy and stop playing for a few minutes.
“To reinforce the [no biting] message, never use your hands or feet as kitty playthings. Instead, always use a toy – ideally one held at a distance from your body, such as feathers on a string, balls or stuffed toys.”
Can do. Wish me luck.
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