cats behavor

Question
hello, i have a 6 month old male cat which acts really mean such as biting really hard on hands feet and face he also scratches, but he can be really nice to. i don't hit him or anything mean so i don't get why he acts like this.he also fluffs up his tail and has his ears back right before he attacks.well hope you can help me understand my kitty,thanks.

Answer
Hi, Kimberly.  There are several types of aggression in cats.  In kittens, the most common is play aggression.  This is usually a problem in kittens who have been removed from their litter before 12 weeks old.  They don't have a chance to learn how biting and scratching feel.

The best treatment for play aggression is to stop playing with the cat (if you are) as soon as he begins to get too rough.  Place him in a small room for 15-30 minutes to let him cool down.  These time-outs will also teach him that if he wants to play, he needs not to bite or scratch.

Also, be sure never to play with him with your hands.  Use feathers, ribbons, and other toys that it will be okay for him to bite and scratch.

If possible, you might consider getting another kitten for him to play with (I recommend one the same size, as he may bully a smaller one).  Wrestling, biting, and kicking another cat in play are all perfectly acceptable.  Perhaps he's just so full of energy that he's chasing you around to play all the time and would not bite and scratch you if he had a playmate to wrestle with.

Or, he may be acting out of fear.  If he happens to see another cat through a window, if he smells a strange scent, if there has been a visitor in the home, then he may be feeling afraid.  Cats who are scared react with fight or flight.  Perhaps yours is a fighter, and he's redirecting his fear toward you because he's not able to act out on the actual cause of his fear.  Fear aggression is also best treated by placing the cat in a small room for 15-30 minutes, preferably a dark one (a closet, perhaps).  If he scratches or bites when you come near him, try tossing a towel over him and scooping him up.  This usually confuses them long enough for you to relocate them to another room without getting hurt.

The other possibility I see here is overstimulation.  Sometimes, cats are overly sensitive to touch.  At first, they enjoy petting.  But soon it begins to irritate them, and they lash out by biting and scratching.  The most sensitive areas on a cat are the belly and the lower back.  If you pet only around the head, shoulders, and throat, you can usually avoid overstimulation.  If you see signs he's getting overstimulated, like a thrashing tail, widened eyes, twitching back, ears held back, and warning nips, then you should stop petting him.