my cat bites my hand

Question
dear natoma,
i have a 2yr old male cat who everytime i pet him starts to bite and scratch my hand. how can i make him stop?

Answer
Hello Michelle,

Many many cats will do this when you pet thier bellies, is this where you are petting him?  Or does he bite and scratch when you pet him anywhere?
  First, never play with your cat using your hands, he needs to learn that hands are for quiet petting and not play.  Second, avoid petting the underside of him, many cats are extremely sensitive on thier bellies as it is the most vulnerable spot for them, this is where all of thier vital organs are and there is not much bone protecting them.  Third, if he continues to hurt you when you pet him you need to make a loud screeching noise, pull your hand away and stop the petting immediately.  The loud screetch immitates the same noise a littermate would make during play time that will let the kitten know he needs to stop because he's gone too far in his play.  By halting the petting he will learn that if he wants to enjoy some quality time with you he needs to behave himself.  Lastly, I find it especially so with young males, they tend to get overstimulated very easily meaning that you can be petting them nicely and they will all of a sudden turn around and bite you simply because they are overstimulated, to avoid this keep your petting sessions short and frequent.

Hope this helps,

Natoma