It’s a feeling that many cat owners know: feeling like prey for your own cat. And for good reason, it is not uncommon for our feline friends to hide in ambush in a corner and wait patiently for us to pass into their field of vision before violently throwing themselves on our ankles. And the worst part is that they don’t stop at just a small bite. No, they literally cling to it and painfully lacerate our skin. But why do they do this? And how to prevent them?
1. Immobilize it
If your cat tends to watch your ankles with envy, it may simply be because its mother did not teach it to control your bites when he was a kitten. This is often the case in kittens weaned too early or in kittens rejected by their mother.
In this case, you definitely need to take on the role of his mother and teach him self-control. To do this, as soon as he starts attacking your ankles, say “no” in a firm tone. Then immobilize itas his mother would have done, by placing your hand on his head and forcing him to lie down on the floor.
If he stops attacking you after reprimanding him, congratulate him by petting him and giving him a treat. Otherwise, repeat the operation until it works.
2. Ignore it
A second method is to ignore your cat when it wraps itself around your ankles. Before he lunges at you, if you notice that your cat has dilated pupils and is ready to pounce, stop moving. Indeed, seeing you move has the gift of exciting your feline.
If your furball is already clinging to your ankles, hold still. Do not scream, try to shake your leg or push your cat. Indeed, this would show that you are behaving like prey.
If he notices that you are no longer moving, you will no longer be of any interest to him. He will therefore be forced to let go. Then ignore him until he goes away.
3. Play with him
In order to make this annoying behavior disappear in your cat, you absolutely must offer him an alternative. Because when your cat pounces on you, it’s simply because you are the only “thing” that moves in its environment. Indeed, hunting is an essential activity for the well-being of our feline friends. And for good reason, in the wild, they spent most of their time chasing prey. And it wasn’t just for eating, it was also for fun!
It is therefore out of the question to prevent your cat from hunting. On the contrary, it must be encouraged. Simply, you have to offer him more interesting prey than your ankles. To do this, it is strongly recommended to play with your cat for at least 30 minutes a day. And, if possible, twice (morning and evening for example).
Moreover, always move with a toy to redirect your cat’s attention to the latter when he is about to play with your ankles. Favor them fishing rod type toys in order to best imitate the movements of your cat’s natural prey. Additionally, it helps put distance between your skin and your cat’s teeth and claws.
Likewise, the kibble dispenser toys or treats (puzzles, pipolino, etc.) are a good option to stimulate your cat’s hunting instinct. In any case, make sure that his environment is enriching for him, that is to say that he can exercise but also rack his brains!
