Skip to content 
The most important thing to remember
If your cat bites you and doesn’t break the skin, you may simply need to observe the behavior and think about what triggered it.
If the bite breaks the skin, wash it promptly with soap and running water and consider medical advice, particularly for deep wounds, bites to the hand or face, signs of infection, uncertain vaccination status, or possible rabies exposure.
If the area becomes increasingly red, swollen, painful, hot, or starts producing fluid—or if you develop a fever—seek medical attention.
And if your cat suddenly starts biting when it never did before, don’t automatically assume the animal has “become aggressive.”
Sometimes behavior is communication.
Your cat may be telling you that it is frightened, overstimulated, uncomfortable, or possibly in pain.
The better you learn to recognize those signals, the easier it becomes to prevent bites in the first place.
A cat’s bite isn’t always a sign that your pet doesn’t love you. Sometimes it’s simply the animal’s way of saying, “That’s enough.” But when teeth break the skin, take the wound seriously—because even a small cat bite can lead to infection.