You and your cat are having a bonding moment. You’re stroking her fur; she’s nudging your hand as if to ask for more. She even licks and grooms you. And then it happens. Out of nowhere, your cat bites you. That bonding moment you were so cherishing just a minute before unravels into a pile of pain and confusion.
You realize there’s definitely truth to the popular idea that cats are curious creatures with some unusual and unexplainable quirks. And then you remember, that’s simply why you love cats so much — because of their mysterious and intriguing personalities. You have to wonder why, though, cats can turn their temperaments on and off like a light switch. It also begs the question, ‘why do cats bite when they’re being stroked?’
Animal behaviorists suspect a few reasons why cats might bite and attack you even during what you thought was an exchange of affection. They call it petting-induced aggression. In an attempt to decode the meaning behind a cat’s caught-you-by-surprise attack, the experts suggest: