Cats are known for biting anything they can get close to. If you are here, your phone is probably a victim of excessive and aggressive feline biting. The good thing is that today, we will learn how to prevent this from happening in the future.
My cats, especially the most orange one, Haru, loves to bite stuff. They mostly bite the corners of things, such as their wall steps. However, some time ago, his brother, Aurelio, got obsessed with our phones and started biting them. This was happening even when we were not holding them, and Aurelio even managed to rip off the screen protector once. This had gone too far!
If your cat bites the corner of your phone while you are holding it, most of the time, the end goal is to gain your attention. Cats can be very demanding, and if they bite your phone, they can be just trying to say: ‘Um, hello? would give me attention, please?’
Reasons Why Your Cat Bites Your Phone
While biting stuff is normal on cats, why phones, exactly? Your feline friend is very smart and observative, and he is probably noticing you are with your phone most of the time. While they most certainly don’t understand its functionality, they do see that it’s getting all of your attention many times throughout the day.
Are you talking to me?
Have you noticed this behavior when you are on the phone talking to somebody? Then your cat probably thinks you are talking to him or her, as they can’t see nor hear anyone else inside the room. So, for them, you are either crazy or talking to them directly, gaining their attention. Imagine your kitty’s surprise when they approach you after you called them, and you just try to move them aside.
They are Trying to Communicate
Maybe your cat is not very talkative, and even if they are, a “meow” does not express much after all. Therefore, cats usually try to gain our attention by performing different actions that they know will help them reach their goal. If your cat is biting your phone, it can be their way of telling you they want some of your consideration. As funny as it sounds, cats can get jealous that some odd rectangle is getting your contemplation.
They Just Want to Play
This is especially true for younger, more active cats. They need to be stimulated and release some energy, and playing alone is usually not enough, even if you get them some interactive toys for when you are not around. If you are lying on the bed with the phone and they see that you are driving your attention towards it, they can bite your phone to try and get you to play with them. If this behavior paid off in the past, you can be accidentally reinforcing it.
Additionally, if you don’t play much with your cat, you could be inducing bad behaviors unwillingly, and these unwanted actions can be a reflect of your cat feeling anxious.
Maybe It’s Not The Phone, But its Cover
Nowadays, phone covers can be very flashy and have weird shapes with many tips and edges. The real target could be your phone cover rather than your phone itself. You can try removing the cover and leaving it at your cat’s reach to see if they try to do anything to it. Getting them their own can be a solution if this is the case (pun intended).
Prey drive and Instincts
Don’t forget that your cat’s ancestors had to hunt their food. Back in the day, there was no balanced, dry food always at your disposal, you know. Cats are driven to chase insects, mice, or even birds. If you see that your cat is very interested in what’s happening on the screen, think that for them, all of the movement produced by videos or scrolling can mimic a prey’s behavior and that’s why you see them trying to touch the screen or catch some animal behind it. This is why you see a lot of funny cat videos, where they try to grab something that’s on the TV only to end up in catastrophe.
RELATED: What is Orange Cat Behavior?
Why Does My Cat Bite The Corner of My Phone?
If your cat specifically bites the corner of your phone, it’s probably because it’s a small section of the phone, and this allows them to give the perfect bite with a good grip. The device is too big for them to target any other part. They know this since they are very smart, and the corner shapes make for the best angle to get the job done (by the job we mean getting your attention, of course).
From the beginning, they probably tried most of the angles, and after some trial and error, they found the corners to be the most effective way to bite your phone. As I said before, my cats love to bite the corners of their wall-mounted steps. In conclusion, I found that corner biting applies to anything they can get their teeth on.
Why Does My Cat Bite My Electronic Devices?
If you are in this situation, remember we are talking about an intelligent being. They have figured you out: screens take your eyes away from them, so they hold a grudge against them, mostly when you are using them. However, if this behavior has gone too far, to the point where they bite electronic devices even if you are not around, maybe it’s time to learn how to stop reinforcing it.
How to Make My Cat Stop Biting My Phone?
When cats do this, most of the time, they keep doing it because, in the end, they reach their goal. Whether you scream at them or try to scare them away, they get your attention by biting your devices. Therefore, they will do it again.
As hard as it may be, the best way to change their behavior is to ignore them until they stop. Think it won’t be long until they stop and go do something else. If you are holding your phone, try to stay still. It can be hard to see your cat biting your phone and do nothing about it, but rest assured that it will pay off in the long run. This is the first step to stop reinforcing behaviors that are seen as good by them because it will get them what they want.
Key Takeaways
Let’s do a recap of the important things to keep in mind before you move on:
- Cats can bite their hooman’s phones to get their attention.
- If you are on the phone, they can think you are talking to them if there’s nobody else around.
- Fancy covers can be driving your feline’s curiosity to your phone.
- Your phone corners are the preferred attacking path.
- Ignoring them when misbehaving can help you correct their behavior. Avoid yelling and any other signs that you acknowledge them.
Conclusions
Cats can be funny and annoying at the same time. Just remember that they don’t understand what are we doing with our devices. The only thing they know, is that they get our attention, and they want some as well!
Hopefully, you understand your cat a little bit more now. They are hard to decipher sometimes, but learning why they do what they do makes both of your life’s easier and happier.
