According to the Veterinary Centers of America, cat bites can get infected easily. Cat bites puncture the skin and heal up, leaving room for infection and bacteria beneath the healed wound. Infection can also occur because of a cat’s claws. Their claws have curves that penetrate deep in the skin.
How can you prevent a cat bite? Are there aggression signs to look out for?
Aggression in cats
Cats may become aggressive for several different reasons. The ASPCA explains that aggression can often be from fear. If a feline classifies a person as a threat, it may escalate the situation. Other reasons for aggression include redirected aggression. This occurs when the cat is upset or afraid of something else and then lashes out on the person nearby. Territorial cats can also show signs of aggression. Males and females are both territorial. While they are more often territorial towards each other, they may also show aggressive, territorial signs towards humans and other pets.
Body language of cats
Cats communicate mostly through body language. They have specific facial expressions and postures. Unlike dogs, cats tend to be subtler when it comes to their expressions and this may cause difficulty. They will have either a defensive or offensive stance when aggressive. Offensive felines will make themselves appear larger, whereas defensive ones make themselves smaller.
Cats may exhibit a stiff stance, direct stair, upright ears rotated back or forward slightly or may growl or howl. For defensive cats, they may crouch, tuck their heads in flatten their ears or hiss. Overt signs of aggression include biting or swatting.