Can cat's biting be nipped in the bud?

Our four-year-old female neutered cat was sitting on my mother-in-law's lap being stroked. After a few minutes, without warning, the cat bit her and jumped off. The cat has never done this with me. Do you know why?

- DR DAVID GRANT

This is a relatively common behaviour and there are two main areas to investigate. As with all apparent behavioural problems, a useful starting point is to rule out any sources of pain. This could be dental, arthritic, on skin, or an abdominal problem, for example.

Medical problems are more likely if the cat's response is new and out of character. A full physical examination is recommended as it may result in a good understanding of the underlying problem and, possibly, a quick resolution with treatment.

One of the more common behavioural causes is aggression triggered by what the cat perceives as “too much petting”. This can sometimes be hard to fathom as often cats jump on a lap, appear to enjoy being stroked, and then after a short time may become irritated and then bite.