Overstimulation is the swatting or biting behavior that cats exhibit in response to frustration, such as from too much petting or overexcitement during play. Oftentimes, cats who are easily overstimulated are friendly cats who will seek attention from people, but then strike out after a short period of time. Although this behavior is frustrating for both cats and humans, there are ways to manage and prevent this behavior from occurring.

Most cats will give you signals that they are becoming overstimulated. The signals may be very subtle or more obvious, depending on the cat. Warning signs that your cat may be getting overstimulated are: 

The best way to reduce incidences of overstimulation is to stop interacting with your cat before she gets to the point of reacting. As soon as you see signs that your cat is beginning to dislike the attention, stop what you are doing. Most cats will remain happily on your lap or by your side even though you are no longer petting them. However, if your cat continues to become more agitated, get up and walk away. If you are able to consistently read your cat’s body language and stop the interaction before she acts out, you can eventually reduce or even stop the overstimulation altogether.

It’s also important to provide plenty of appropriate play outlets for your cat. This will help release their energy and avoid built-up frustration from occurring. Try to mimic their natural hunting instincts by using a wand toy and making it fly around the room, or sliding a toy mouse around the floor, always allowing your cat to catch the “prey” at the end. It’s important to never use your hands during play, as this can cause your cat to mistake your hand for a  toy and may result in inappropriate biting behavior. 

It's important to follow guidelines for a healthy way to pet and play with cats. Here are the key points, but be sure to click through the additional links at the bottom of the page.

• Keep your petting sessions short. If you know your cat doesn’t like to be pet a certain way or in a particular area, avoid doing so. Cats will tell you if they are enjoying it or getting irritated. Ignoring the warnings reinforces biting behavior and will increase aggressive incidents and/or intensity in the future.

• Only pet your cat in the areas they truly enjoy. Most cats like to rub their faces or bodies on an offered hand, but do not appreciate long strokes over their bodies. It is important to know your cat.

• Observe your cat for signs of overstimulation and impending aggression. Common signals to look for include: tail swishing, skin twitching over the back, flattening of the ears, tenseness, dilated pupils, low growl, walking away and lying down.

• Stop petting at the first sign of any of these early warning signals. You can do this by calmly dropping your hands to your sides and walking away from the cat.

• Wait some time before attempting to pet again. Some cats only take a few minutes to settle down, while others can take several hours.

• Punishment is not the way to address this behavior problem. Never yell at or hit as this will not help. It will only make your cat fear you or become even more aggressive.