OK, so you want a nice cat or kitten who actually likes you touching him?

Instead of running away or worse, trying to bite or scratch you when you try to bond?

Well, there's hope for cat owners, but the first step is to see what type of aggressive behavior your cat is showing before deciding that you should touch train your cat or kitten.

What do I mean?

Well, there are 3 types of cat aggression or biting problem behaviors:

• 1.Offensive aggression: This is when your cat suddenly bites, and keeps going until you make a big protest. It's often triggered by stroking your cat a bit too firmly or rapidly, especially if stroked on their bellies. The cat was in play mode but was pushed over the edge to aggression.
  
• 2. Defensive aggression. If your cat bites but then withdraws to hide under the bed, this could mean a more serious problem. This type of aggressive behavior may be caused by a medical problem such as thyroid overactivity, or pain. You must see your vet for an examination, if you suspect that this could be the case.
  
• 3. Playful stalking: This is where your cat runs up to bite your legs and you try to not trip over. It's often triggered when you stop playing before the cat wants to, or if she thought you were starting to play but actually didn't. This cat behavior is a type of offensive aggression too.

So now that you know the causes of aggressive behavior, realise that cats with types 1 and 3 can be trained to tolerate more touch.

Whereas type 2 needs the attention of a vet first.

Touch training can be done, especially in cats that show some friendly behavior. If a cat is very feral and has had little human contact, then it is much harder.

To get more information on cat training see this site on cat behavior and cat psychology.