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Why does my cat bite me while I'm petting it?

Pets Asked on January 16, 2021

While I’m petting my cat, she’ll start biting me. She grabs a little chunk of my arm (not hard at all, doesn’t hurt), then moves her head from side to side, as if she was trying to rip part of my flesh off (even though its a very soft bite).

I’ve heard this is an affectionate response, but I’ve also read that it could be a sign that the cat no longer wants to be pet. The biting happens real early, so I really don’t think she wants me to stop petting her.

Are there any other reasons this may be happening? I’ve gotten "love bites" from cats before, they usually bite my fingers, but I’ve never had a cat be so aggressively loving like this.

I have two cats that do this. They are from the same litter, and they’re about 9 months old

EDIT: Both cats are fixed, and the biting has been occurring for a few months now.

2 Answers

Sounds like she's just doing the steps of grooming another cat - the licks to clean and the bites to pull out knots and debris in the fur. It would work so much better if you had a pelt of fur instead of just some stray hairs!

The "I'm Done!" type of bite, often called "overstimulation" is something like a short circuit in the little cat brain where the good feelings jump straight to alarm when a cat feels like it isn't in control anymore. This usually happens when you pet them on the back near the tail and they stand up and quiver and love it....then the reaction click and they turn and snap at the hand.

Correct answer by Oldcat on January 16, 2021

It is normal, because some cats don't like to be petted. But in this case because it's soft, it IS a love bite! Sometimes, it can be a sign of sickness, or aggression.

Answered by CatMaster on January 16, 2021

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