I don’t have the heart to change it since I feel responsible for being the one to have created it in the first place. The kitten loves it and is tired out regularly. I have no intention of breaking him of it. How to Treat a Cat Bite . If your cat is stressed and has become less tolerant of petting or irritable this could be the reason. I have tried the saying “ouch!” Loudly and it hasnt worked. And Callie is our queen. If I pet him sometimes he lays down with me and we sit together. 2. This is almost certainly going to be the case if you have a kitten or a playful younger cat. Animals can sense when something is wrong with their human even if it’s a medical one. Sounds a lot like a love bite, and like he thinks of you like his mother as well as it being something like sucking on a thumb or a pacifier as a human infant – comforting and soothing. Did you ever figure out why your cat did this? Once you shout “No!” to express your physical pain, try to replace the bad, undesirable habit of biting your fingers with a good habit – gnawing or chewing on cat toys. Cats need to gnaw on things, just like dogs do. Has your cat ever chewed or bit your finger? Then she’ll hopefully try other ways of getting your attention that are not an issue for you, like pawing at you or rubbing. Nibble away, Callie. Completely understand your desire not to spook her, and so I think that and getting her to really trust you and be confident around you should be your priority. I know how enjoyable it is petting and fussing a cat, but we have to remember that they might not want to be petted. Bonus points if your cat is also indicating he or she wants to continue to be petted, because that rules out the next option (#5). It’s a potentially serious health concern that might not improve without seeking the advice of your vet. I think he may have developed it anyway. Cats need to get their energy out or it ends up building up, which can lead to behavioural issues like consistent meowing or destructive scratching, amongst many other frustrating behaviours. As much as they may love their cat massages, they still need a break from back rubs and petting every once in a while. Chewing on your hand, particularly the softer parts like the skin between your fingers could mean that your cat was weaned too early. I’m assuming the cat sensed his medical condition had worsened over the night and was trying to get him to wake up. It sounds like it’s more or less a personality quirk of his rather than simply down to the neutering. Your cat is giving you a love bite – showing affection. I have a two year old boy named Gene. There are loads of cat toys that are gloves with long fingernails like this one on Amazon; If you have really long nails, your hand is basically a live cat toy. Again, enjoyed your article. Just put them down and walk away. She’ll grow out of it though. Makes me think of a toddler who still sucks on his or her thumb. As does excessive grooming, chasing their own tail, and chewing on certain materials – cats love chewing plastic and wool in particular. By finding out why they feel the need to nibble on your fingers, you can do something to stop and change their behavior. They can cause serious infection and should be treated immediately. You can group this with purring, rolling around in joy, and slow blinking. Take plastic, for instance. Definitely a no go – full on backed away from the smell, so we left it out and haven’t had the problem since. I have a slew scattered around the house, so when my cats get bored, even if I’m busy or not even home, my furries are able to actively play. Each species has a different way of communication, so does the cat. Does your cat nibble on your fingers when you’re petting or playing with them? Please leave them in the comments below! I’d love to hear about it. Your email address will not be published. Whenever I pet around his mouth area he opens his mouth and coaxes me to put my finger in, where he then bites gently and sucks. The suckling behavior is probably comforting to your cat and may start or increase … If you have a kitten and they’re teething, they’ll feel the need to gnaw on something. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. She does not rub against you. If she bites again, back to the room for another 10 minutes until she gets that biting means zero attention and a little boredom as well. Try playing with your cat right after he or she bites. We dont know his age and we dont know where he came from. It could be that she’s asking for more attention, both in terms of affections and in terms of needing some playtime. How else could they explain the urgency? Sometimes it can be hard to get a human’s attention, so one of the most common reasons a cat may bite then lick you is to get you to play with them. Try offering it up to your kitten. She only wants to be pet on her terms, for 30 seconds at a time, and only if she approves of the smell of your hand. Feel free to drop your story below and share your experiences with others. Maine coon cats are prone to licking and biting on fingers. Also, is there a possibility it could be becuse of his recent neutering? If your cat likes to bite your fingers, it could mean they are showing you affection, a throwback to kittenhood behavior, or a sign of aggression to name just three possible reasons. yes its very normal for kittens to do that. I have a love biter. My fingers are all yours! Cats are generally predatory in nature, especially when … Need to train your cat to stop chewing on you? The hits in my household are ridiculously affordable: cat springs, ball track toys, & kick sticks. If I try to take my hand away, he digs in all claws. My trouble is telling her no in a way that doesn’t scare her. If you want your cat to stop giving you warning bites, say “Outch!” or “No!” loudly, take away your hand, and look very displeased. If your kitten’s chomping away at your fingers, there’s a good chance your fingers are acting in place of a binky. I would let her into bed/let her into the bedroom and if she starts to lick, immediately kick her out and close the door and go back to bed. Finally, hand over the nearest chew or teething toy so that your kitten learns – it’s perfectly fine to chew and bite – just not on your finger! He has sores on the tips of his fingers. Shes … I think about a year old now…. When it comes to nibbling on our soft, fleshy fingers, it would make a lot of sense that this sensation is likely one many cats would enjoy. If a cat bites you, see a doctor as soon as possible. I do feel cats try to do what you’d like from them when they finally figure out what you prefer, however, and so I think she may switch things up and start licking eventually. Fond of my fluffies? I’ve seen this topic come up in discussions loads of times, it’s a pretty common cat behavior. Using high-intensity exercise toys, in regular intervals. You'll get notified each time there's a new post on the blog. Which possibilities do you think are the most common amongst cats? That way when he bites, you switch tones, and he understands immediately biting is the thing that’s off, when usually you’re quite happy to interact. Offer that up, and if your cat is happy to chomp away at any other object besides your fingers, you’re really likely to have a teething kitten on your hands. My cat does give me love bites, but I think that it is sweet, it is her way of showing affection, but when my cat bites my hand to hard, I just pull my hand away, I have been doin that for 2months now, and she is now be gentle when she gives me love bites. She was an outdoor cat at the time, grew up in a little mountain town …. If you can honestly say you’re giving your cat enough attention and playtime, or you’re too busy, you can say “no”. But then he seems to get over-enthusiastic with the licking, and starts chewing on my fingers. Struggling to keep up with an energetic kitten? Some of it could be related to the breed of cat. A lot of cats form compulsive behaviors when they are bored, so keep that in mind. Here are some of the most common reasons why cats react in this way: Sometimes, cats will do something they know will get your attention because they want to play. If your cat’s being aggressive about his or her love bites, or you want to nip this habit in the bud because you’re worried about escalation, you may want to use the word “Outch!” then dramatically take away your hand after a love bite. If you have a playful cat, long fingernails are going to be fun to chase and bite. It may be a good idea to grab a scented hand soap for situations such as these. There are two sides to changing or avoiding a nibble from over-stimulation. I want to tell her not to bite, but I don’t mind it. I then get up to give him food although there is always dry pellets in his feeder so I presume he can”t be starving?. The kinds of signs to look out for that your cat is reaching the point of being annoyed are: If you see any of these signs or any other signs that your cat is getting restless, stop petting them immediately. Everything seems great apart from the fact that whenever anyone in our household tries to pet him he immediately tries to start gnawing on our fingers while purring intensely, he seems to also be sucking at the same time. Your cat should begin to understand that he or she is hurting you, even with a gentle nip, and that you’re not a fan. Though being honest, I’m sure even if I grabbed a bit of cardboard or a random catnip toy, it would have done the trick. It’s a frustrating cat behavior because no one wants their fingers bitten, gnawed, or licked. Typically, by walking away. Our resolution was to switch to liquid hand soap that’s lavender scented, but then after some time, we found a strong-smelling orange scented bar soap and tested him by having him take a whiff before leaving him out. While it may be a bit of a mystery knowing how to interpret your particular cat’s behaviour at first, there are simple ways of figuring out why your cat – in the moment – is choosing to give you a little nibble or bite, then simple ways to change this behaviour in case you’d prefer it to stop. They’re nowhere near expensive and they’re really good for making the most of playtime with your cat. Early weaning occurs when a kitten is permanently separated from her mother before the time it would take for the separation to happen naturally. If so, you know it was the reason. They also include toys like the Petstages Tower of Tracks and the Ethical Pet Cat Spring Toys, two of Cleo’s favourites which are fantastic options to always have around because they don’t require human intervention to play with – cats can play with them on their own, getting some of that energy out without your help needed. Not pleased about your cat’s nips when he or she demands playtime? See more of them on my personal blog, E&T. Sammy is my baby. If you’re considering adopting a new kitty, please check out some of our breeder pages here. Other ways of telling if this is your cat? Hi. It’s so weird. I’ve experienced this with my tabby Watson before, and the explanation is not as simple as it seems to be. There is not a specific time that he bites it could be any time. Facts about cats, training tips, odd behaviours, pet care advice - I talk as much as I can about it all here! I don’t know if you want to take this as a compliment or not, but there’s a good chance they just can’t resist the taste. Typically, a friendly cat seeks out human attention, only to turn on his lavisher of … Cats.org list some of the signs that a cat is stressed. If they do bite your hand or fingers, a firm “No” and placing them on the floor or away from you will get the message across. That’s just your kitty saying “I wuvvv you” in cat language. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases; learn more here. Say things like “Good boy” and just straight up chat with him, especially after you stop the short pause and go back to cuddling with him after scolding him for a bite. Good luck, and let me know how things progress Sounds to me like you are absolutely his family now. !” every time it actually hurt and now she’s very careful. A Match Made in Heaven: Cat Toy Boxes & Cubed Cat Things, Why Cats Spill Water from Bowls: Paw, Play, Splash, & Knock Over Behaviour. It could absolutely be any of the options, however! Could it be because I have to leave her home for a longer amount of time because of work? Apparently this is whole shebang of wanting to bite cute things is a completely normal psychological phenomenon called “social biting” – and as I’m sure you’ve guessed – it’s common amongst humans and animals. This usually involves me petting him, and him giving me lots of heat butts, and licking my hands and fingers. Obsessed with cats. You might be able to find a connection between something you handle and your cat taking a nip. the biting seem as if he wants to eat my fingers and when i put my hands under the duvet he even climbs under to look for them. Here’s what it looks like: The tricky part is that playtime can look a lot … If your cat is biting your fingers when you pet them, it’s likely down to one or more of the reasons I’ve listed in this article. Cats may not chew their food, but they certainly do seem to chew a lot of things besides. I feel so sad for him. It depends how long the nails are, but it’s really no surprise. Those are therefore some of the reasons why your cat bites you gently. And almost every time- it is a positive behaviour. I still can’t pick her up. Is it possible to give her things to chew on or would that just be a waste of time? Did you identify what was triggering this behavior and find a way to stop them? My cats are in their senior years now and no longer do this, but they both did when they were kittens. My first kitty to display this behavior is our friend with the most personality, a tuxie Callie, who has SO much moxie and is very confident and funny but who was weened a bit too early. It really doesn’t matter. One is to recognize when your cat is reaching that point. When he bites, say “No” gently, pause the cuddling, then after a few seconds have passed, give him another shot by continue to pet and play with him. By feeding and petting them is, in fact, a responsibility. Some cats will bite and/or nibble fingers for multiple reasons, others for the same one over and over, and many adult cats (especially if trained as kittens not to bite) will pretty near never do it at all. Filed Under: Behaviour, Cat Facts, Pet Care, Playing. We all know how nice it feels for a baby who’s in pain due to teething to chew on a pacifier when the pain gets really bad. We’ve got a strict ‘Cat toys only’ rule in place because I didnt want the kitten falling into a habit of biting fingers and toes. If you raise a cat, you may realize that sometimes, she bites you on your hand, ears, heels or licks your note . My little meanie, Levi, must be biting for affection. She used to be more rough, but I’d tell her “ouch! ... my cat licks my hair or chews it eveytime I lay down at night. Continued Treatment for Your Cat’s Scratching, Licking, and Chewing. If the only time your cat takes a nibble on your fingers is after you’ve cooked or eaten, there’s a strong chance your cat’s simply unable to resist a bite whenever you smell edible. Some cats take licking and biting a step further and suckle on their person's skin or clothing. Sometimes cats just wanna have fun. I just adopted a new cat and I noticed that when I am petting her head, generally she will stop me (with her paw or turning her head toward my hand), lick my thumb or my index finger and let me continue petting her head. While cats differentiate between solitary and feline play, some cats mistakenly romp with humans as they would another cat, causing injury. It sounds like she may just enjoy biting, and/or want your attention, and need to be trained that you don’t like that kind of behaviour and that it’s not an appropriate way to get your attention. I have a one year old cat named Gerard, and he only recently started this habit. It's tough to stop the behavior if you don't understand it. We curbed this habit when she was young, but it seems to be back full force now that shes getting more attention. Remember your cat may very well have loved the petting up until that point, but sometimes the physical affection gets to a point where it’s too much for cats, which is why you should never take a warning bite as an insult or any sort of indication your cat didn’t enjoy the snuggles prior to the bite. Check out all the other blogs I pen & photograph. I don’t keep food out so when she is hungry she will nibble. Probably every single cat parent out there has experienced this, which is why this type of behavior has gotten its own name – love bites. It’s more or less a sassy show of trustworthiness: The researchers think the monkeys may be testing their social bonds, sending the message, “I’m so trustworthy, you can stick your finger in my mouth.”. She’s gonna be hyper and rambunctious for quite some time. Cats can develop compulsive behaviors, just as we can. and since her human mom has grown up and left home and left her with us, she has taken to me her grampa.lol… she does like to chew on my fingers and has little to with just food as she will do it right out of the shower.and have done the oww and scoleded her for it and still she does it, it seems to comfort her so i allow it unless she gets alittle agresive with it. We try make sure he is approaching the children and they’re not constantly initiating contact. She jumps at my face lately too. Licking hands can become a compulsive behavior of your cat if they are going through anxiety, stress, or depression. Just be mindful of what you’re doing when it happens, where you’re petting them, how long for, and so on. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. Maybe a little weird, but not too odd! Recently a kitten was found at our front door and he was very small, but walked around very confidently and was fairly self sufficient. Your email address will not be published. He loves a good finger to chew on, but sometimes it hurts! If he’s a rescue it could be from lack of food when he was living on the streets. He will switch between licking and biting, as though he’s grooming me, but then start bunny-kicking. He might want his food bowl full at all times so that he doesn’t have to worry about food. Understand the Reason for the Aggression. She was feral as a kitten and is very young sweet. Is this something you find yourself asking? Punishing your cat when they bite only sometimes gives them mixed signals, and they won’t understand why you’re angry. Wind up fast. It happens when she’s cuddly and was already licking my hands while I pet her. Stopping them and redirecting their behavior will get the point across. It’s just a little more painful than those other signs of affection. Your cat will likely try other ways to show you he or she’s had enough, like showing you his or her teeth instead of giving a full on bite. Required fields are marked *. If you continue to pet past this, you might get a harder bite. And he has asthma so I refuse to let anyone upset him. I adopted her from my dads neighbors because they decided they didnt want her anymore. But why does my cat lick me then bite me? Vocalize it hurts and give them a chew toy instead. These are toys like Go-Cat Da Bird feather rods and Cat Dancer Rainbow Cat Charmer. Then petting her without letting her nibble me again. If she does lick instead of bite, congratulate her and give her a lot of encouragement for that, as that’s a really productive step forward from biting. My cat bites my fingers while petting? Only get louder if he really doesn’t get it, but my guess is he’s like most cats who are very attached to people and very cuddly – he will understand cuddles are good and biting is not. Cats may sleep for the vast majority of the day, but their laziness, followed by a seemingly paradoxical short burst of crazy high, intensive energy, are a completely  healthy part of their natural prey drive and hunting behaviour. Kittens absolutely do teethe, just like tiny humans. She’s finally.come to trust me and even once in a while she will show herself to be petted when I have friends over. You’ll find a connection. Also you may want to invest in a chew toy or two in order to have him release his fixation of chewing on something perfectly acceptable to chew. It doesn’t hurt, in fact I find it adorable, but I just needed to know why. Be extremely excited audibly when he’s behaving well without nibbles, he’ll likely learn to seek this approval and won’t get carried away with the bites as often. Our fingers and toes are the most sensitive part of the human body because of all the nerve endings in them. When it gently bite you after a meal, know that it appreciates for that love and they want you to note it. Let me know if you give it a try, and if so, if she starts to understand about the licking! You can also try grabbing a slew of toys cats can play with by themselves to scatter around the house in case your cat gets a burst of energy and you don’t happen to be around or your cat is happy to play on his or her own. My husband was sick with a pretty nasty cold and was sleeping on the couch. Cats have a very strong sense of smell and many can’t resist lusting after a bite even if the faintest of food smells lingers. My male cat’s best friend (another male) died a month ago, they basically slept curled up together every day. So I was sitting on the front porch, hand on porch, as I* was leaning back on my arms.