Here's Why Your Cat Gives You "Love" Bites January 16 2019, 14 Comments
If you're a cat butler (err, owner) you've probably experienced a "love bite" or two. Love bites usually happen in the midst of kitty cuddle time. One minute your kitty will be purring away as you pet them, the next they're nibbling and nipping at your hands. My cat Rascal has a fondness for my chomping down on my knuckles. This odd behavior may leave many cat owners wondering, "Why is my cat biting me out of nowhere?"
Biting is a form of communication for cats. They can bite for more than a few reasons: fear, aggression, defensiveness, or acting territorially. But did you know that many cats give their owners gentle nibbles and nips as a display of affection? Hence the name "Love Bites"! Cats show their affection for us humans in several ways - you just have to know what to look for.
What is a Love Bite?
Love bites generally start as licks and graduate into gentle nips and nibbles that don't break the skin. Some cat behaviorists believe that love bites are reminiscent of a cat's kittenhood when their mothers would lick and nibble them during grooming. So if your cat is giving you a gentle nibble, you should take it as what it is: a gesture of affection!
Your cat is letting you know that they feel safe and comfortable around you. And believe it or not, though domestic cats aren't usually seen as "social" animals, they actually enjoy participating in what's called "allogrooming." Allogrooming is a social grooming behavior that helps increase bonds among social groups, in this case, you and your kitty; much like a pride of lions!
So, how can you tell what is and isn't a love bite? A love bite generally doesn't break the skin. And when your kitty is giving you these gentle nibbles, there won't be other signs of fear or aggression, like hissing, growling, and clawing. Engaging in "love bite" behavior, your cat's body language will be relaxed and calm.
How to Stop "Love Bites"
While love bites can be a sign of affection, they can still hurt or cause discomfort to us cat owners. It's okay to discourage this behavior. But be sure to use positive reinforcement - never react negatively to a biting cat. Instead, use a reward system, such as treats, when the cat shows appropriate behavior.
Comments
Hanna Garrison on June 27 2019 at 04:31PM
I have a beautiful black cat named Boo, I adopted him from the humane society about 4 years ago and he’s my baby. He gives me “love bites” all the time, but he’ll nibble until he gets a small pieces of skin and then bites harder, resulting in a pinching feeling. Also, when he gives me “love bites” he’ll start twisting his head while he’s biting me. During all of this he’s purring and is completely relaxed. I’m wondering, how do I get him to bite more gently? Because his “love bites” tend to hurt!
Jann Everly-Prisco on June 26 2019 at 04:22PM
My singleton bottle-fed cat is now 2 years old. He bites and breaks the skin. I don’t think it’s love bites. I don’t know what to do. I have bruises and scars from all the “love bites”. Even on my face!
Kathy Turner on June 22 2019 at 10:30AM
We have triplets that my husband rescued. We had to bottle feed them because they were so young. The smallest of the 3 is Mogwai. She likes to nuzzle her way under my husband’s t-shirt when he’s sitting in the recliner. Then she will bite his belly. Not sure what that means. His belly is hairy, so we thought it might remind her if her momma.
Donna shaffer on June 02 2019 at 08:27AM
I have a cat we found 5 years ago & decided to keep him, he was full of fleas & soaking wet, well long story short, he rubs & head butts & love nips but only does it to me, I’m the only one that feeds waters & cleans the litter box, he lets other people pet him but I’m the only one he does this stuff to, he’s a great cat, his name is Clyde, how can I send a picture of him
Donna shaffer on June 02 2019 at 08:21AM
I have a cat we found 5 years ago & decided to keep him, he was full of fleas & soaking wet, well long story short, he rubs & head butts & love nips but only does it to me, I’m the only one that feeds waters & cleans the litter box, he lets other people pet him but I’m the only one he does this stuff to, he’s a great cat, his name is Clyde, how can I send a picture of him
Melbeans on April 15 2019 at 06:25PM
My little rescue guy tends to curl up near my neck, give me a nose nip and stretches out a paw to touch my face before falling asleep. He’s the sweetest. He never nips in anger, just before nappy time.
Jean Jenn on February 01 2019 at 12:38AM
Of our two current cats, the male (neutered) is the one with the “problem”….just recently he (at 9 years of age!) began for the first time to nibble and bite us.
These start gentle but then become “real”….ie, they do break the skin.
The thing that is strange is this an entirely new behavior for him, and nothing else in our lives has changed.
He’ll nibble my forearm, to the point that it breaks the skin a bit, and leaves a mark, and ditto with the “play” biting. We had no choice but to tell him “no” sharply and remove him from our laps.
No idea how to “positively reinforce” stopping this or any other behavior!
(It has pretty much stopped, in the last 2 months).
Marilyn B Ma on January 23 2019 at 06:27PM
We have a rescue kitten, a domestic short hair), who was found in a storm drain, wet, muddy and poopy. We thought he was about 6-8 weeks old (he weighed 1.4 pounds), but the vet said he was 3-4 months old as his molars were coming in! He will never be a large cat as his dietary needs were not met before we got him. He loves to wrap himself around my neck and nibble on my ear lobes. His name is Li’l Guy and he is the sweetest kitten ever.
Diane Hampson on January 19 2019 at 03:20PM
We have two Siamese ragdoll litter mates, now 4 years old. The male, POOH is a 20lb bundle of love and the female, PEENIE is a 9 lb sweetie. They sleep with us, eat with us, and are on our laps constantly and understand everything we say. When POOH is cuddled, he smiles and sticks his teeth out and PEENIE gives gentle love nips that never hurt.
They look Siamese with huge blue eyes but have the ragdoll temperment,and are like little humans in fur coats!
Linda Pruneau on January 19 2019 at 10:43AM
My neighbour’s cat gives me love bites but,he tends to go overboard and try to use his back teeth to take a munch out of my finger.He is a sweetheart but,sometimes I wish he didn’t love me so much.My cats just nibble because their love isn’t so desperate and full of the fear of abandonment.
Cindy Darby on January 19 2019 at 10:35AM
I have several kitties that give “love nips.” TwoFace is a little old lady of 13 who likes to wake me with hand licks & nips! The name? She is a torture with half calico & half black face.
Carol Garnett on January 19 2019 at 10:16AM
We have 16 cats & some of them give Love Bites but never to hard so no need for us to discourage this behavior it doesn’t hurt & let’s us know we are loved & that’s the most important thing..Carol G
Sue swartzwelder on January 19 2019 at 09:31AM
I have a 17 year old female cat named Kissy. from the time she was a kitten she was always licking her siblings and me. Thus the name Kissy. Her “kisses always include a bite at the end of her licking session. Her favorite place to lick me is on my nose up to my forehead and she always bites the tip of my nose before she’s done. It can be uncomfortable but she’s such a sweetheart I let it go. She never leaves a mark.😁
Barbara A Morrissey on January 16 2019 at 10:17PM
I just got a little nipper for Christmas. He’s about 6-8 months old, Ziggy was a rescue seems to be very high strung very high energy. I think he loves my husband more because he snuggles with him. He always puts his head right under my husband chin and Ziggy hugs him. Me I get the toe licking in the morning when I put my feet on the floor then he nips me. The past new days he has been better he licks the top of my toes then walks away. This kitten has a huge personality!