Here's Why Your Cat Gives You "Love" Bites
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 or lick, it can be seen as a sign of affection.
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.
Overstimulation
However, as most cat owners know: sometimes these gentle nibbles and licks can be a sign that your cat is overstimulated and they're letting you know, gently, that it's time to stop. If you've ever been petting your cat only to have their gentle nibbles escalate suddenly into a harder bite, your cat may be experiencing overstimulation. If you have multiple cats that groom each other, you may notice this behavior during grooming time, too.
Cats may experience overstimulation due to the sensitivity of their hair follicles - after an extended period of petting or pressure, it can begin to hurt and cause discomfort in cats. Gentle nips may be your cat letting you know petting time is over; these warnings may be paired with other signs of discomfort, such as tail swishing or flicking, skin twitching over the back, flattening of the ears, freezing, tenseness or staring, quick head turn to watch your hand as you pet, pupillary dilation, or walking away and lying down.
How to Stop "Love Bites"
While love bites can often be a sign of affection, they can still hurt or cause discomfort to us cat owners. It's okay to discourage this behavior.
1. When your cat gives you love bites, don't quickly pull your hand away. Instead, stop moving your hand altogether until the nibbles stop, then move your hand. Cats are visual predators and the movement of your hand may encourage their prey drive and make them chomp down harder, purely out of instinct.
Don't yell at or swat your cat, as this may result in fearful or aggressive behavior. Instead, use a reward system, such as treats, when the cat shows appropriate behavior.
2. If your cat gives you love bites a little too often, try a hands-off play style. Use interactive toys such as a variety of wand toys or even an app-controlled cat toy to encourage bonding with your cat without the love bites.
Does your cat give you love bites? Let us know in the comments!
I adopted a cat that I named Princess, named after my male cat Prince who was hit by a car about 3 months ago. She is precious! Also, truly fits her name. Princess is a shiny, long haired black and white gift. She is so lovable and adores me. She gives me little bites and head bunts and seems to understand everything I tell her. I wondered what these little nips meant so I googled it and read exactly what I expected because I did assume she has truly taken me on as her mother. She is 8 months old, spayed and very well behaved already. I’m disabled, 62 years old and live alone. She brings me so much joy and stays where I do, even when we go outdoors. Thank y’all for all your comments. Happy Cat Parenting 🐱
Yes. My cat is very loving and affectionate and when I pet him he always gives me very gentle little nibbles
My sister gave me her cat due to behavior issues. The family’s previous cat was very very laid back and gentle, but this one would go outside the litter box and “attack” my young niece’s feet as she walked by.
Since living with me she’s been very affectionate, first sleeping at my feet at night and within the past week or so sleeping near my upper torso where we’ll frequently “snuggle”. I’ll not simply place my arm over her torso and she’ll start purring, then lick and bite my hand. We’ve become quite fond of each other over the past few weeks since moving in with me, I wouldn’t trade her for the world.
My cat is often lonely at night when the household goes to sleep. If I should happen to come downstairs in the dark for some reason, she seems excited that I have come down, but sometimes she also seems to get aggressive. She will charge at me, follow me closely and try to bite my legs. I am
not sure if this is affection because it seems more like actual aggression – the bites are harder than love bites! She sometimes gets so intense that she corners me when I’m trying to walk. She never behaves like this during the day,
only sometimes at night. Is this playing or not? I’m
never sure.
2 nibblers here. My girl likes to nip my face when cuddling – she’s a chest cat and loves to suckle on my shoulder, turns to look at me and grabs hold of my face (usually lightly although she does gradually increase pressure).
My boy seems to be more bitey for attention or over stimulation – he’s a knuckle biter and usually only stops trying once he has got you at lease once during a cuddle. But bare legs in the bathroom are his fave – normally in the morning when his bowl is empty.
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