Cat bites me - weird

[SarfE4sticated]

Hi there, I hope you can help. Our cat is a two year old rescue and we have had her for two and half months. She is lovely, but quite skittish, flighty and random, whereas our previous rescue (diseased) was 7 when we got her, more placid and easier to read.

So kittycat often lies on my chest for an ear tickle head stroke, but then without any warning will grab my hand and bite it. Not hard, but it's a bit unnerving. I'm not touching her in any new way, she just grabs and bites. If she comes to wake me up the morning she will do it too, but in a nice way, will nibble the palm of my hand. She does like me, as always follows me around and rubs up against me, but why the biting?

She's been spending time in the garden stalking pouncing and climbing and having a great time, so is she just dying to bite something? (Sometimes she stalks me too).

I have no idea what to do, or if I need to do anything? Can you advise?

Thankyou.

Sounds like totally normal cat behaviour. The fact that she's not drawing blood means she's only playing!

Thanks Watcher that makes me feel better, I was a bit worried I was doing something awful to her.

One of my boys does this all the time. They are like love bites but they can bloody hurt!

My kitten bites my hand and sometimes my ear when he's being affectionate. I'm sure our big cats went through a bitey phase too when they were a bit younger mainly when being playful.
As pp said, she's not drawing blood. Believe me, you'd know it if she meant to hurt!

Our cat also does this. She's 4 and we've had her since she was 10 weeks. I just push her off me and tell her off when she does it.

My previous cat would do this, and hang on! I found that if I relaxed my hand I could usually release it from her grip, and she'd just end up confused.

One of our cats does this. It is very strange - we've always had cats but never one that nips like this.

One of my torties has different bites. There's the "I'm over excited" biting of the hand when cuddled. There's the "you're sitting on my chair" head bite to get you to shift. And the "wake up!" Bite of any bit she can reach!!

I've had a cat who did this. I don't think she meant to hurt (she certainly could have done if she wanted) and it was almost like she'd got too happy and it spilled over into being bitey, like when a toddler gets too excited at a party and goes a bit naughty.

It's just that they are showing love. They like a little nibble but won't clamp down. It's when they're happy and over stimulated.

Mine sometimes bites like she wants to kill. It hurts. If I’m alert it’s pretty easy to predict and I shove her off. If she does it then the only options are to go floppy and not fight as otherwise she grips and kicks too. Or grab her scruff and drag her off. She’s not drawn blood. Yet.

My 14 year old cat still does it but sometimes too bloody hard and breaks the skin. But then she was feral before.

Mine is also bitey, never enough to break the skin, just enough to let you know he is there! I'm sure I read somewhere that it's a sign of affection😀