Cat biting - is this play or aggression?

[PurpleSky300]

So, I rehomed a stray cat a few months ago and she's lovely. She was ill at first so needed some antibiotics and dental treatment for gum disease but has recovered really well. She sleeps quite a lot in the day but then has a "mad hour" in the middle of the night, when she runs around the house jumping on things and generally causing chaos lol. "Zoomies".

Anyway, in this time period, she displays odd behaviour if I turn up. At first she seems a bit scared (?) but then she starts butting against my hands madly, as though for pets (?) but then bites my hands. I've assumed this was playing, she can carry on butting, biting and rolling about for about 15 minutes and then just seems to calm down. Is it play?

Sounds like play to me. One of our cats (Basil) is a right bitey bastard in the morning before we get up. Bites fingers, toes, noses etc. and purrs like mad while doing it. Clearly not aggressive behaviour (even though it's bloody painful sometimes 🤣).

Aw I do miss having a kitten again. Yes, that sounds just like play not aggression

Yes … I don’t think a cat would seek you out to bite you maliciously.

One of ours used to try to catch your hand in his mouth - completely playfully. It was discouraged - so he doesn’t do it unless overexcited now.

Cute :) I avoid night time zoomies with LOTS of high energy interactive play in the evening and a meal right before bed. I usually wake up before he does. If I don't I get 4am headbutts followed by bites to the cheek/nose/toes or a paw in my mouth 😂Never allow him to play with my hand or foot, always redirect to a toy..but sometimes my slippers are too appealing! I still get very gentle nibbles when he's overstimulated, that means play time has begun.

I try to enjoy it because I know there will be a time where he just wants to sleep on me, adorable but not as funny 😂

Aahhh cute! My cats differ but sone have been bitey... one of my juvenile boys just now is a bitey boy, he loves nibbling at me, my hair, my phone lol 😆

I've got one who is a little bit bitey when he wants attention, but he's learning (he's about 15 months old) and mostly knows what 'no' means. It sounds like play to me, but they do have sharp fangs!

She loves you!

Both my cats do this, lots of love and cuddles, lots of headbutting and then a loving chew on my hand.

Very different to the cat that got overstimulation aggression - that hurt!

And totally different to when one of my current cats bit me when he was scared. That hurt to the point of passing out, went very deep and was blown up with infection in minutes.

While his play bites are TBH a bit harder than is pleasant for me, having felt both there is a massive different between play, and biting like they mean it.

My poor girl only has 4 teeth, so not too much of a problem thankfully. They're 4 sharp ones though, haha.