Why Does My Cat Lick Me Then Bite Me?

You and your cat likely spend a great deal of time bonding. He or she may sit in your lap all curled up and you reach over and stroke your cat’s body. There is purring, quiet meows, and other signs of satisfaction. Eventually, your feline friend starts to lick your hand or arm.

You think nothing of it. It is just your cat telling you how much it enjoys your company and attention. Then it starts biting you. What is going on here? Well, in this article, we will take a closer look at what your cat is doing and examine some of the potential causes for the licking and biting.

You know your cat grooms itself. Sometimes this can be an all-day event that is comparable to the young teenager preparing for a first or second date. You know, where everything has to be just right. Your cat is the same. Grooming is serious business to your cat and if you have spent any amount of time watching your cat go through the process, you will have seen a lot of fur licking and some biting.

The biting is usually to work out a tangle and is often followed by some more licking. If you happen to be the favorite human of your cat, expect to get a bit of grooming done to you. This can be your arm, as an example. The biting would be your cat attempting to correct a tangle it feels is present. This type of licking and biting is not a cause for concern.

Another answer to the question Why does my cat lick me then bite me? Is probably the most obvious of reasons. Your cat is very, very fond of you. You can tell by how comfortable he or she gets when in your lap, or when it follows you around or sleeps next to you, or on the pillow when you are in bed.

When a cat bonds so tightly with a human, it shows that affection in several different ways. With a happy, content cat, you can expect to see things like grooming behavior as a way for your feline friend to communicate with you how much you mean to them. This will involve licking and biting. It is just your cat telling you that it enjoys being around you and spending time in your space.

Your cat is saying it loves you very much.

What would make our relationship with our cats a lot better? If they could speak English and tell us what is on their minds instead of leaving it up to us to figure out what they are trying to tell us. We are not going to get it right all the time because well, we’re only human.

However, there is enough evidence that suggests one reason why your cat may be licking and biting you is that he or she wants to play. It may sound far too elementary, but it is a fact. If your cat loves to spend playtime with you, because you are either particularly gifted at playtime or are bad at it, your cat doesn’t care.

If it has been decided that now is a good time to play, then you are getting dragged into it whether you want to or not. It’s not a bad thing, either. All it means is you have been summoned by your cat to get involved. It is best to respond to that or the biting may become a bit more serious. In other words, possibly painful to get the message across.

You should have an idea of what this feels like. Remember that guy at the office who just rubs you the wrong way after a while? You know, it’s the one that you can only take in small doses as too much will just drive you crazy. Well, your cat feels that same way at times.

It doesn’t mean that you and your cat are having relationship trouble, though. Essentially, if you have been petting or doting on your cat for a little longer than usual, your cat is going to tell you that you are getting to the point where they have had enough. Oh, but it gets better.

Normally, your cat will give you signals that enough is enough but you haven’t seen them. They may include such things as rippling of the tail, ear flicking, or ears flattened against the head. If you haven’t noticed these signs, your cat will follow them up with some licking and a little bit of biting to say it’s time to stop.

Okay, this happens. You are getting a meal prepared in the kitchen and during the process, you either stick your finger into the pot of whatever it is and take a sample, or for some reason you spill some food on yourself. Either way, once you sit back down with your cat you are going to get inspected.

Remember, your cat has an extremely strong sense of smell. This means that even if you washed your hand well, your cat is still going to smell that gravy or stew or whatever it was that came in contact with your skin. This naturally means your feline friend is going to lick that spot for quite some time.

Expect the odd nibble as well. All it is, is your cat trying to enjoy the food you and your family will be dining on once it is ready. Your cat will soon figure out that all they are reacting to is their sense of smell and will leave you alone.

Finally, why does my cat lick me then bite me? It could be something as simple as stress and anxiety. Believe it or not, cats do get a bit squirrely and the only way they know to lash out or try to get the message out that things are getting harder to handle is by licking and biting.

If you have ever wondered why does my cat lick then bite me? This could be the reason. Some cats are just a bit on the sensitive side and don’t do well under stressful conditions. You know, much like some humans you know. There are ways you can help your cat deal with these issues.

The best thing to do is set aside a dark, quiet place for your cat to retreat to anytime it feels overwhelmed. You may also want to get the advice of your local vet in case it is something far more serious requiring treatment from a professional.