There are many times a cat may bite you and you aren’t entirely sure why. It’s why a lot of the articles I have on feline behaviours revolve around the topic of biting, chomping, chewing, and nibbling on humans from our feline friends.
I’ve spoken about why cats may take to biting feet, ankles, or legs at times, why cats chew fingers, why cats in general nibble on humans, and even more peculiar insofar as it’s an odd-seeming combination of two behaviours: why cats lick then bite, or bite then lick us humans sometimes.
There absolutely are a plethora of other explanations for these types of behaviours – from wanting to play, wanting to grab your attention so you can do something for him/her being hungry, heck, even smelling food on you fingers.
At the same time, one explanation that seems to come up every single time I write one of these articles is how it’s often just a way cats show affection. And if you’re here, chances are you’ve got a crazy strong hunch that’s what it’s been about all along with your cat’s particular form of biting.
So why do cats bite when they’re being affectionate? If your cat is indeed giving you a “love bite” – what the heck does that entail from the perspective of a cat? Why do they choose to bite us when we choose to show our affection through actions like petting or holding instead?
What makes biting so natural to them as a sign of affection? And does it have something to do with why these bites are typically so incredibly gentle – certainly not hard enough to pierce skin, and barely hard enough to hurt a fly?
I don’t have concrete answers myself, because I’m not sure if this behaviour has been studied well enough by scientists to make a list based on studies alone.
At the same time, there are a lot of good guesses out there, some that may have been proven already (let me know in the comments section if you can think of related studies please!), others that may be studied and confirmed as true one day, and even some that may turn out to be false.
These are theories you may find likely to be true, likely to be false, or a mixed bag. In any case, let me know which you believe make more sense than others and are more likely to be the true explanations of these feline love bites of affection in the comments down below.
Have a story about a cat who affectionately bites? Please take a moment to share at as well.
While we may not have the answers worked out by science, we can still talk about behaviours like this and try to come up with reasonable theories that satiate our curiosity about quirky feline behaviours like affectionate biting.
Now let’s get into the theories.
12 Theoretical Reasons That May Explain Why Cats Bite Humans Affectionately
1. Kittens play rough with siblings & mothers; cats may be continuing that form of rough affection with love bites to humans.
There’s a lot of rough play that goes on while a kitten progresses into adulthood.
This rough play is an important part of a kitten’s development – teaching them to stalk, pounce, and hunt in a safe environment before they’re able to take on the world.
Since kittens grow up playing rough with their feline family members, this type of rough affection may be something specific cats never really grow out of.
2. Since kittens grow up play fighting with their mothers & siblings, this may lead them to mentally associate affection with play.
A lot of humans (myself included!) grow up with grandparents and parents obsessed with making sure they’ve eaten enough and their stomachs are always full.
To an extent, this fussing over us, showing they care, while simultaneously filling our bellies makes us associate food and affection together.
There’s a similar thing going on with cats, in my opinion, who associate being fed (by their mothers’, then by their humans) with food.
But there’s also in my opinion the same kind of mental association with play fighting and affection.
When cats grow up, they spend so many hours “practice hunting” with their mums and siblings, it’s almost impossible, in my mind, that most of them wouldn’t begin to associate play with affection, companionship, and comradery.
Thus, maybe their bites during affectionate moments are a bit of proof that those two are intermingled in their minds.
3. Since cats play fight (which includes gently biting) only cats they are very close with, your cat may be treating you like a feline family member.
Cats aren’t going to play fight with any old cat around the block. When two cats who are not friends meet and have a physical altercation, real nails come out and real bites get used if things are bad enough.
Among friends, something completely different happens, and gentle bites are used – ones nothing like the aggressive bites of a cat fight.
If your cat is biting you while being affectionate, it’s the same type of thing he or she would do to a feline friend or family member, thus in my mind, it’s a bit like saying, “You’re family,” although we may not prefer the message to be sent that way as humans.
4. Gentle bites are frequently used by cats to get attention; love bites might be used to grab your attention while being affectionate.
Many cats like attention, but some cats seem to be obsessed with it – even to the point where the desire for attention seems to be too much for humans to handle.
Yes, maybe you were affectionately petting your cat when a little bite happened and you weren’t sure why – but were you really paying attention when that happened?
If not, maybe the bite is a cute to pay more attention, and not just cuddle while paying attention to the TV or the computer instead.
5. Gently biting also seems to be a form of feline communication; possibly communicating the message: “More cuddles please!”
Think about all the ways we as humans communicate without words: we use hand motions, facial expressions, gestures, even the act of touching another human being on the knee is used to show comfort.
Gently biting could also be used as a form of communicating quite a few different things.
If you’re being affectionate toward your kitty and cuddling when the bite happens, but you stop and another bite takes place, then when you pet your cat, your cat stops biting, it may be a somewhat clear indication your cat is using the bite to ask for more cuddles.
6. Gently biting while being affectionate could also be used to express feelings of happiness, calmness, & security as well.
When we are happy, calm, comforted, at peace, and all those other positive emotions, we smile.
Cats don’t smile, and while they sometimes purr to show that they’re happy, they could also be using gentle bites during cuddle time to show that they’re content with the snuggles.
7. Cats also seem to use nips to say that, while the cuddle session was lovely, they’re done with pets for now.
These types of bites seem to happen a lot in my household with my second cat, Bjorn.
He’s quite a biter to begin with, and will, in my opinion, be incredibly tempted to bite while we’re petting him in ways he likes – though he usually holds back as he knows we don’t like it since we scold him for doing it.
These days, he really only goes in for a bite visually and usually when he’s had too much stimulation through petting and is ready for a break.
He’ll not show his teeth like some cats will, instead, he’ll slowly go in to bite, slow enough that you can take your hand away, and if you don’t get the message, will gently bite to clarify.
8. Cats may like the sensation of chewing or nibbling fingers & get enjoyment out of doing so when being affectionate with humans.
I do think a lot of cats like the sensation of biting, chewing, or nibbling, especially on fingers, and that’s a reason why some cats nibble while being affectionate.
My cats both like chewing on plastic, especially thicker, soft plastic like the types that keep tissue boxes together in packs of 6 or 12. One of my cats, Bjorn, likes chewing so much I bought him a slew of cat chew toys to try out.
I absolutely wouldn’t be surprised to learn that cats like nibbling on squishy, fleshy human fingers, as they seem like the perfect texture for that kind of thing.
9. Cats may nibble on humans while being affectionate as a form of stress relief, like kneading.
Cats knead for a lot of reasons, one major one being that it’s a form of stress relief for them, something like stretching, tapping a foot on the ground, or sucking a thumb are for adult and children humans.
Cats nibbling in general may be a form of stress relief as well, adding to the calm, relaxing feelings they have when they’re being affectionate with their humans.
10. Biting is a part of grooming for cats; your cat biting you while being affectionate may be something like grooming you.
If you have a short haired indoor cat, there’s a chance you’ve never seen a cat bite while grooming before, but it is part of the ritual during specific moments: when a cat can’t get what he or she wants cleaned by licking.
When sticky things find their way into fur, when cats have pieces of debris stuck in their nails, when there are mats of hair that need to be pulled apart, the teeth come out and biting becomes as natural a part of the grooming session as licking.
Your cat biting you while being affectionate may be – to him or her – something like grooming you. If your cat often licks you as well, seems to me to be a stronger possibility.
11. Cats groom cats of lesser status in their colonies; your cat may be showing dominance over you with his or her bites.
When cats allogroom, or lick and groom one another, research seems to be showing they do it not just for hygiene reasons, and not even mainly for hygiene.
It appears to be a socialization behaviour, one that a dominant cat does to a less dominant cat, that reduces their stress and keeps the peace of the colony.
When your cat bites you, if it is a sort of grooming, this may be an indication that he or she thinks of you as less dominant, and more submissive – pretty interesting to ponder isn’t it?
12. Your cat’s affectionate nibbles may be a form of scenting, marking you as their territory to show other cats you’re theirs.
Cats love getting their scents all over things they feel are theirs – and that includes people.
If your cat is biting you, it leaves their scent on the places he or she nibbles on, and thus this type of marking you as their territory may be a part of why cats nibble and bite when they’re being affectionate.
Your Thoughts on Cats Biting Affectionately?
Why do you think cats bite when they’re being affectionate?
Do you have a cat who does this – have multiple cats who do this? Do they all sort of bite in the same way or have different quirks about their love bites?
What do you think are theories likely to be true? Which theories do you feel are unlikely to be accurate?
Do you have any ideas not on this list that could explain why cats bite when they’re affectionate? Have any stories related to share?
Love to hear your thoughts & stories in the comments down below!
Hi
My cat has been biting me a lot when cuddling (in the face) and my best guess is that it’s these so called “love bites”. The thing is, though, that he bites hard enough to pierce the skin, which does not seem like “love bites”. So I was wondering if you might know what that could be?
It’s only when I’m laying in the bed and he’s laying next to my head and licking my nose or cheek. He never does it to my boyfriend, though they cuddle in the same way with licking on the face.
I’m very worried, since we have a baby on the way and I don’t want him to think it’s okay to bite.
We inherited a cat from our neighbor after he was put into a nursing home. We had no idea he even had a cat because he lived on large farm and kinda old and cranky. Our exterminator was treating the outside of our house. He finished spraying the house and asked if we had a cat. I said no he informed me that there were dead squirrel and mole remains in the bushes. We have two bishions and I walk them on leashes and noticed a cat following us on walks. I started seeing the cat around the house and started putting out food for it. Now Botton has a heated home on our front porch . I go out at night and feed him on the porch and I think he had rather me rub him than me feed him. He purrs and is very affectionate and sometimes he gives me little love bites never breaking the skin but it scares me because I don’t know if he’s had rabies shots. There is no way I could take him to the vet. He caught me putting frontline for fleas on him and he stayed away for a week. I’m not a cat person but love animals and he purrs when I rub him but the bites scare me
My cat bites Hard and it’s for affection. It’s confusing to me and I hate it! Can I bite back?
I have a cat that was a stillborn that I revived. I think we have a special connection and when we got rid of the other 5 kittens (we kept two and the mother) I just couldn’t part with her. She loves to curl up in the crook of my arm on her back to sleep. Awhile ago when we would cuddle she would climb up on my chest and lick my face then started biting. I figured it was out of affection but glad to know I’m not the only one this happens with. I have had dogs all my life but was never allowed to have an indoor cat. I like having them and the comfort we can give each other. My daughter’s cat is a one person cat!! She only is comfortable cuddling with her. The mother will cuddle with anyone willing to give her “a hand” lol. Thank you for the info.
I am having a real problem with a cat who bites out of affection. I have 3 cats who live at my house. The biting cat is a 4th and belongs to the neighbor next to us. The problem is not the bites, which tend to be quick and light, the problem is the infections that have sometimes followed. I’ve been to the ER twice for treatment and right now I’m sitting here watching another pin prick bite that I’ve circled with a marker so I can see if the pink around it spreads. This time he bit me through a rubber glove. He did not leave a hole in the glove, but did leave a hole in me that I was able to squeeze a drop of blood from… I’m hoping the glove kept any bacteria out of the puncture. The punctures that don’t bleed freely are actually more likely to trap bacteria inside. Washed, soaked 10 minutes in an iodine solution… we’ll see. In terms of cat’s behavior, I pet him, I give him treats and a little catnip once in a while. He did a bite a couple of weeks ago, so I’ve been pulling back to make sure I don’t over excite him. Today he was stretching his paws out to grab my hand, he wanted contact. I put my hand down to allow him to rub against it, but I didn’t actively pet him.. sharp, quick nip. Maybe it was the attention getting nip? I find myself wondering if vets will file down the incisors of cats that repeatedly bite to avoid this kind of puncture? I’m concerned that if I keep going to the ER the cat will be reported to animal control and he is truly a very nice cat. He just gets too affectionate and I don’t know how to discourage him. I think that sometimes he bites out of an overabundance of feelings and sometimes for attention.
As someone who works regularly with cats, I have had to deal with this biting behavior. Cats are intelligent and can take correction when the cat bites correct, him in a gentle fashion. Use what other chiding method you would use. Such as a quick, no, a gentle tap on the nose, or a tiny puff of air in the face. once the cat realizes that the biting behavior is not acceptable, they will often stop. make sure this chastisement is incredibly gentle and is not associated with the infection in anyway you don’t want to lose your cats trust by being overly exuberant in your chastisement, or by accidentally associating the chastisement with affection. it’s the biting you want the cat to associate the negative feedback, not the affection.
My cat does this. I think number 6 might be the best theory. She loves attention and cuddling. When she is purring and happy and comfy, she like to give me a gentle bite on my hand. It doesn’t hurt and is always soft, but I want her to stop. Guests get freaked out by it. Has anyone found a way to stop it?
My cat definitely gives me little love bites as a sign of affection, and maybe even she’s trying to groom me! She goes crazy for pets and loves for me to scratch her head and whiskers. Petting her becomes a challenge because she insists on turning her head to lick and nibble my hands while I do this. I always get the feeling that she’s trying to show affection back.
Mine does this too!
I have three inside/outside cats
They come & go as they please thru a kitty door
This past Feb I noticed a cat taking refuge in my front bushes … He was either dumped or left when someone moved
I left food & water … After a couple months he moved to my wrought iron front porch … I put a warm blanket in a small dog house for him out of the elements
He follows me around the front yard, lets me pick him up, purrs when I pet him … I know he wants in the house … It is obvious @ his previous home he was allowed inside … He LOVES the attention I give him … All of a sudden he will bite me out of nowhere & not easy … I really don’t over do the attention & give Chris the cat space … Not sure what I am doing wrong ???
A very belated reply: I’ve had a number of rescues, and it sounds like yours is just a bit feral given the background, I currently have a cat who was also abandoned, and she’s likewise affectionate but prone to biting wham! out of nowhere. She’s firm but never breaks skin. Based on my experience with other slightly feral cats, it can take a long time to break the habit.
I have 2 cats. A male and a younger female. The male will lay next to me on the couch, roll onto his back and allow me to pet and rub his belly as long as I chose to do it. Yet he’s never bitten me. The female will sit on my lap and absolutely loves when I pet her head. She’ll rub her face all over my hands, but at some point she’ll bite. That’s why I think it’s more of an affection thing. If the petting became uncomfortable or unwanted, I would think that she would simply jump off of my lap. BTW, I had a 20 year old tabby (My baby. The best friend I’ve ever had or ever will have) who was the epitome of a lap cat. He would literally sit on my lap for hours, until I couldn’t hold off anymore and had to use the bathroom. 😂 Then he would just jump back up on me after I got back. Or use his stairs in his elder years. 😕. He would press his head into me, rub his head all around me and my hands, when offered and he never bit me. Cats are obviously much more unpredictable than dogs, so who knows why it differs so much.
My wonderful male cat Inkie has always given me light love bites on my fingers while we cuddle, which i love. But after about a year with me (I got him when he was 1.5 years old), he would bite much harder when he was hungry and wanted to get me out of bed or into the kitchen. Unfortunately…it’s been working, so he keeps doing it. I need to be far more consistent in either turning my back, hiding my hands, and ignoring him…or immediately putting him in another room till I’m ready to get up and feed all three of my cats.