I have a story I want to tell you. I have a cat (maybe a kitten one), it is adorable but often bites me. It is worth mentioning that my cat regularly licks my hand and then bites. At first, I didn’t apprehend why my kitty did that, but after looking into it, I figured out why.
Surely if you are reading this article, you have also experienced the same story as me, right? Cat language is expressed in many ways and one of them is biting. To share and help you answer the question: “Why does my cat lick me then bite me” I will write specifically for you to explore with me.
6 reasons to explain this behavior
Cats may bite for different causes: to affirm power or react to danger, to stop undesirable attention from people, or even as a way to communicate something effortless. This mostly happens to adult cats, since kittens often bite to associate or as a manner to explore everything around them.
Whereas in this article, we are learning about an exact detailed situation: “Why does my cat lick me then bite me”. Most of them do not have an aggressive expression, which confounds most people because the cat is not angry but they don’t seem to be very joyful either.

- Affection bites
Just imagine, you are reading my article and your cat is licking you then bitting you suddenly. Congratulations! You may get “a belove bite” from your feline. It is a remarkably familiar interaction with cats, especially kittens. Your cat may be attempting to show you adoration. While it may not feel pleasurable (you know all cats’ tongue is rough), it’s just a piece of its communication.
“Affection bites” can occur both ways – it might be that your cat is showing love or they can be requiring it. Cats are animals that are very independent and do as they satisfy- Cats are warning!!!!. They are not fans of antisocial style they just like to have cared when they love to. Hence, if your cat licks and bites you, they just order to be love to the moon and back. “Why does my cat lick me so much”, “Why does it bite me?”- My friend, you now get the answer!
- “Enough, human!”
As I mentioned, cats are completely picky about what they like and when they enjoy it. Maybe you’re petting your furry friend comfortably, it’s purring and everything is splendid. And the next thing (you can guess it), is to lick and bite you. “Love bites?”- Not really! Since you’re petting the cat, it may be responding by biting you to say: “Enough petting,” or you’re touching a part of the cat’s body that it doesn’t like.
Therefore, just calm down because you got your explanation about:” Why does my cat bite me?” (and bite, of course, it happens)
- “Want to play?”
With a cold and mysterious appearance, cats are still friends that we need to have fun with. So another reason a cat licks and bites might simply be because they want to invite you to play with them. One defining feature of this situation is: the cat’s ears and whiskers are facing forward, the tail is up, and the pupils are slightly dilated. Yes! Your cat is extremely ready for any game. Other manifestations may be arched or hunched posture. Licking and biting you because they just want you to play with them, cats are so funny!
- “Let me groom you, meow!”
I have experienced being licked by cats so much. I didn’t understand why it did that until I learned that: Cats have an instinct to lick their fur to groom themselves. They detangle by biting and licking, brushing to keep their fur as clean and soft as possible.
Consequently, if your cat licks and bites you (the cat does it repeatedly and seemingly on purpose), don’t panic! You are being groomed by this furry little friend. This is a typical cat interaction, and they only act like this with their siblings or people they love. No more questions, cats love you so much!
- Nervousness
“Why is my cat licking me?”- If you see your cat licking or biting too much and acting aggressive (they may bite some of the items at home or your finger), your feline is most likely stressed and anxious. The truth is that cats are very susceptible to stress because things like: seeing a new person, moving to a new house, and having a new pet are all causes. Therefore, we must pay attention to those things. If you see your cat acting strangely, ask your veterinarian for a diagnosis and medicine.
- “I smell something on your hand…”
My friend, have you washed your hands? hard-to-remove odors such as food smells (seafood, meat, spices), perfumes, musty odors, etc. can awaken a cat’s sense of smell and cause them to lick and bite your hand. This is a cause that we often subjectively ignore. Above all, too strong scents also make cats uncomfortable and react by biting. By now you probably know “why is my cat licking me” right?

What to do to prevent your cat’s behavior?
After sharing the causes why cats lick and bite you, I think we also know the methods to stop this behavior. For cats with aggressive expressions, what we should do is “don’t anger them”. By avoiding situations that irritate your cat when possible, you will bypass the pain of being bitten.
Also, when you and your cat have lived together for a certain amount of time, you will know why your little friend behaves like this. To limit this manner, try not to overwhelm your cat with play. Things get over extremely quickly if your cat tends to be aggressive. Thus, be positive and have fun, but don’t overdo it.
In addition, if your cat is playing or behaving gently and calmly, you should reward them with a treat (sausage, biscuits, pate). Note that scolding or hitting the cat will not do any good. Just like you raise a child, be empathetic and patient so that understanding is always present. Some people insist on physically torturing cats, making them more aggressive and bite more.
In conclusion…
For those who are addicted to cats, I believe you will love this article because these shares will help you understand the language of cats better. Raising a cat is like raising a kid, it always requires tolerance and perseverance. You are not a cat and cats are not human. That’s why let’s accept the cat’s personality and train them to be better. Love!
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