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Why does my cat bite me while cuddling?

If your cat has been biting you when cuddling with you, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about them.

So, why does my cat bite me while cuddling? Likely reasons why your cat bites you while cuddling are that your cat is intimidated, your cat is finished cuddling with you, your cat is actually showing you affection or that your cat is playing.

There are actually a number of possible reasons why your cat bites you while cuddling and it might be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.

Why does my cat bite me while cuddling?

Below are likely reasons why your cat bites you while cuddling.

Intimidation

The cause might also be that it does not like how you are cuddling it or that it wants you to stop cuddling it. This would be more likely if it starts cuddling you when you have been cuddling it for a while or when you cuddle it in a certain manner. It would also be more likely if it starts scratching or clawing at you.

Your cat is finished interacting with you

The cause could also be that it no longer wants to interact with you and it is biting you because it actually wants you to go away. This would be more likely if it starts biting you after you have been interacting with it for a while and if it also does things such as push itself away from you, flick its tail and stop purring.

Your cat is giving you a love bite

It could be the case that your cat is giving you a love bite. This is where it starts by licking you and purring and then gradually starts to gently bite you instead. The cause could be that cats will sometimes start biting, when they are grooming each other, in order to deal with tougher patches of fur. It could be the case that it licks then bites you, while cuddling, because it is grooming you and showing affection. This would be more likely if it also purrs and kneads when it does it.

Your cat is playing

Sometimes, cats will also start biting and scratching when they are playing. This would be more likely to be the reason why your cat does it if it also does things such as roll around at the same time.

Things to consider

Below are likely reasons why your cat bites you while cuddling.

If your cat has always bitten you while cuddling

If your cat did not always bite you while cuddling, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat first started doing it. If your cat started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as a change in the way that you have been cuddling with it or a change in how you interact with it.

The timing of when your cat bites you

If your cat seems to be doing it more at a certain time, it would also help to consider the timing. For example, if your cat starts doing it when there are loud noises inside, it could be the case that your cat gets intimidated by the noises and wants to go away and hide.

What to do about my cat biting me while cuddling?

Below are options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Avoid intimidating your cat

One option would be to pet and cuddle your cat differently, in a way that it seems to like, and to be calm and gentle with it. Generally, you will find that cats prefer to be rubbed bellow the chin instead of having their backs rubbed strongly and that they prefer to cuddle in a way that they are free to leave.

Observe your cat’s body language

It would also help to observe and to react to your cat’s body language. If your cat does things such as stop purring and kneading and start flicking its tail, it is likely that your cat has decided that it wants you to stop interacting with it.

Why does my cat bite me after cuddling?

A likely reason why your cat bites you after cuddling is that your cat is finished interacting with you and it wants you to let it leave. This would be more likely if your cat also flicks its tail and tries to push itself away from you. Other possible causes are that your cat is playing or showing you affection.