Cat occasionally nips when being petted
Discussion
We have two cats who are on the whole very affectionate. The older one likes to be petted and will roll around, sit on your lap etc. purring and nuzzling your hands with his cheeks, as cats often do. One thing we're not sure about is sometimes when particularly animated he'll sometimes gently nip your finger with his teeth. It never seems aggressive and it's never really sore but we're a bit wary about it in case he ever does it to a child.
Should this be discouraged? Sometimes if he's really insistent on doing it I'll put him off my lap or tell him off and walk away.
Any thoughts?
Should this be discouraged? Sometimes if he's really insistent on doing it I'll put him off my lap or tell him off and walk away.
Any thoughts?
Where are you fussing him when he nips (around the bum/ on his tummy?) If you know a trigger point then obviously avoid it. Sounds like he has self control though so I wouldn't be overly concerned.
My old cat has always play bitten, when I tickle his tummy, in all his years he has never bitten hard/ broken skin. If I don't want to be 'bitten' I don't tickle his tummy! He has got too excited occ but as soon as he's gone to bite more animatedly he stops as soon as his teeth touch my hand,
He is almost 18 and he is gentle with my young boy (though in return my boy is very good with him, it cuts both ways!)
My old cat has always play bitten, when I tickle his tummy, in all his years he has never bitten hard/ broken skin. If I don't want to be 'bitten' I don't tickle his tummy! He has got too excited occ but as soon as he's gone to bite more animatedly he stops as soon as his teeth touch my hand,
He is almost 18 and he is gentle with my young boy (though in return my boy is very good with him, it cuts both ways!)
You'll learn to spot the (very slight) change in body language and stop in time. Whatever it is you're doing, he doesn't like it.
Mine is similar; she's just not a very tactile cat sometimes. Her favourite trick is 'tummy of death' - she rolls on her back looking all cute and fluffy - but woe betide anyone who tries stroking her then!
Mine is similar; she's just not a very tactile cat sometimes. Her favourite trick is 'tummy of death' - she rolls on her back looking all cute and fluffy - but woe betide anyone who tries stroking her then!
Simpo Two said:
Mine is similar; she's just not a very tactile cat sometimes. Her favourite trick is 'tummy of death' - she rolls on her back looking all cute and fluffy - but woe betide anyone who tries stroking her then!
Ha ha, tummy of death, mine does that as soon as he's on his back, you stop stroking unless you want claws scratching you to death. 
Thanks all. Bex, normally it's not while directly fussing him, just if I'm holding my hand steady and he's nuzzling his face on it sometimes he'll nuzzle with his mouth open and gently bite my knuckles or finger. @Simpo Two, occasionally if he's on his back and I'm fussing his belly he'll go as if to bite so I know he doesn't want that and stop immediately. A lot of the time he's quite happy to have his belly fussed.
Our younger cat is much more gentle normally, she'll look you in the eye, lift a paw and just gently push your hand away if she doesn't want you to touch her. She's normally quite nuzzly but I think maybe once or twice she's nipped gently but that's it, and again always when she's purring and nuzzling.
I think it's just when they're being affectionate and get a wee bit carried away, just not sure I've known any other cat do this except when threatened or sometimes when playing rough - ours don't do it when playing really, just when nuzzling.
Our younger cat is much more gentle normally, she'll look you in the eye, lift a paw and just gently push your hand away if she doesn't want you to touch her. She's normally quite nuzzly but I think maybe once or twice she's nipped gently but that's it, and again always when she's purring and nuzzling.
I think it's just when they're being affectionate and get a wee bit carried away, just not sure I've known any other cat do this except when threatened or sometimes when playing rough - ours don't do it when playing really, just when nuzzling.
bexVN said:
Where are you fussing him when he nips (around the bum/ on his tummy?) If you know a trigger point then obviously avoid it. Sounds like he has self control though so I wouldn't be overly concerned.
My old cat has always play bitten, when I tickle his tummy, in all his years he has never bitten hard/ broken skin. If I don't want to be 'bitten' I don't tickle his tummy! He has got too excited occ but as soon as he's gone to bite more animatedly he stops as soon as his teeth touch my hand,
He is almost 18 and he is gentle with my young boy (though in return my boy is very good with him, it cuts both ways!)
Our cat doesn't like being stroked on her back or tummy. If you even try she'll bite and scratch.My old cat has always play bitten, when I tickle his tummy, in all his years he has never bitten hard/ broken skin. If I don't want to be 'bitten' I don't tickle his tummy! He has got too excited occ but as soon as he's gone to bite more animatedly he stops as soon as his teeth touch my hand,
He is almost 18 and he is gentle with my young boy (though in return my boy is very good with him, it cuts both ways!)
But she's a tortie, so these things are expected
HarryFlatters said:
Our cat doesn't like being stroked on her back or tummy. If you even try she'll bite and scratch.
But she's a tortie, so these things are expected
We've got one of those loonies as well: easily half (if not less) of the weight of our two boys but twice as tough and entertaining!But she's a tortie, so these things are expected
OP - our 2 males both like to bite (no real damage) when playing.
8bit said:
Our younger cat is much more gentle normally, she'll look you in the eye, lift a paw and just gently push your hand away if she doesn't want you to touch her.
Ah yes, the "That's quite enough thank you minion"
My cat Ben is nippy when he's fed up with being stroked, you do learn to pick up on the warning signs, but sometimes he'll take you by surprise.
When we got ours she would pounce and bite quite regularly. I don't think either of us got through a day without being scratched and bitten for the first couple of weeks. We decided that although she appeared to do it randomly and maybe thought it was a form of play it was starting to hurt more and more and making it difficult to move around the house without worrying if you were about to get ambushed and started shutting her in "her" kitchen for 15 minutes on her own every time she did it. She's more or less stopped now so it seems to have made a difference.
Did a fair bit of reading on the subject as it was upsetting t'other half quite a bit to begin with. Obviously she has calmed down anyway over time and we have a feeling she might have been booted about or something in a former life as she was very wary with feet.
Did a fair bit of reading on the subject as it was upsetting t'other half quite a bit to begin with. Obviously she has calmed down anyway over time and we have a feeling she might have been booted about or something in a former life as she was very wary with feet.
Edited by StoatInACoat on Monday 14th January 15:55
Marf said:
Ah yes, the "That's quite enough thank you minion"
My cat Ben is nippy when he's fed up with being stroked, you do learn to pick up on the warning signs, but sometimes he'll take you by surprise.
That's it exactly! Never known a cat do that before, all the others I've known have taken a good swing or a proper bite whenever you do anything they're not in the mood for.My cat Ben is nippy when he's fed up with being stroked, you do learn to pick up on the warning signs, but sometimes he'll take you by surprise.
Negative Creep said:
My cat nibbles my ear to get attention, which is a bit annoying at 4am. Not sure of the best way to stop it, but I'm trying a firm "no" then completely ignoring him for a few minutes/hide under the bedcovers
Funny you should mention that, the one in question would tend to just sit right next to my ear (if I was sleeping on my side) or right on my chest if sleeping on my back and purr as loudly as he can manage if he wanted attention during the night. In the small hours of Sunday morning he woke me by gently nipping my elbow a couple of times. Not enough to hurt really and certainly not enough to break skin.K77 CTR said:
Simpo Two said:
Mine is similar; she's just not a very tactile cat sometimes. Her favourite trick is 'tummy of death' - she rolls on her back looking all cute and fluffy - but woe betide anyone who tries stroking her then!
Ha ha, tummy of death, mine does that as soon as he's on his back, you stop stroking unless you want claws scratching you to death. Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff