Question:
It's really cute and I've read about other people's cats who do this...but why do some cats nibble on your chin or nose (ouch!)?
When I'm brushing Merlynn she head butts me and sometimes nibbles and licks my chin. It is the cutest thing...but is there a reason for it?
Like when they "make biscuits" that's supposed to be an instinctive reaction - something they did when they were nursing.
Is there some cool expanation for the nibbling?
Note: It is really cute when she does it softly, but when I'm sleeping and she is hungry and wants to get my attention, she clamps down a little harder - the worst was when she grabbed the bridge of my nose one time. Ay!
Answer:
sometimes I think it has to do with breed, but honestly.. I don't know from one cat to another why one does this and one does that. I think, though, that nipping or biting used to be a Siamese trait, but that's just what I've heard. I had a cat that nipped to get my attention, and she had strong Siamese in her background (which then led to numerous discussions that Siamese do that to their person often)... so how much of that is truth? No idea.
You might try ignoring her when she does it. I'd probably do it even when she's just nipping lightly just to disuade her from doing it altogether. I know how annoying and startling that is when they get you while you're asleep. Tavi would do it to me when she wanted fed (usually on weekends when I wasn't up yet). I was allowed to sleep in about 15 minutes and then she'd make her displeasure known.
Answer:
Hmmm..interesting. Thanks.
Yeah, it is quite startling when she has gotten ahold of my septum. Ouch!
I have been gently pushing her off the bed in the morning if it's too early for them to eat or if I'm too tired to get up. But usually by 630a they eat so if she's there at 630a I'll get up, but today it was 530a. no thanks cutie pie. i'm sleeping for one more hour!
silly nibblers. yeah, the other one doesn't do it at all. But i'm glad since his teeth are probably double the size of Merlynn's.
Answer:
I finally convinced my domestic that she shouldn't do things like lay on the book I was reading or demand attention while cuddling in bed by just ignoring her (sometimes a small push was necessary due to the fact that she was sitting or laying on my book)... but I just refused to give her attention when she did it and now she shares my bed in the proper manner, curled up next to me, getting pet as I deem fit, not as she demands it. Bless her heart, she is a good kitty. Thank goodness they do learn.
Answer:
I've not looked this up anywhere but aren't they grooming us when they do that? I've seen two cats do things like that together. Lucky you! Your cat keeps you clean!
Answer:
I haven't looked it up either, so this is just completely based on my opinion.. mine does it when she wants attention.. Tavi did it when she wanted me to get up (when she was ready to eat), or when she wanted pet... and she'd start out soft, and work her way up to whatever it took to get a response. She never broke the skin, though. Sometimes they nip when they're being affectionate, and sometimes when they're grooming.. just depends, I think, on the situation and the cat.
I think with Tavi it was a combination of annoyance on her part that I wasn't doing what I was supposed to.. but she'd also nip gently when she was cuddling too. They were a lot more insistent when she wanted something.
Answer:
Givi did it today when he was cleaning himself and my face was near, so he cleaned his paw, noticed me and licked my chin couple of times that was so cute i was like "thank you my little big-eared face scrub"
Answer:
Hercules isnt a licker but hes a biter...not a nibbler! I toss and turn in my sleep and since my eyes dont function at that time I cant see him if he moves so he will bite me as if to say hey fatty get off of me..Hes never broken skin but has gotten me hard enough that I woke up with a shriek...Bubba is a licker and nibbler but he only does it to ears and the tip of my nose. I just wish it wasnt just me that the cats did this too but Im the one the sleep with....
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We call it "being fleaed" , and take it as a sign of affection (and that perhaps our cats-and occasionally, the dog-ouch!- think we need a bath- LOL) .
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Hahahaha. All of those posts are pretty funny. Guess we aren't as clean as they'd like us to be.
Answer:
ROFL, my cat Dinah does this randomly throughout the day. She just walks up, nibbles, and walks away. My fiance says she's checking to see if I'm dead yet, so she can eat me (a la Catwoman in that movie)
Answer:
Originally Posted by Betty Ann
ROFL, my cat Dinah does this randomly throughout the day. She just walks up, nibbles, and walks away. My fiance says she's checking to see if I'm dead yet, so she can eat me (a la Catwoman in that movie)
Well, that's sort of disturbing.
Survival of the fittest at its best.