Many people love to keep cats in their abode because of their comfortable company and sweet purrs. However, many cat lovers often encounter a problem where their cat bites their face.
Kittens do this without any provocation, and as a result, this issue bothers cat owners a lot. So, if you have a cat, you can also face this issue.
Therefore, you might be wondering why this happens? Is your cat trying to harm you, or do they have other reasons for it? These are some questions that hover around your mind. To remove all your queries, below we have provided all you need to know regarding why kittens bite your face.
Why does my kitten bite my face?
As you have learned from the above segment, multiple reasons are associated with cats biting your face. To know these, read the reasons below.
Show affection
As a cat lover, you might be aware they are affectionate pets who love showing affection to their owners.
Therefore, if you have Ragdoll, Birman, Persian, Bombay, Siamese breeds kittens, you should never be surprised if they bite your face. They do so to show their love and affection towards you.
Show dominance
Felines perform multiple activities to show dominance as they have a social hierarchy. Sometimes they look at your eyes, and at times, they will bite your face to display their dominance.
But if you are an aggressive and domineering owner, they feel more agitated and bite your face.
You might notice that your cat hiss or growl before biting you. Therefore, it is also a reason behind the biting issue.
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It is a playful activity
Kittens love to play with their owners. They consider face-licking, cuddling, bouncing, running, and purring as playful activities.
As a result, when they bite your face, it is also a part of the playful process. Therefore, do not be surprised, as biting your face is a common and harmless issue for kittens, especially within their species.
Show aggression
As you have learned, cats love to show dominance and aggression, which goes side by side with dominance. Sometimes they bite your face out of aggression and it is common for them.
You will locate many warning indications before they bite your face. For example, your cat might hiss, growl, tails flutter, scratch the ground before biting. You will see their ears pulled off before this as well.
In addition, if you separate a cat from its mother, it will become very aggressive, and as a result, it will bite your face. Therefore, aggression is a crucial reason behind such behavior.
Seek attention
Cats are attention seekers. They demand your undivided attention, and if you do not give it, it comes to your face and bites.
So, if you keep them alone for a long time, they will become more aggressive to get your care, and they will bite your face to get it. Additionally, you might experience their biting when you are asleep. It is so because they try to wake you up.
Rub their scent
As you might know, kittens have more smelling power than a human. After you finish your meal, you might notice that your cat bites your face.
It is so because they smell the food on you, and they nibble the remaining food on your face. As a result, they accidentally bite your face. Besides, their biting can also be a reason for sharing the scent while being cuddled.
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Is it normal for a kitten to bite your face?
By considering the above reasons, you can say that their biting behavior is quite normal. You should understand felines love to get affection and care from their owner.
They also have a social hierarchy, and due to this, they show dominance and aggression.
But how can they display all these? They act by biting your face to show all these. Therefore, the answer to the question is yes, it is normal for a kitten to bite its owner’s face.
Why does my cat bite my face in the morning?
As a cat owner, you might experience your cat biting your face in the morning. It is frustrating when you just woke up. But this is not a surprising act at all as they try to communicate with you in a certain way like purring and nudging.
As they cannot talk, they have their ways to tell you what they need and want. Besides, when fed up, bothered, hurt, scared, and threatened, they also bite your face in the morning or any other time.
Why does my kitten lick then bite my face?
Sometimes you might see your coveted kitten lick your face and then bite it. It is not a unique issue, as many cat owners often face this.
So, what are the reasons behind such behavior? To help you with this, here we have penned down some common reasons that will describe why your cat might lick you and then bite your face.
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Exhibit their love
When your little feline comes to you, licks you, and then suddenly bites your face, you need to understand that it shows its love in such a manner.
Kittens and older cats often lick and nip each other. Their skin is tougher than humans, and as a result, it does not hurt them.
Due to this, the cats think by biting your face, they can display their love towards you. Hence, it is one of the fundamental reasons behind such behavior.
Overstimulation
Sometimes you might see your cat is happy and calm when you are playing or cuddling with it. But suddenly, you might discover it gets unhappy and biting your face.
It is probably due to the effect of overstimulation. As the cats cannot tell you to leave them alone, they often share this message by licking and biting your face. Therefore, it is another reason that you can consider.
In a playing mood
When kittens are in a playing mood, they often lick and bite your face to communicate the message. If you notice their tail and whiskers, up and ears pointing forward, you need to understand that your cat wants to play.
Stress or anxiety
Sometimes you will see your coveted cat licking and biting your face excessively. If this happens, it is an indication that the cats are in anxiety or stress.
If you have a Siamese cat, you will often encounter this issue. Besides, you will see your cat chew objects when it is anxious. Hence, they will bite your face out of stress or anxiety.
Grooming for bonding
Cats tend to groom each other. As a result, if your kitten licks you excessively and bites your face, they are trying to groom you. They do such behavior as they consider you as another cat.
However, many cat lovers and owners support this behavior, as it exhibits a sign that your cat loves and shares a good bond with you.
It is so because they never groom random cats. They only groom their favorite partner. Therefore, it is also a key reason behind such behavior.
End Thoughts
Therefore, you can see that it is normal for a cat to bite your face due to the above reasons. Sometimes they bite you to show their love and affection, and at times, for the sake of dominance and play.
But whatever the reasons are, you should be aware of them to protect yourself from any injury.
Therefore, we can claim that you have got all your answers regarding why your cat bites your face in the morning, after licking, and other times.
Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.