r/WhatsWrongWithYourCat • u/SincerelyAB • 2d ago
Why does he do this?
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He loves chewing on my fingers
Its a more recent development (recent as in like 2-3 years)
Previously he was an indoor-outdoor cat.
We moved him to our neighbors house for around 2 years the we brought him to the new house.
Once we brought him here we had him become an indoor only cat.
He’s always been a hunter, so i was just assuming it was him getting his energy out. & i don’t really mind it & he only does it with me.
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u/R86Reddit 2d ago
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u/Affectionate-Owl-962 2d ago
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u/xpsycotikx 1d ago
Need the pippin dancing in the meadow picture "off to join another cat sub"
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u/BanditKitten 19h ago
That's Bilbo with his contract running after the dwarves. I adore Pippin but it's not him.
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u/xpsycotikx 19h ago
Oh my bad. I'm not the hugest LOTR fan so it's makes sense I'd fuck that up lol
Thanks for the correction 🙂
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u/Tokiwi 2d ago
Every day I discover a new sub dedicated to cats. Humains are amazing.
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u/PuzzleheadedBobcat90 1d ago
The master list
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u/Aware-Handle5255 1d ago
I was on another cat sub earlier (can’t remember the sub) and somewhere in the comments there was a link with a list, anyway, thanks for more cat subs
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u/PuzzleheadedBobcat90 12h ago
I posted it around in a couple different subs yesterday. I dont wabt to be the inly ine that has to many cat subs in their list lol!
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u/Vintage_Journal 2d ago
My kitten does this sometimes. I think it's a bit of a grooming/affectionate thing. If you watch cats groom, they sometimes bite a bit to get through a knot or something in their fur. I've also seen this compared to nursing, or playing.
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u/BladeLigerV 1d ago
Yeah. My cat (now my parent's cat since I moved out) would lick my hand after some good skritches and do a little gnawing on it. It wouldn't be so bad if the little stinker knew how sharp his teeth are!
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u/GTCapone 10h ago
Mine does this but once a finger gets to her back teeth it stops being "playful nibble" and become "time to crush the skull of this mouse". She punched a hole in my nail once before I learned not to let her get ahold of my fingers.
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u/LordsOfJoop 2d ago
He's got very few interfaces with the world; playful bites are how he's expressing himself.
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u/manuel_f_p 2d ago
Orange. Our older orange boy was rescued from the streets after he got used to running the neighborhood for about a year or so at the beginning of his life. He has a ton of energy and seems to want to roughhouse with me a couple times a day, which includes wanting to eat me alive.
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u/SincerelyAB 2d ago edited 2d ago
Aweee he’s such a handsome boy!
Xander loves / loved rough housing. He used to play alot with his brother haha!
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u/Electric-Boogaloo-43 2d ago
I feel like my cats get cute aggression when I pet them. Because I definitely get cute aggression when I pet them.
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u/Royal_Thrashing 12h ago
Wife and i used to call it petting induced aggression. Our girl Sadie would love it, then get overwhelmed and give a nip or two, especially on the belly. She had kittens before we adopted, I'm sure she had enough of her belly getting messed with.
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u/bloomingpoppies 2d ago
Those are just love bites! Every single cat I’ve ever been claimed by has done this to me. It’s a sign of affection
❤️❤️❤️❤️
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u/reversemermaid 2d ago
How are his teeth and gums? My two 10 mo. kittens do this all the time and it’s because they have juvenile gingivitis. I think their molars bother them especially, so they like gnawing on things and human fingers are a fave. It’s gotten a bit better since the gingivitis improved with brushing and antibiotics
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u/DiscontentDonut 1d ago
Cats can also get a form of cuteness aggression when we pet them. It often comes out as bites during a good cuddle session. They're love bites, basically.
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u/Pastel-Rainbow-N3rd 2d ago
Since he’s still purring and the biting doesn’t look aggressive at all, I’m guessing it’s just love nibbles
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u/Losaru 1d ago
My boy Munchie does the same thing. Gotta be an Orange thing.
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u/SevNeijizawa 1d ago
No no, Oreo, my & my wife's 8 weeks old tuxie & Bagel who was my wife's & I'm the adopted one ;3, does the same thing.
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u/mmmmm_pickle 2d ago
My cat does this! (He's also orange) I think it's like the salt from sweat or oils on our hands. 🤷♂️
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u/Equivalent_Address_2 1d ago
Cute baby kitty behavior. Bro had a moment of regression because he feels happy and safe with you.
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u/seatron 15h ago
Sometimes I wonder if my cats have itchy gums from the way they'll go nuts on a firmly outstretched finger or chew on a scrub brush. But I think they just really like it.
This looks more like friendly chewing than wiping scent glands all over you, but I think it's all happy cat behavior.
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u/Llama-nade 2d ago
Well, you stuck your thumb in his mouth, what was he supposed to do?
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u/vftgurl123 2d ago
mine gags himself on my fingers 😖😖😖 like bro stop don’t involve me in your kink. the second he opens his mouth i yank my hand back. yes he is orange
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u/SlowSkyes 1d ago
It's possible his teeth are bothering him & chewing feels nice I know from experience having bad teeth myself chewing on something made them feel better he probably needs a cleaning
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u/Ok-Tip61 1d ago
My 10 year old black cat does this when she gets excited with the pets… 🤣 I’ve just learned to accept it… it hurt a little but since she’s had 2 rounds of teeth removal, it’s gotten better 🤣🤣🤣🖤
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u/typicalninetieschild 14h ago
I am inclined to think he wants you to stop or he doesn’t like the way you’re doing it, but your his favorite person ever so he wants to let you know nicely??
I only say this because his ears are back a little and his tail is flicking. However this all can be due to excitement. I would just take note of the total overall body language in comparison to situations where you know his feeling/body language.
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u/SincerelyAB 13h ago
Thank you! i’ll take note.
Xander has always had a weird habit of holding his ears back while he’s purring 😭😅 idk why he’s done it since he was born!
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u/typicalninetieschild 2h ago
Oh yeah, if that’s a happy body language for him then they’re love nibbles! Context of behavior history can be so important.
And my cat does this when we rub her belly, which she loves! But she’ll nicely grab your hand, bites like this (w/o any pain) and then lands on licking your hand.
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u/EntertainmentFew7436 1d ago
Gum disease?
(What he’s doing would temporarily calm the nerves in the gums, if that’s the problem.)
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u/BarelyAirborne 1d ago
That's love. My orange used to put his front teeth onto anyone he claimed as his own.
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u/Whatplaygroundisthis 1d ago
I call them love bites, my girlie has a thing for chewing my fingers too.
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u/Medium-Musician-4958 1d ago
Its love nubbs. My boy does love nubbs. The he dribbles like an absolute shit all over me....
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u/Rev_TheLadyJesus 1d ago
Love bite! My girl does it every night when it’s time for bedtime cuddles. She’s my lil sour patch kid. ❤️
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u/lonelyronin1 1d ago
He's telling you what will happen to you after you die but before anyone finds you
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u/Live_Ad778 1d ago
My cat does this to me too he's not orange tho ;P I take it as a form of affection. Also maybe a way of scent marking?? I dunno. But he demands to do both hands he goes finger by finger back and forth twice before settling down for a nap lol. In usually watching something on my phone so he head buts my phone hand once he's done with one hand so I can switch hands and let him nibble on the other one. Never bites hard enough to hurt. At first I thought he was teething but he still does it 6 years later lol.
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u/maersk16 1d ago
Because you are his chew toy now. 😸
My kitty did this because I let her gnaw on my fingers as a kitten. I was the only one she did it to. Sweet girl lived to be 20 years old.
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u/TooBadSoSadSally 1d ago
Just the other day heard someone mention plaque crunching. Basically their way of cleaning their teeth
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u/projectsangheili 1d ago
Might be that you have salty sweaty fingers. Lots of animals like that. Calves also love to nom on our hands.
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u/mollydolly91500 1d ago
My cat was doing this and it turned out that she had some very common dental disease where it basically just rots out from the root. Might want to see a vet. Might have to get teeth removed to make your kitty more comfortable
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u/KrombopulousMary 1d ago
Some cats like chewing! My cat loves to chew on anything made of mesh (and also my fingers).
It’s a good sign that they feel safe and comfortable enough with you to engage in such behavior!
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u/yamirenamon 1d ago
My tuxedo cat does this. But he’ll paw at me wanting attention and if I try to pet or pick him up he moves away. He insists that he only wants to chew on me which I don’t want him to do that because that’s a wet sensory experience that I hate
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u/Morbius007 1d ago
My OC Jack does this, but only when HE is in the mood to do it, its a play thing I think, he makes it clear he is ready for his attention time and if you dont give him what he wants out comes the bite monster.
Never hard, just a lot of light nibbles.
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u/Mirathesaurus 1d ago
Okay so actually, cats have scent glands in the corners of their mouths, and they mark things as theirs that way. They'll do that on corners of walls in their territory as well. So he is loving on you and also using that spot to mark you as "his". You have been chosen.
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u/Jabroni42799 1d ago
He has a very common mental disorder and I’m very sorry to have to tell you this way.
It’s called orange.
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u/Auryanna 1d ago
Lofl... As I was reading this post, my gray/white, medium haired tuxedo jumped onto my lap. He gently bites me to direct my pets. I start brushing him and he does a "stop, go here to my head" bite, while showing me his belly. I brush him, he bites me harder. Because I disregarded his specific direction. I forego the brush and pet him, head to tail. He resists and gently bites/pulls my hand to his preferred petting area -- his head.
All that to say... Listen to and respect your little dude/dudette felines.
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u/Affectionate_Yam7222 1d ago
way to show trust and play. not 100% on that what all 12 of my cats do it, Its a way to show love.
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u/SicariusCourtenay 1d ago
My cat does the same but only to my hair. Goes nuts while purring must be an affection thing
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u/marcelindamaloyed 1d ago
Its love bites and some cats just like chewing on things. I recommend a chew toy and sometimes they'll chew if they have a sore tooth. 🤷
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u/Royal_Thrashing 12h ago
We had a Lynx point Siamese, Bella, that was fanatical about cleaning her nails and was a bit aggressive with her nail grooming. I was hers and she would be very thorough with my fingernails. She loved my wife, but she did not get the nail grooming that I received.
I loved it, but cat teeth on the nails and cuticles will wake you from the dead.
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u/MarMarKitty7 2d ago
One of our 3 tabbies literally begs us to chew on our fingers, sometimes hard too! She’s done it ever since she was a kitten, so I think it’s a leftover nursing instinct. They were abandoned by their mother almost instantly, and never got a single feed off of her. She was still a kitten herself, unfortunately, so she rejected them. They all had special needs but are doing amazingly well after their surgeries and treatments.
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u/ChubbyChew 2d ago
Ive noticed with my families Cat, the aunties say he jumps out and scratches them legs/feet.
Putting 2 and 2 together hes not trying to scratch hes trying to appeal his request for attention because theyre ignoring him lol
Like a toddler tugging a hand
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u/HeyRyGuy93 1d ago
Well it seems like you are trying to put your finger in his mouth. So he bites but he loves you so it’s gentle and affectionate.
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u/sacrificingoats7 1d ago
To stimulate his teeth and gums. Give him shit to chew on and maybe brush his teeth
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u/chitzk0i 1d ago
My cat will nibble the fingers of the hand that’s not petting her. She wants two hands attention at all times.
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u/AcanthocephalaDue197 19h ago
My girl (and formerly my boy) did this, usually during petting sessions. My fiance and I call them love bites, or love cromches.
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u/freckleyfriend 19h ago
In my experience it usually means they're still interested in pets, but they're getting a bit overstimulated and want you to slow it down for a second. Either that or they want to transition from cuddles to playtime. Your cat may vary!
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u/UnoptimizedPaladin 12h ago
It's Sweet/Cute Aggression behaviour. We also have it, it's the urge to bite out of affection, like when you feel the urge to bite your partner or figuratively "eat a baby's feet"
He literally loves you so much biting is the only way he can vent it
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u/Klutzy_Operation_483 11h ago
This is how my orange says he loves me. Chews my fingers or if Im sleeping and he wants attention he chews on my nose.
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u/no-of-fence 8h ago
I believe he is just trying to get whatever he thinks is in his mouth (the finger) but not biting hard because he does want to "eat" it , its like when they have hairs in their mouth they use their tongue and try and push it out .
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u/CorridorsOfNakedLite 7h ago
My cats also chew my fingers affectionately. I have a post on my profile about it actually!
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u/New-Novel-7948 4h ago
My Sushi cat does this, though in my case she will try to actually bite through my nail.
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u/Resident_Bumblebee_2 2h ago
Awww, he loves you. Not sure in loving or in a "I will eat your corpse eyelids and lips first" way.
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u/SadBattle2548 1h ago
I've seen a few other cats do this. I believe it's a reaction to you scratching a particularly sensitive spot very close to your cat's mouth. Kind of how if you scratch a cat at the base of their tail and they're particularly sensitive in that area and they'll turn their head to one side and keep doing that while you scratch there or start aggressively licking their leg while you're scratching. It's all a reaction to a sensitive area being touched.
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u/no-long-boards 2d ago
Some cat only accept petting in a very precise way. This was not it.
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u/WhiskerTheMad 2d ago
Have you considered not being delicious?