Content
- Feline language - cat behavior
- When the cat licks and bites - what does it mean
- Why do cats lick?
- Why do cats bite?
- why cats lick and bite
- When the bite hurts...
If you have one or more cats, you've certainly been through this situation: your cat is calmly licking you... and suddenly bites you! What happened? Was he not enjoying the massage? Why did my cat have this behavior?
In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explore the feline world a little and explain it to you why the cat licks and then bites basing ourselves on behaviors specific to the species and their meanings. In addition, we are also going to give some tips to prevent the cat from biting you. Keep reading!
Feline language - cat behavior
Even if you are an experienced tutor who knows your pet well, it is not always easy to understand what the feline is telling you. That's why it's essential that you learn more about the feline universe and cat body language. Whenever you can, read articles related to the ethology (science that studies animal behavior), which will certainly help to understand more about the fantastic animals that are cats and to interpret certain behaviors in a more appropriate way.
As you may know, cats use their bodies to communicate with humans and to express emotions. So when your best friend licks you and then nibbles, you should be very attentive to his body and, in this way, try to understand why he presents this behavior.
Is it possible that you scared him unintentionally while cuddling him? Did your cat lick you while it purred and nibbled gently? The way your cat performs this behavior expresses much more than you can imagine!
When the cat licks and bites - what does it mean
There is not just one way to interpret the licks, nibbles and bites of cats, so we'll explain each behavior to you in detail:
Why do cats lick?
The tongue of cats is, without a doubt, unique and special: it is formed by small spicules of keratin that are especially useful in their cleaning session, to comb the fur and remove all the dirt from it.
Therefore, when a cat licks the tutor or licks his hair, he is presenting a social behavior, considering him from his social group, as if the tutor were a cat. Is positive social conduct, which shows the existence of a good bond between the caregiver and the cat.
Plus, the cat can lick you like a show of affection, since you learned that through certain associations, that this is a behavior that you like and that generates more caresses and affection. On the other hand, licking incessantly (even compulsively) can mean that something is not right and that your pussy's well-being is compromised, indicating stress and anxiety. In that case, we recommend that you review the 5 symptoms of stress in cats.
Why do cats bite?
As with licking, a bite can also have multiple meanings. Despite that, who has ever been bitten by a cat very angry or scared you know this has nothing to do with the nibbles a cat takes when playing, even if they hurt a little. Truly upset or scared cats show body language very expressive, twitching and becoming stiff and bristly. In addition, it is common for them to snort, meow alertly and bend their backs.
These type of bites (accompanied by painful scratches) have absolutely nothing to do with the bites for fun, which they usually do when they get out of control. In addition, there are bites from Notice so you stop bothering him or petting him and the bites like show of affection, which tend to be more controlled and repetitive.
why cats lick and bite
A very common question is why cats bite and lick, the answer is that some cats bite right after licks like warning sign for you to stop petting him. Others do it as form of affection and still others do it as a way of grooming, that is, because they are taking care of you.
Cats clean each other, lick each other and give soft bites in order to correctly perform hygiene and arrange their fur. For this reason, it is very normal that during a beauty session, your partner bites you and that it does not mean that it is negative behavior.
When the bite hurts...
after understanding why cats bite, it's important to know what you should do when your cat bites you and hurts you. First of all, you never mustpunish him, since your feline is performing a social behavior, although for us it is not pleasant.
How should you act when your cat bites you? The ideal is that after the bite you stop stroking him and ignore him.If you are constant and repeat this behavior, over time your cat will start associating the bites at the end of the game or petting session and will know perfectly well that, if he does this, he will not have more attention.
At the same time, it is imperative that you apply positive reinforcement techniques to strengthen behaviors that please you, such as when the cat is quiet, licks without biting, or purrs peacefully. For this, you can use a simple "very well" or bet on tastier snacks.
