Cats are animals with quite marked personalities. They can be very independent and suspicious, as well as affectionate and friendly. But whatever their character, they adopt species-specific behaviors that baffle humans.
Obviously, they cannot put their feelings into words, so their human companions must be aware of certain gestures and their body language in order to understand the kittens. Well, determining what they like and what they don’t is an essential part of their care, as well as the bond between you and your pet.
A common scenario in a house with felines is to be enjoying a while of pampering with the animal and that it gives you casual licks. When, suddenly and for no apparent reason, it bites you. The intensity of this bite, together with the cat’s body language, is decisive in knowing the cause and how to avoid this situation.
To begin with, you have to understand why cats like to lick humans. The instinct to lick itself is part of its grooming ritual. His tongue has stiff bristles perfect for brushing his own fur, removing knots and dirt and getting rid of dead hair.
In this sense, they can also lick other cats in their family, as well as humans with whom they have a relationship of trust and affection. Therefore, if your cat usually bites you, it means that he is fond of you, since you will not see him do it with a stranger. In a way, they are expressing love to you and requesting your pampering in response to his licking.
Now, if cat licks are harmless, why are they sometimes followed by a bite? This can be due to different reasons. As a general rule, cats can bite playfully or in self-defense against something that scares or bothers them. The difference lies in the intensity of the bite and the posture that accompanies it.
If that bite interspersed with licking is soft and the cat maintains a relaxed posture, it’s probably his way of harmlessly showing affection to you. To prevent him from continuing to pet him, stop petting him immediately. And when he licks you without biting again, reward him so he learns that this is how it should be.
On the contrary, if the bite is painful, the cat adopts a tense posture, with its ears and tail rigid, its back bristling and it also meows or hisses, it is its way of indicating that something is not right. Perhaps you have hurt him by playing or giving him a massage, or he may have gotten tired and wants you to leave him alone. In this case, give him space to calm down and wait for him to come back to you for attention.
