The ol' Lick an' Attack...

Quick question about behavior; I've looked around the web for a good answer, but I'm not finding anything specific to what I'm wondering with my kitty...

Mittens (as is her name) does this thing which I find adorable, but I'm wondering if it's actually a sign she's gettin' mad at me!

What she does is this: I'll be petting her, she'll be purring, rolling around and generally appearing to be enjoying the good life; then, suddenly, she'll begin to grab at my hand with her claws out and bite at my fingers, hand and arm. Then, once she's satisfied with the biting, she'll lick that bitten spot furiously.

If I try and pull my hand away before she's done licking it, she'll grab it again and go back to the beginning with the nibbling.

I've owned several cats throughout my life, and in the past others have bitten and clawed at me a bit when they're tired of being stroked, but they usually follow this up with leaving the area; not the lick-attack...

So, does anyone know exactly what she's tryin' to tell me? :D

I have no idea what she is trying to tell you but my Katiebug does the same thing. I have always felt it was an affection thing...and luckily she doesn't USUALLY bite down too hard...although sometimes she does and I have to hollar at her. Is your Mittens a calico/tortoiseshell cat?

Denyce

Hello shocked, do you have a picture of Mittens? Is she spayed/nuetered? From reading your other post, sounds like your cat liked being outside, maybe prefers you let her ouside a little once in a while. Get a collar and ID tags for her to be safe. Inside get plenty of scratching posts, I have 5 for 2 cats. Scratching is more like an expression to let off steam. When my cats get the wild crazies, or after playing with me, they will go over to the scratching post and give it a good workout. Sounds like you have a real sassy cat. Her behaviour with you is just her personality, she will mellow with age hopefully. Maybe get her a companion to play with indoors, she would like that I'm sure.

Yup, Mittens is tortoiseshell, with lil' white feet - hence Mittens. No digital pics, I'm afraid.

She is spayed, and yes, I think she would like to go outside more. I'm afraid I'm just too overprotective to let her without being able to watch! I've got a little kitty-harness and leash for her, and now spring is here we'll be able to start goin' out again with that. I know it's not the same, an' I feel like a parent that wants to wrap their kid in cottonwool! :D

I should point out though that when she grabs at my hand, she's not scratching at all, but literally grabbing. I think the claws come out just to show she means business with the grab!

She's got a cat tree/scratching post which gets an awful lot of use, and there's a dog here too, a large Golden Retriever, that she'll play with for hours at a time.

Thanks for the thoughts... I told her she was considered 'sassy'... I think she liked that... :D

Well yes...it is confirmed them...your Mittens has a severe but not fatal case of........



Tortietude!!!!

Welcome to the club.:D :D

They are a joy and a trial all in one. And I wouldn't have it any other way. And I agree with you about letting them outside. Mine only go out when I am there to supervise them. We have 11 acres in the woods but there are still many many dangers that I just don't want them to become tangled up in...including a cat down the road that the owner lets run that I know is positive for Feline Leukemia. I have talked to him constantly about this disease and about keeping his cat confined but he just doesnt' get it.

Denyce

i think my Stormy did that when she was a kitten. Stormy is a calico mix. shes 5 years old today. once, my Mittens did it.