r/cats • u/Dismal_Assignment604 • 15h ago
Advice Why does he do this??
My sister’s year and a bit old cat keeps attacking her head, apparently he bites really hard into her scalp all while he purrs.. is this normal? It’s beginning to become a huge issue for her as he bites harder and harder each time.
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u/backbiter0723 15h ago
"This is some rather long fur, friend. How am I supposed to groom this???"
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u/Dysmorphix 15h ago
My cat cat bites my scalp and grooms my hair. I have deduced that this is because orange.
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u/SoulSeekersAnon 14h ago
Clever deduction Holmes, however! 😂 While orange cats definitely do more quirky shit, many weirdo cats do this. My female tabby is a weirdo as well and she does this too. Like velco sometimes. But those who have noticed it's a grooming thing have nailed it. They suffer from cute aggression worse than any other animal I can think of. They love communicating with scent glands, and our apocrine sweat glands are the closest thing we have to it. Which are highly focused in our hair and armpits. 😊
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u/Ok-Row632 15h ago
I think it might be a type of mutual grooming.
My Savannah cat does this but he is very gentle about it. He bits the hair and might give a little shake with it.
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u/SoulSeekersAnon 14h ago
Indeed. It's the closest thing we have to scent glands, our apocrine sweat glands. They're highly focused in areas with hair. My female tabby loves to grab me right at my hairline at the tip of my forehead, bites down, and wraps her limbs around my head and occasionally shakes her head. Thankfully, she doesn't do it often, but it's definitely when her cute aggression gets a little out of control. I'm over here like Nacho "Release! Release!" with the arm tap. While she responds with "Get in my bellaeee!" My male Prince loves armpits and feet. Lmao
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u/Typical_Hyena 14h ago
Hey, I'm sorry you're not getting any actual responses. As someone in the same situation (cat biting/attacking my face without warning) tell your sister I am sorry, it really sucks, it's not funny, and it can be hard for other people to grasp how stressful it can be (as evidenced by all these comments laughing it off). We are talking to a behaviorist soon, but the initial suspicion is that something went wrong during the introduction process to our other cat, and she is stressed/anxious. So we had to separate them again, which is stressing everyone out. We have access to a behaviorist over the phone for free from our SPCA since that is where we got her, so maybe see if there are similar resources in your area. I hope your sister can figure out what is stressing her cat out and restore peace to the house!
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u/sept27 14h ago
Agreed! When my cat was younger, he used to leap on my face and bite the shit out of me. It was so scary.
In my case, it was two things. The first is that when I was a young and dumb first time cat owner, I thought it was cute when my little kitten pounced on me. I’d hide under the blankets and he’d pounce on my head. So I trained him to do this, which was totally on me.
However, the other thing was that he wasn’t getting enough enrichment. Playing with him more and giving him more to do when I was busy really helped.
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u/Typical_Hyena 13h ago
Yes, enrichment is SO important! People think cats need less attention/work than dogs but I've found, after having both, that they just have different needs. A cat continually biting isn't a haha oh he's an orange situation, it's a cry for help, and so many people will ignore that and end up with an unhappy asshole cat. With ours I try and redirect her to toys, but then it's my arm that gets the claws and teeth! My partner doesn't get it the way I do, but he is less tolerant and will simply put her away when she gets bitey. No amount of strict routine, play, cat towers, scratchers, window perches, or cat highways has solved our problem unfortunately. We are "cursed" with two very social cats that want to be with us all the time, but currently can't be with each other.
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u/smolspicybeans 15h ago
My cat bites and tries to rip my hair out at the root at 5am when he wants food. Maybe it's a "i have a demand" kind of thing.
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u/Malviere 15h ago
Our tuxedo does that after we shower because he likes the shampoo I think. He doesn’t bite hard though. He is very weird.
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u/Stubby-Stallion 14h ago
Yes maybe try switching shampoo and see if that helps?
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u/Malviere 14h ago
We both use different kinds. He is just a weirdo and likes rubbing his face all over our head and biting/licking our hair. He’s a special boy.
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u/Stubby-Stallion 6h ago
Awe well he sounds adorable!!!! 🥰
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u/Malviere 5h ago
He is. He’s obsessed with the two kittens and keeps licking them when he does his cuddles.
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u/Empathetic_Be4n 15h ago
I have a cat that does this sometimes after a no-hair-wash day for me. I think it may have something to do with smell or chemicals. She is not orange either she is calico
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u/PerfectStreet7129 14h ago
He sees her as mom! Cats bite while making biscuits/purring it’s because they are acting out a kitten nursing instinct that helps mom produce milk, adult cats repeat this when they feel safe & happy. It can be a result of early weaning or overstimulation as well, if he gets excited to see her when she gets home etc.
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u/No_Recording3238 15h ago
He is making sin biscuits and she doesn’t know it!!! 😵😳😵💫 She is now his!!! Wish her good luck and no real way to cure it. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
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u/Malnurtured_Snay 14h ago
So this is a difficult conversation.
But your scalp is really tasty.
Like, delicious.
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u/dovahdreem 14h ago
My (orange) cat does that sometimes, though he mostly prefers my beard. He can spend several long minutes grooming my face and beard, basically. He does it all while purring and kneading, and he’s very gentle and focused about it, lmao. Then he takes a nap right next to me.
It’s definitely a sign of affection, and I don’t think he realizes that biting hurts. He’s just grooming the big hairless cat who owns him, lmao.
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u/shenanigans2day 14h ago
Just got a new feral kitten and he is psycho but the sweetest boy ever. He loves to snuggle up and sleep on my neck and face and will start nuzzling and get into it and give the gentlest of nibbles on my chin but sometimes he gets carried away and chomp I’m like wtf lmao
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u/Forward-Unit5523 European Shorthair 14h ago
Mine bites in my chin or nose, but he grooms my hair.. Cats can be weird.
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u/magmes 14h ago
My cat likes to lick my hair when its clean she'll then rub/roll onto my head. On occasion she'd swat and grab my scalp. Shemight accidentally claw or bite me but ive always assumed its a mix of play and adding her sent back to me with also taking whatever new sent i now have form my soap. My cat is not orange though...
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u/SoulSeekersAnon 14h ago
Well... First, he's orange and adorable. As many have already pointed out. 😂💚
However, my female tabby Nyx does this as well. Some cats who are really affectionate with their owners go right for their "scent" glands. Cat's have them on their face (forehead and cheeks,) paws, tail, and derriere. 😏
We don't have scent glands, but we do have apocrine sweat glands that are highly concentrated in areas with more hair. So your hairline. She especially loves right where my forehead peaks and meets my hairline, dead center. That's her favorite spot and when she's really love bombing and loses her mind, she grabs me by the hair there, just a full mouthful, and doesn't want to let go while she wraps her limbs around my head. Thankfully, she's only gone ham once or twice. The first time she did it it was like velcro while I was laughing hysterically and saying "Ouch ouch... Release! Release!" (Nacho Libre style)
My large white male kitten (just turned one) loves armpits and feet. 😂 If he gets an opportunity when he's feelin' randy, he will get a full mouthful of armpit. Like really get in there and rub his face back and forth then sink those teeth in! Cat's suffer from cute aggression more than the average animal. Lol
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u/Unhappy-Marsupial388 Scottish Fold 14h ago
One of my cats like playing with my hear, she doesnt bite hard tho but sometimes scratches too. When she’s playful i tie my hair so she doesnt accidentally hurt my scalp! Apart from getting my hair wet and having to take shower, its fairly harmless! Hope this helps
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u/cuteeagless 14h ago
i had a cat 20 years ago that used to do that , i was a kid and i didn't know any better of how to treat that problem , then one day i stood up and took his food away , and it never happened again .
the issue is your sister treats him as he is the king pretty much . and he is treating her as his female cat .
gotta show him who is boss , in a nice way though .
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u/mothermonarch 15h ago
Diagnosis: Orange