# Obsessed with biting/licking hands



## brianz (Sep 26, 2005)

We got our two kittens, Helki and Ursa (sisters), in September 2006 at five months, so they are about 1.25 years old. They were apparently born to an outdoor cat who was tame and may have been an informal pet of the whole apartment complex from what I have heard. They are the perfect cats - always very sweet and loving and affectionate with myself and my wife as well as with each other. They are very much lap cats.

One issue puzzles me. Helki is obsessed with licking and softly biting her humans, especially when being pet. She's a bit more of a licker than biter. Ursa is the same but is definitely more of a soft-biter. They sometimes even have a sense of urgency - when they are being pet, they will frantically try to lick/bite your hand after a minute or so. It's not aggressive at all - seems more like affection but I've never had a cat do this.

What the heck is this all about? A bad weaning from their mother? Any ideas?

Thanks,

Brian


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Sounds like reciprocal grooming, to me.

Do they lick/nibble more when you are petting their rumps, just in front of their tail? Or their shoulders? Those are two trigger spots on Marmalade. Malibu will sometimes lick and gently bite my eyebrow when she lays in front of me while I am reading (I lay on my stomach) and petting her.


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## moarias1984 (Oct 20, 2006)

Kringle does the same thing. Sometimes I can't pet him, all he wants to do is lick my hand. I like to think he thinks my hands are too dirty to be touching his precious fur, hehe.


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## Mysterious (Mar 1, 2007)

yeah we have one of those..he loves to nibble and lick, fingers, elbows, and toes. Its hilarious.


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