Why does my cat bite me on the top of the head while I'm sleeping?

United States
September 10, 2007 6:42am CST
The other morning, my baby girl cat crawled up into bed with me and cuddled up. And, that's just fine with me. She's not a bed-hog by any means and always provide nice company. But, sometime during the middle of the night, I woke up to a strange stinging sensation on the top of my head. Upon further investigation, I found that she was sitting on my pillow and biting me gently on the top of my head. She would lick my head and then bite me. Not really hard, but enough to wake me up. She's done this before. Like sometimes when I am working on the computer, she will sit on the back of my armchair and suddenly bite me on the top of the head, really hard, especially if I've just come out of the shower and my hair is still wet. Once she even smelled of my shoulder (while sitting on the back of my chair) and got so upset that she bit me. It left a really nasty purple mark. She's not an evil cat. Not really. So, I'm wondering what would inspire her to do something like bite me on the head while I'm sleeping. And why would she suddenly freak out and stop being a nice cat and bite me on the shoulder? Is that a cat domination thing? Why do cats flip out like that?
1 person likes this
6 responses
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
11 Sep 07
My cat also nibbles on my hair when I’m sleeping- She will meow really loudly and if I pay her no attention- she will bite my hair- I think to wake me up- it’s usually when she wants to be petted. Drives me crazy! She doesn’t bite me at any other time though- so I wonder why yours does when you are awake working- Aren’t you afraid she will do the same to your child?
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
10 Sep 07
I have had cats do that, some more so than others. The best I can figure is that it is something in your shampoo or other hair care products that is stimulating to your cat. I had one that would gently knead my scalp, as he sat on the back of the recliner. Then he would chew on it. I wonder if I smell like his mom or something. I have one right now that wants to rub his chin on each side of my chin. He sits in my lap, puts a paw on each shoulder, purrs, and rubs his chin and jaw area on each side of my chin. I know in this instance that there are scent glands in that portion of his face, and he is marking the fact that I am his. He does not do this to anyone else, though. Cats are funny and weird, and I cannot imagine not having at least one of them.
1 person likes this
@irishmist (3814)
• United States
11 Sep 07
Cats are strange at times. My cat used to lay on top of my pillow, and try to eat my hair. My cat also nips me at times for no reason, but I just think she wants to have a little fun playing with me. That girls is something else.
• United States
27 Jan 11
I have the same thing happening to me, that's why I am on here right now, trying to find out why my cat lick/bites my hair. I will pick him up & he will start licking my face & then eating my hair, he won't like pull it out or anything but he chews on it. He will also, bite me on the side of my head or on the top of my head. I sometimes wear my hair up in a bun & he will try to bite his way through it, he sticks his head all the way in my bun. It doesn't in any way hurt me I actually think it is funny. I just went to the vet & he told me that my cat does it cuz he thinks I am his momma cat. Anoter thing he does is attack my feet, he will follow me all around the house just staring at my feet. When he does get ahold of them he will wrap his paws around both feet & bite me. Sometimes it does hurt me. My boyfriend read in the cat book we have that when he does that he is trying to show his love??? Please tell me there is someone out there that has a cat that does the same thing...
• Malaysia
14 Sep 07
You are lucky enough to still able to work on your pc. My cat doesn't want me to sit and working on my pc at all! He'll play on my lap and most likely would jump on my keyboard. But it's still not so bad since I wasn't the only one in my house. He'll eventually go playing with my siblings if I took long time to do my work. =) Oh yeah, he also do the biting too, but he bites me at the chin. Maybe he likes my beard xD
28 Sep 09
Two cats, brothers, rescued from being absolutely scarily feral about four years ago. Dillon is a chatterbox but his brother, who is usually quiet, saves his curliest miows for that moment when (even though I might have been tickling his tum tum for a good twenty minutes) I lie down on my side to try to sleep and he hops up on my shoulder and starts to comb my hair with his teeth. Now, is it because I've got long hair - he does nothing like this to the man and child of the house? It is the strangest sensation. Kind of ticklish but not exactly pleasant because of his quiet grissled purring right in my ear hole and his cat breath and the thought of the little bits of cat biscuit he's using my hair to floss out. And he pulls my tats which isn't nice. It can't be because he's hungry or feeling starved of attention. And he's a nipper too. Never on bare skin but, when I'm stroking or patting him and I'm wearing a jumper, he'll nip my arm. Not hard (thank heavens - I remember when he first arrived and he ran up and down the walls and I would not like to be on the wrong end of a purposeful use of his available weaponry). If I have the faux fur throw, from the sofa, over me he will sometimes try to have his wicked way with it (but not when it's just on the sofa!!?!) even though he's long since been neutored. I have wondered whether he thinks I'm a female cat but - Clous is neutored! Dillon does none of these things and he's neutored too. He reminds me of one of those Parrots who become obsessed with the female owner and almost bully them. It can't be that he thinks I'm a female cat, though, didn't some of you say you had female cats doing it? Is he grooming me? Why doesn't he do it to other people? Cat's are funny creatures!
• United States
16 Jan 10
She is trying to clean you, that's all :) Mine does the same! The other morning I woke up to him holding my head with one hand and biting my hair very close to the scalp, my aunts has done it as well.. and mine just did it again while I was on the computer, except he only put his hand on my head then bit it really fast. They are just trying to take care of us like we do to them! :)
• United States
28 Jan 10
My maincoon has started that, how do you stop it? it is sweet but im tender headed