6 Month Old Hair-eater

So I have tried everything I can think of. I am not sure why, but our 6-month old kitten has recently started trying to eat our hair when we are sleeping! I generally wear my hair in a bun while I am awake, and only take it down when I am sleeping. I thought she had issue with this "new mane" that pops up only when I am asleep, so I started keeping it down but there was no change. I tried ignoring it and pretending to be asleep, however she doesn't stop, and I am afraid she is going to somehow choke on my hair. I tuck my hair under my head, she pulls it out. I put blankets over my head, she pulls it out...

Last night we had our typical half-asleep argument over my hair and I moved her, and for the first time she started to try and eat my husband's hair, which she is used to seeing long, so once again we had to close the bedroom door on her.

I guess I don't understand what she is doing, and that is part of the problem. It doesn't seem like play-time, it doesn't seem like an attack. It seems like she's actively trying to EAT my hair...

Any advice would be appreciated, either to why she is doing this, or how to stop her from this new "thing."

I've had head-lickers, but never hair-eaters.
She will most likely grow out of it as she matures (my head-lickers did), but injesting human hair will not be good for feline innards.

czygyny said:

I've had head-lickers, but never hair-eaters.
She will most likely grow out of it as she matures (my head-lickers did), but injesting human hair will not be good for feline innards.

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Our previous cat, River (may she rest in peace), was a nose licker. she never truly grew out of it, but she did stop licking my nose for hours while I was sleeping (I had some ODD dreams back then).

This does seem different though, It doesn't seem like a preening action at all. she grabs my hair with her paw puts it in her mouth and actively chews! I have thought it might have to do with the fact that she's at the teething age, but how on EARTH would my hair feel good/help with teething? She has every "recommended" teething toy on the market, and uses most of them... It's just strange. lol

You two might need to start sleeping with shower caps on.
Cats can be so wierd.

czygyny said:

You two might need to start sleeping with shower caps on.
Cats can be so wierd.

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Trust me, the thought has passed my mind a few times! Thinking of getting one of those old-timey sleeping caps!

Emma likes to scalp me She will grab my hair right at the scalp and yank I have no idea why she does this. I just hiss at her and move her away from my head.

LTS3 said:

Emma likes to scalp me She will grab my hair right at the scalp and yank I have no idea why she does this. I just hiss at her and move her away from my head.

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My cats have never been hair yankers, but they will do this with lawn grass and my sheepskin throw.
The grass I don't mind, but that throw isn't cheap!

Check her teeth. 6 months is a bit old to be teething still, but she could still be at the tail end of it and she might find that chewing action soothing.
She could possibly have a retained baby tooth or two that's making her "gums itch", or something like stomatitis could be setting in early.
I hope it's just goofy kitten stuff One of our cats liked to suckle our noses until he was about a year old or so. He grew out of it on his own, so maybe she will too.

1 bruce 1 said:

Check her teeth. 6 months is a bit old to be teething still, but she could still be at the tail end of it and she might find that chewing action soothing.
She could possibly have a retained baby tooth or two that's making her "gums itch", or something like stomatitis could be setting in early.
I hope it's just goofy kitten stuff One of our cats liked to suckle our noses until he was about a year old or so. He grew out of it on his own, so maybe she will too.

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Honestly, I wouldn't know what I am looking at, teeth-wise.. but I got my husband to assist me in taking a picture of a VERY unhappy Kaylee and her teeth. I tried to get more, but she was having NONE of it.



I can't blame her, poor thing. She got some tasty chicken treats after though, and decided I was worth forgiving... The jury is still out on the husband.

I got her her teething toys a couple months ago, however she didn't really start gnawing on them until a few weeks ago. She also is going after some stuffed animals in the house, so I got her a designated nom-toy (It was a stuffed dog toy that she was interested in when we went to the pet-store, so it should be safe for her).

I was able to, with much struggle, get some pictures of the right teeth... they are terrible...(the pictures, not the teeth)

Our scalper tried to bite at my hair this morning, too. She's six and has been doing this for several years: it only happens on mornings when we sleep in a little. She does it when she's hungry. I put a pillow over my head and she goes away. Ireland has also been know to nip my ears and lick my nose in the mornings.