why does my male cat bite me?

Stuart1945

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My orange male rescue cat bites me at times. I know that he nips me when he expresses his appreciation for being petted. But at times he will bite when I pet him. Arnie is 8 years old and I have had him for 4 years. He was declawed of his front claws.
 

FeebysOwner

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Some say declawed cats are more inclined to bite. Not sure if that is true, but I do know that Feeby (16+ yo) will lightly bite me when she is 'over' being petted. Her way of telling me she has had enough for the moment!
 

fionasmom

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To me, this sounds like overstimulation and I have had it happen with at least half of the cats I have owned, including current pets. I always take it as a sign that they have had enough petting or playing, whichever seemed to cause it, and stop. It can escalate, even though the cat is not really intending to harm you, so watch for the signs that the petting is starting to be too much.
 

NY cat man

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Stretch, our 8 year old former feral, does the same thing. Usually, It's caused by me scritching here, while he wants to be scratched there. Once I shift to the proper location, the biting stops.
 
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