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Cat Biting / Scratching Face While Sleeping
We have three rescues that we’ve had for a few years now. One of them displays a lot of kitten / neurotic behavior. She’s very vocal, she will knead and suck on the fuzzy cat beds, she kneads a bit when eating and sometimes won’t eat unless you are petting her. None of which is a problem (other than having to have a live-in cat sitter when going on vacation). And she used to crawl on my chest and put her paws on my shoulder and knead when I was laying down/sleeping.
That behavior escalated to her meowing at me and biting my eyebrows and now she has reached the point where she paws/scratches at my face, waking me up. She digs into the blanket like a tick if I roll or try to brush her off. She aggressively tries to pull the blanket down if I pull it over my head.
Generally I have pretty good success adjusting behaviors or adjusting to behaviors but this one has me stumped.
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1 Reply
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Hi Michael
I suspect your cat may have been separated from her mother too early and hasn’t had the chance to socialize in a home environment during the early socialization period (2-7 weeks).
I’m not sure of her exact age, but it seems she is trying to communicate with you through her attention-seeking mechanisms.
Have there been any recent changes in your household or schedule? If nothing has changed and this is a new behavior, I suspect it could be related to the change in season. Seasonal shifts (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11898201/#sec3-animals-15-00637) can significantly affect a cat’s behavior, including their activity levels, eating habits, and mood. The transition to spring can lead to increased energy, heightened alertness, and a higher appetite in cats, as daylight hours lengthen and temperatures rise.
All the attention-seeking behaviors to wake you up are likely driven by hunger, boredom, or a need for interaction.
I hope that helps
Melina
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