I had one cat who used it as a way to show his love & also as a way to say pay attention to me. Another cat would walk up in front of me & roll over on her back as if to ask me to scratch her belly. She’d let me scratch her belly until it started bothering her & then she’d grab my hand with all 4 paws & give me a gentle bite. I took that as a sign that it was time to STOP!!!
I had one little boy who bit hard & with an attitude often breaking the skin. Never figured out what his problem was, but later discovered that his daddy was a cat with emotional problems that had to be put down for attacking the entire family. If you don’t mind the gentle bite, learn the times that it’s probably going to happen & mentally prepare yourself for a nip. If it bothers you, you can teach them that it’s not OK & they will often stop doing it. Personally, I don’t mind a gentle nip!!!
I can warn you that you should pet your cat in the direction the fur grows. If you rub them against the hair growth, they will get upset. It’s similar to rubbing your feet on carpet & then reach out to a friend…ZAP!!!