Cuddling/laying on me while scratching/digging at my face and neck

[alyssinreality]

This isn't that huge of a problem, because if he hurts me or gets too rough I just put him down. I just want to understand what he is trying to tell me or achieve by this behavior. 

Hugo will be laying on my chest all sprawled out purring and sleeping and being a big lovey baby. But then(whether I'm petting him or not, I've tried both) he will wake up and reach his paw to my neck or face and dig in. And it isn't kneeding, It is roughly grabbing/smacking me like he's trying to hurt me. If I push his paws down he brings them right back up again. His facial expression doesn't show any anger, maybe a little deviousness though. And I keep my arms completely down so I'm not holding him on me in any way, he is free to get up and leave if he wants.

Is he just trying to annoy me? Or is he trying to tell me something?

 

[catspaw66]

Silly does this to me.  If you keep the claws trimmed, it won't hurt as much.  I would say Hugo wants to play or get petted more.  Silly usually wants me to use both hands to pet her when she does it.

 

[alyssinreality]

Probably wants to play then. Because if I pet him more he just starts biting my hands lol.

 

[di and bob]

I've heard that when they get too rough, like Hugo, you quit all contact and leave the area. My cat will get 'overstimulated' sometimes when I pet him, I can always tell because his tail gets big, and I just quit at once and leave. This really works because they want the attention. They get our attention all right when those claws dig in!