This is a classic play-aggression behavior. Your cat is literally hunting you. The sequence goes like this: hide, wait, pounce, grab, bite, and run. It’s the same pattern they’d use with prey. If your cat does this a lot, it might be because they don’t have enough other ways to play out their hunting instincts.
A common mistake? Encouraging it with hands or feet. If you wiggle your fingers or move your foot under a blanket to play with your cat, they’ll associate human limbs with hunting, and that can lead to problems when they get too rough. The solution? Use toys, not your hands.