Whenever I pass by, my cat always jumps on a chair and takes a swipe at me through the spaces in the back of it. Is my cat just blindly following "ins

Kitty is doing one of two things: just saying "hi, play with me," or, "I could kill you if I want, but I won't, because you have the thumbs."

If the kitty is not trying to eat your face off while you sleep, then I'd presume he is only trying to play with you.

If you wake up a lot with gnaw marks on your cheeks...start sleeping with an eye open and don't go near that chair.