{"id":27068,"date":"2024-02-27T09:50:05","date_gmt":"2024-02-27T15:50:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/?p=27068"},"modified":"2024-10-02T17:39:54","modified_gmt":"2024-10-02T22:39:54","slug":"why-does-my-cat-lick-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/blog\/behavior\/psychology\/why-does-my-cat-lick-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Does My Cat Lick Me?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re a cat parent, you\u2019re probably familiar with this situation. You\u2019re sitting on the couch watching your cat make biscuits<\/a>, and suddenly what feels like a tiny piece of sandpaper is scratching your hand repeatedly. Whether you find this cat tongue bath cute or annoying, it probably has you wondering, \u201cWhy does my cat lick my hand?\u201d Are they trying to give you tips on how to groom a cat<\/a>?<\/p>\n

We may never know the answer to \u201cWhy does my cat lick me?\u201d for sure, but there are a few possibilities we can speculate about. We\u2019ll also go over whether a cat licking you can spread germs and why cats’ tongues feel so rough!<\/p>\n

What Does It Mean When a Cat Licks You?<\/h2>\n

If you asked, \u201cWhy does my cat lick my face?,\u201d the answer you\u2019re probably hoping for is that your cat is giving you kisses. Well, the good news is that may be true. Your cat could be showing you affection with their licks. Keep in mind that if your cat licks you on the lips and you give them a kiss back, you are probably encouraging the behavior, so they’ll keep doing it. There is some risk with kitty kisses as you\u2019ll see below.<\/p>\n

Cat licks can also be your cat grooming you \u2014 demonstrating that you\u2019re part of their family and share a social bond with them. They\u2019re grooming you just like mother cats groom their kittens. Aww, so sweet. Similarly, your cat licking you could be to mark their territory. Yep, you\u2019re their human and no one else\u2019s \u2014 which is fine, unless you have other cats in your home. Either way, it\u2019s a better way to mark their territory than spraying!<\/p>\n

If your cat starts licking you after you\u2019ve been working out or when you come inside on a hot day, it might be the taste of you that they like. As weird as that sounds, sweat leaves a salty flavor on your skin that might be oh-so-yummy for your cat. They may also like the taste of the lotion you\u2019re wearing or the burrito sauce that dripped onto your hand. If your cat likes to lick your skin, make sure you don\u2019t let them lick anything that could be toxic to cats<\/a> like medicated ointment. Keep those areas covered.<\/p>\n

Some Cats Lick When Stressed or in Pain<\/h2>\n

Sometimes cat licks can help tell you that all is not well with your cat. Excessive licking of either you or themselves is a common sign that your cat is anxious or stressed. Think about any changes in your cat\u2019s routine that may be causing stress or anxiety, like the addition of other animals to your home (especially other cats), a change in their environment (e.g., moving house) or the presence of other cats in their territory. You should also check that their basic environmental needs are being met<\/a>. If you notice your cat\u2019s licking behavior has increased or they\u2019re licking a particular spot on their body, it\u2019s a good idea to have your veterinarian check them out. Cats are very good at hiding their pain, and that may be the cause of their excessive licking.<\/p>\n

If your cat\u2019s licking you and a pungent smell (that isn\u2019t the whitefish dinner<\/a> they just ate) is lingering in the air, your cat may have bad breath. This can be a sign of dental disease, along with drooling, pawing at their mouth and grooming less frequently. Cats need regular dental care<\/a>, so if you notice these symptoms, have your veterinarian check them out.<\/p>\n

Why Does It Hurt When My Cat Licks Me?<\/h2>\n

Your cat\u2019s tongue feels rough because it\u2019s covered in tiny barbs made out of keratin \u2014 the same material your fingernails and hair are made from. The backward-facing barbs on your cat\u2019s tongue are called papillae and act like a hairbrush, helping your cat to thoroughly groom their fur and remove dirt.<\/p>\n

When cats groom themselves, the papillae grab loose hair and pull it into their mouths, which can lead to hairball formation. Check out these articles if you\u2019re wondering if hairballs are normal<\/a> for your cat or if you need help controlling hairballs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Why Does My Cat Lick Me Then Bite Me?<\/h2>\n

There are a few reasons why your cat may lick and then bite you, ranging from \u201cI love you\u201d to \u201cEnough! Leave me alone.\u201d On the friendlier side, your cat could be giving you love bites (this is normal behavior between cats) or nibbling you as part of your \u201cgrooming\u201d session. On the other end of the scale, biting can be a sign of stress in cats or that they\u2019re done with petting and they want you to stop. Make sure you’re petting your cat in the correct spot<\/a> \u2014 some cats are very particular about where they\u2019re touched. A cat\u2019s tail whipping back and forth is another good sign they\u2019re annoyed and done with pets for now. This article has some tips on untraining your cat from biting you<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Can You Get Sick from Your Cat Licking You?<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s stop and think about what cats lick and put in their mouths. Cats are fastidious groomers, and that includes licking their (ahem) nether regions. If your cat has outside access, they could be putting dead animals or feces in their mouth. It\u2019s a myth that dogs have cleaner mouths than humans<\/a>, and cat mouths aren\u2019t \u201cclean\u201d either.<\/p>\n

Cat saliva can contain bacteria, yeast, viruses and parasites that can pose a risk to humans<\/a>. While these organisms aren\u2019t usually absorbed through the skin when cats lick people on the arm or leg, some organisms are more easily transmitted through an open wound in the skin or the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose or eyes. The risk of catching something if you let your cat lick you or give you kisses is relatively low, but it\u2019s still good to be aware of the risk, especially if you are immunocompromised.<\/p>\n

How to Get Your Cat to Stop Licking You<\/h2>\n

An occasional lick from your cat probably doesn\u2019t bother you, but if it\u2019s becoming a common behavior that you don\u2019t appreciate, there are some things you can do to help stop your cat from licking you. Try distracting them with cat toys or playing a game. Or pick them up and give them some cuddles. Don\u2019t use food to distract them \u2014 otherwise they\u2019ll learn that their licking behavior results in a tasty treat and they\u2019ll do it more.<\/p>\n

There are many reasons why your cat likes to lick you. For some cat parents, the licking behavior might be a sign of affection and that their cat loves them. But not all cats are licking out of love \u2014 it might be a compulsive behavior related to the cat\u2019s anxiety or stress issues. Listening to your cat\u2019s sounds<\/a> and looking at your cat\u2019s body language and other behaviors can help you understand why your cat is licking you.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re a cat parent, you\u2019re probably familiar with this situation. You\u2019re sitting on the couch watching your cat make biscuits, and suddenly what feels like a tiny piece of sandpaper is scratching your hand repeatedly. Whether you find this cat tongue bath cute or annoying, it probably has you wondering, \u201cWhy does my cat […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":27071,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"Understanding Cat Behavior: Why Does My Cat Lick Me?","_seopress_titles_desc":"Have you ever wondered why your cat licks you? From expressions of love to grooming rituals, learn more about why they lick & how to manage this behavior.","_seopress_robots_index":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[201,283],"tags":[202,100,461,12,134],"class_list":["post-27068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-behavior","category-psychology","tag-behavior","tag-cat","tag-cat-behavior","tag-cats","tag-diamond-pet-foods"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27068","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27068"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27068\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27068"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27068"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}