Reasons why cats may lick people: their hands, feet, face and other examples

TOP main reasons

1. In first place in the TOP 7 reasons why cats lick people is the communication factor. It is known that smell is of great importance for these animals. There are special glands on their body that produce odorous substances. In this case, the tail glands are responsible for substances that carry group information, and the head glands are responsible for more individual information. Thus, by licking the owner and then applying fresh marks, our pet is trying to leave a message.

2. Expression of affection – the theme of pheromones continues. Animal psychologists explain our attachment to furry creatures by the presence of these substances. By licking the owner and then wiping itself with its muzzle, the animal applies its own scent, thereby designating the person as “one of its own.”

3. Hygiene. This reason logically follows from the previous one - obviously, the cat is interested in the creature she loves so much being just as clean and tidy as her. In addition, in the wild, the smell can attract an enemy, therefore, in order to protect the owner from a potential enemy, a caring fluffy will carefully rid the owner of the treacherous smells of perfumes and other aromas.

4. Manipulation. In some cases, a cat licking a person may indicate a desire to play, or an attempt to hint that it would be nice to treat it with something tasty.

5. The cure for boredom is a lack of impressions, a way to have fun. Animal psychologists say that domestic cats are more prone to licking their owners and these sissies do this due to a lack of impressions. This is why cats lick their lips to touch people - it turns out they are expecting an emotional reaction!

To maintain cleanliness

Self-licking is a natural and very common mechanism for caring for one's own body in the animal kingdom.

Kittens begin to lick themselves from the age of four weeks, and before that, all manipulations regarding the infant toilet are performed by the parent.

Cat licking rituals like these are a demonstration of love for cleanliness:

The cleanest . Sometimes it seems that keeping oneself clean is the main task of a feline brother. Taking the most graceful poses, Murka licks herself for hours, touchingly washes her face with her paws and rubs her ears. She does this many times a day: after sleeping, feeding, taking care of her natural needs, and even stroking her. A cat's tongue, covered with miniature hooks and therefore rough to the touch, combs and arranges hairs like a brush, removing dirt and foreign odors. During this massage, blood flow is stimulated and the skin glands intensify the production of an oily secretion, which lubricates the hair and protects it from moisture.
“No” to foreign odors . The desire to lick a person may be motivated by the desire to destroy unusual scent marks. According to the cat's understanding, all perfumes, including perfumes, soaps, shampoos and creams, have unnatural and even unpleasant odors, which must be urgently gotten rid of. This is why the cat spends so much time and carefully licking its own area of the body with medicinal ointment applied to it.
Tempting aromas . Some cosmetics, on the contrary, can be very attractive to mustachios. Such, for example, is a hand and nail cream with an extract of medicinal valerian, which has a magical effect on cats and activates the owner’s obsessive licking. Some cats love the smell of peony tincture and therefore tend to lick the hands or lips of a person who has taken this sedative. Cats are also attracted to human sweat, which contains odorous substances similar to animal pheromones. So the owner, returning from a morning jog or after a hard work shift, smells very attractive to the murka.

In what situations do cats lick their heads?

If you woke up to your tailed pet selflessly licking your head, you can consider several reasons, and the main one is a passion for cleanliness. Probably, the cat considers the smell of shampoo too strong, or simply demonstrates the tenderness that it shows towards its own kittens. One of the reasons for this behavior may be the desire for dominance.

In the same list of reasons for the cat’s interest in the owner’s head, there is also a lack of attention. If this behavior of your furry pet causes discomfort, it is easy to wean her off it with the help of her favorite games and attention. If you can’t retrain your cat on your own, a specialist will always help.

Is your cat sick?

There is also some not entirely pleasant information about why cats lick themselves and their owners. According to one version, the cat reacts with this behavior to skin diseases or parasites. In order to accurately determine whether there is any need to worry, the animal must be examined by a doctor. Beforehand, at home, you can identify whether there are reasons to worry. Rashes, dermatitis, and lichen will be noticeable. But to find out whether there are worms, monitoring the cat’s appetite, its well-being and feces will help.

You will be able to notice from the behavior of the predator what the mystery of this phenomenon lies. When she licks her owner's hands, she can do it with love or confusion. Observe your pet's behavior. Perhaps she just wants to show how she feels about you.

Why do cats lick their owner's face?

When a cat licks its owner's face, this may indicate two things. Firstly, that she looks after the owner, considering him a large cat who does not know how to take care of himself and provide proper care. Animal psychologists, figuring out why cats lick people, found another reason - the desire to mark the owner as property. In a cat group, licking is known to help create a common scent that allows group members to be recognized.

Socialization and showing love

If you have several cats in your home, or have observed cat communities elsewhere, you've probably seen the animals lick each other. This phenomenon is called “social grooming” and occurs in groups of different animals. When animals lick or groom each other, they strengthen social bonds within the group and reduce tension between community members. A person for a pet is the same part of a social group, so cats demonstrate a friendly attitude towards the owner by licking. If there are no other changes in your pet's behavior, do not worry - the cat loves you and wants to spend time next to you.

Why do furry pets lick their skin?

If cats show increased attention to the owner's skin - hands, or face, and especially when they lick armpits, it can be assumed that they need pheromones. The fact is that sweat contains hormones similar to substances with which cats attract the opposite sex. Thus, the pungent smell of sweat has a calming effect for cats. In a similar way, these animals react to catnip, valerian and mint, which have a very relaxing effect on furry pets. It is possible that your pet simply does not have enough salt with sodium and other minerals.

The cat tastes the skin

Human sweat contains components that attract cats. Pets often lick a person to taste the skin secretions. Cats are also interested in skin care products such as creams and lotions. You need to be careful with this: if a person is undergoing treatment and uses hormonal creams, he should not allow the cat to lick the lubricated areas. According to statistics from veterinary organizations, the most dangerous drugs for pets are those containing corticosteroids and zinc; problems can also arise from anti-psoriasis creams.

Why do cats lick people's hands?

Cat owners sometimes notice in their pets a habit characteristic of dogs - hand licking. In fact, this is completely normal behavior. The first explanation is the most common desire to show affection and love to its owner. Some cats are convinced that such behavior is obligatory at the moment when the owner strokes them. However, there are cases when this form of expression of affection takes on a manic character - the licking of the pet’s hands becomes so obsessive that it can distract from everyday activities, from work, and even interfere with sleep if it happens during sleeping hours.

This behavior is typical for a cat that has recently had kittens - thus, she shares an excess of tenderness and care with her owner. In this case, stopping the cat’s distracting actions is quite simple - just move her to the kittens and her attention will switch to them.

All of the above reasons do not require special attention or concern. But when such behavior is not associated with the manifestation of maternal instinct, or the desire to express affection, it is worth contacting a specialist, since licking the owner’s hands in some cases is a signal of pathological processes in the body, or severe stress in the animal. In this case, you need to urgently call the veterinary clinic and consult - the doctor will make an appointment, carry out diagnostics and prescribe the correct treatment.

See also: causes of homosexuality in cats

Licking kittens and humans: what are the similarities?

It is not without reason that a cat shows care by licking. Even in childhood, your mother cat took such care of your pet. This action is associated with pleasant emotions that are associated with safety and protection. Have you noticed how a cat licks kittens? In fact, there is something similar in the behavior of a pet with a person. Cat love manifests itself in different ways, but it is through licking that the mother takes care of the kitten. She hides him from predators by licking his scent, and also teaches him to care for her fur. But even in the usual washing of children, the cat shows maternal affection.

In other cases, the owners observed that small predators can also lick each other. If your cat shows you such caring attitude, then he perceives you as part of his family.

They show you affection

“Social grooming through licking is an important affectionate behavior in cats, and licking can be a sign of affection between cats and between cats and humans,” Maxwell says.

She adds that licking (both from other cats and their human owners) is often a sign that a cat is calm. But since anxiety can also be a cause of licking, it's important to pay close attention to the context surrounding the behavior and other noticeable things (especially anything that has changed) in your cat's environment.

Trying to dominate

Wild cats are capricious, cautious and cunning. These qualities were also inherited by their domestic descendants. If a cat licks your hands when you are at your least protected, this demonstrates its desire to dominate. In a similar way, animals demonstrate their dominant position among members of the community.

Such manifestations may indicate the pet’s intention to be higher than you on the hierarchical ladder.

Boredom

It happens that the owners are busy with their own affairs all day long, and when they come home, the cycle of household chores begins. And the animal patiently waited for the owner to return all day long to communicate. For humans, communication is present everywhere, but cats are often alone for long hours. Similar phenomena can occur if people are close to the animal and pay little attention to it.

By licking a person's hands, a cat asks, and sometimes even demands, attention to it. If your pet has frequent attacks of wanton hand licking, then try spending more time playing with the animal. Stroking the fur and scratching behind the ears will not be amiss.

Symptoms that require you to contact your veterinarian

The help of a veterinarian is necessary when pathological causes are confirmed. They can be recognized by the following symptoms:

increased salivation;
weak cough, wheezing, blue mucous membranes and other signs of suffocation;
prolonged refusal to eat, including the cat’s favorite treats;
unpleasant odor from the mouth;
abnormal stool (change in consistency and color, as well as the appearance of foreign matter);
prolonged apathetic state and sleep disturbance;
frequent or intense vomiting.

An accurate diagnosis can only be made based on tests, so do not rush to treat your pet with advertised drugs. Incorrect treatment can aggravate the situation, even leading to death.

Basic rules for caring for cats

Well, and finally, we’ll briefly talk about how to care for representatives of the cat breed. You can’t say much new about this, because at least once in their life, everyone has started a purr, and therefore, in general terms, everyone knows what and how to do, however, not everyone knows the nuances of such an important task:

The animal must have at least two bowls (one for food, the other for water). It is better to choose dishes made of stainless steel or food-grade plastic. Plates should be washed after every meal, this is very important!
You cannot bathe cats. They themselves do an excellent job with their hygiene procedures, and a “headwash” will only harm them.
In order for your pet's coat to be shiny and not fall off, it needs to be fed well and correctly.
The cat must be trained to use the toilet in one specific place. It is best to use special granular fillers that are poured into plastic containers.
The animal should have its own corner for rest and sleep, a secluded place where it can hide from people. This could be a basket, a box or a special house, the main thing is that the cat can easily get to his den and feel comfortable there.

That's all our recommendations. We hope you enjoyed reading our article!

Taking care of hygiene

Well, of course, when licking a person, a cat tries to clean his “skin”, just as she is used to caring for her kittens. In the wild, a strong smell can give away an animal and attract an enemy. To destroy it, the cat will carefully lick hands washed with scented soap or neck or hair scented with shampoo.

You should not show your cat dissatisfaction with such a toilet. If you often drive a cat away, avoiding its rough tongue, the emotional connection and trust in the person may be disrupted. Saving him from danger, endowing him with the aromas of his “group”, the cat expects recognition and affection in return.

Cleansing a person from sharp, unpleasant or alien aromas, the cat exchanges its pheromones with the owner, so that the person, even at a distance, feels an emotional connection with his pet and does not forget about him.

A gentle request

Now let's figure out why a cat licks its owner's hands. This could also be a surge of warm feelings towards the person, but more likely it is a banal request for food. Firstly, cats have an excellent sense of smell, and they smell food coming from the owner’s fingers, and secondly, they remember how people hand feed them, which over time they begin to associate with food.

It should also be noted that pets perceive themselves as a full member of the family, so they often project their “kitten” habits onto people. Thus, it is customary for people with mustaches to lick themselves to maintain hygiene. Adult cats wash babies, teach them to take care of themselves, and in the same way they can take care of human cubs, and sometimes adults themselves, washing them and licking them with their rough tongue. This may be unpleasant for some, but you need to understand that the cat does this not out of bad intentions, but wanting to show his love.

They want attention

Maxwell says she has worked with many owners whose cats will lick or even bite them to get their attention. Sometimes this may mean they want to play, but other times it may be a sign of something more serious, such as stress or anxiety.

While stress-induced licking is more commonly associated with cat grooming, Koski says excessive licking that persists after the stressor has been removed from the cat's environment is a cause for concern. If you find that your cat is licking you, an object, or himself to the point that it is interfering with daily life, you should first talk to your veterinarian to rule out any medical problems that could be to blame. If your cat is healthy, a certified animal behaviorist can help you resolve the problem quickly.

Caring for the owner: a cat licks a person like a kitten

The mother gives the first emotions to a newborn kitten. While still completely helpless in the new world, he feels a connection with his mother through touch. The baby carries these feelings throughout his life. When cats lick the bellies of their babies, it is not at all associated with a surge of emotions. This is how maternal care is manifested. Four-legged mothers thus stimulate intestinal motility in kittens, calm them, helping them relax and fall asleep. A kitten, separated from its mother early, instinctively reaches out to its owner, transferring its need for love and care to him.

Some cats that give birth transfer their maternal instincts to people. If a pet licks its owner, it means it cares about him. This is normal. It should not be regarded as a cause for concern; rather, it is a sign of special affection for the owner, trust and love.

Desire to beg for food or treats

When a cat licks the owner's hand while eating, it is not a matter of showing feelings, but simple begging. In a similar way, a pet can remind you of the need to feed it if its bowls are empty at the right time. This is especially true when the cat stomps its paws while licking your hands. This behavior remains in all individuals from infancy. Kittens massage the belly and mammary glands of the mother cat in a similar way to get a large portion of milk.

What is overgrooming in cats?

Overgrooming in cats is a rather poorly studied pathology, characterized by excessive licking of certain areas of the body, as a result of which the hair in these places becomes thinner, and then bald spots are formed - areas of open skin, sometimes with the presence of wounds.

Cat owners need to know that overgrooming often occurs in animals due to psychological reasons.

Symptoms of diseases

There are cases when licking people is a desire to draw attention to the pet’s health problems, and not a show of love or a request for affection. These may be diseases or conditions such as:

Skin parasites, including fleas. The cat worries not only about itself, but also about the people around it, and is trying to get rid of the problem.
Allergy. If feeding is incorrect or the food is changed, skin problems can occur, which leads to excessive licking of yourself and those around you.
Disturbances in general health. By licking frequently, the animal tries to signal that something is wrong with it. It is important to notice changes in behavior and contact a veterinarian promptly.
Infectious diseases. Some of them cause itching and rashes on the skin, which irritates the pet and he tries to get rid of it in this way.

Health risks

First, breathe a sigh of relief. Because your armpits don't smell bad enough to make your cat sick. She just loves doing it for all the reasons described above.

But problems may arise if you use deodorant. Deodorants contain toxic substances that can harm your pet's health. This may cause itching. So keep your cat away from you if you apply too much deodorant.

As for your cat loving the taste of salt, it's not a bad thing for your pet. It's normal for cats to crave the taste of salt.

And don't worry, this doesn't necessarily mean your cat has a mineral deficiency.

Why a cat licks a person - TOP main reasons!