8 Reasons Cats Lick Us
Cats lick us for many reasons, and it is completely normal for cats to lick us, especially if the bond between our cats is strong. Some cats are more introverted whereas other cats are more extraverted and social. Depending on your cat’s personality, you might receive a lot of licking or occasional licks. In this article we explain 8 reasons why cats lick us.
1 | They Show Affection
Cats lick us because they are showing affection towards us. Cats will also groom each other to build a bond between themselves. When cats groom themselves it makes them feel very good so when they lick us, they think that they are making us feel happy.
2 | They Want To Play
Cats have limited options when it comes to communicating with humans. Typically, cats are very good at entertaining themselves but sometimes they seek out more stimulation from us. Cats will then lick us and meow at us to try to get us to play.
3 | They Try To Clean Us
Cats lick us because they try to clean us. Just like when they lick themselves. Cats will lick us even when we are clean, this is because they can smell micro particles on our skin that the human nose is unable to detect. Cats can detect strange smells and, in many cases, attempt to remove the odors by licking us.
4 | They Are Asking For Attention
Often cats lick us because they want attention. Typically, cats will meow to get us to pay attention to them. The same is true when they lick us. It’s very hard to ignore cats when they lick us, that’s why this technique is very affective.
5 | They Want To Comfort Us
Cats can detect when we are sad. They are very observant animals, and nothing goes unnoticed when they are awake. You may at some point heard the name Oscar (the therapy cat). Oscar was a cat who lived in Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Oscar was able to detect terminal cancers in patients and would often comfort the patients by laying with them and licking them hours before death. Although there is no scientific evidence that cats can predict terminal health conditions, its not too farfetched to believe that they comfort us when we become sad or upset.
6 | They Sense Something Tasty
Cats lick us because they smell something tasty on us. They may detect food particles on your fingers or lick your arm after you finished prepping dinner, many cats are interested and attracted to human foods, sunscreens, and hand lotions. Cats have a very strong sense of smell; in fact, cat’s sense of smell is 14 times that of a human. Even the smallest spill of something sweet may attract them to lick you.
7 | They Are Anxious
Cats don’t always know how to express their emotions. This is especially true with their owners.
When cats are anxious or frustrated, they will sometimes resort to licking us. Licking may be followed by delicate biting and in some cases they might bite a little harder depending on their level of anxiety and frustration. It is best to give your cat some space if they start to nibble a little too hard.
8 | They Don’t Want To Be Touched
Cats can be very affectionate creatures, but sometimes they rather be left alone. Cats will lick you as a warning to stop touching them. Sometimes licking can be followed by a warning nibble or the cat might walk away to a different part of the room.
