Reference: https://www.insider.com/guides/pets/why-do-cats-lick- you#:~:text=Many%20cats%20lick%20their%20owners,behaviors%2C%20talk%20to%20your%20vet.
Why cats like to lick humans?
All the ailurophiles, ever felt that sandpapery lick from yours or someone else’s cat? Be glad you because now you’ve got their attention. As your cat still keeps licking you might now wonder, “what is wrong with them?”. A cat’s tongue is its greatest assets. They use it to groom themselves. For cats, licking is a sign of affection or a method of cleaning, in order to groom. Even if you can’t read your cat’s mind you can be assured that your cat likes you. Excessive licking could lead to your cat being in stress. Cats might lick you to bond, “claim” you, get your attention or just because they think you need a good grooming.
Below are few reasons as to why your cat may lick you every now and then:
1. To groom you.
2. To show their affection.
3. To “mark their territory”
4. To cope with anxiety or stress
5. To get your attention.
1. To groom you.
Image: Excited Cats
As we all know, mother cats groom their kittens in order to teach them how to do it themselves. According to a certified feline behavior and training consultant Marci Koski, “allo-groomer”- is a group of cats living together in which one cat licks and grooms the other cats in the group. So even though your cat does not realize that licking isn’t helping you “get clean”, this behavior is natural to them as they are just fulfilling their role as the “allo-groomer”.
2. To show their affection
Image: Fear Free Happy Homes
A cat’s licking, is not only used as a grooming mechanism but to also bond and show affection. So, if your cat is licking you or the other pets, it means they are creating a social bond. Many cats carry on with this behavior into their adulthood. So be glad you are getting the affection from the so called “arrogant” animal. This is one of the best parts of owning a cat.
3. To “mark their territory”.
Image: Pinterest
Cats lick their owners to mark them as theirs. They use their scent glands in their cheeks, tails and feet to mark things with their unique smell. So when your cat licks or rubs on you, they are ensuring that other cats know who you belong to. A cat’s senses of smell is 14 times more powerful than ours, and you probably wouldn’t be able to small the scent they leave on you. But to them you smell great because you smell like them.
4. To cope with anxiety or stress.
Image: Bottletree Animal Hospital
Many times, your cat licking you or themselves maybe a coping mechanism of dealing with stress or anxiety. Stress more commonly leads to excessive self-grooming, but the licking may be directed towards you. Make sure you visit or talk to your Vet when this happens to find a remedy to calm their unusual behavior.
5. To get your attention.
Image: The Spruce Pets
Another possible reason your cat might be licking you is because they are trying to get your attention. Maybe they want to need a cuddle or they are just letting you know that they need food. In this case licking can be equivalent to any other attention seeking cat behavior, like pawing at you, rubbing against you or meowing.