Given that cats lick themselves (or their offspring) to groom, licking is frequently an act of affection or a means of cleaning for cats.
However, cats will also lick each other to show other forms of affection. To mark their territory or to let you know that they consider you a part of the family, cats may lick you. Even if you can’t read a cat’s mind, you can be sure they are licking you because they like you.
Complimentary Expressions
In the same manner that you show your cat affection by caressing it, your cat may attempt to repay the favor by licking you. Kittens in particular will lick themselves to calm themselves, just like people might cuddle someone. Your cat undoubtedly wants some attention in return if it likes to lick you. In actuality, this is one of the best advantages of owning a cat.
Defining a limit
Cats use pheromones to mark their territory. The majority of people are aware that cats may mark their territory in different ways besides the obvious one of peeing on things. Because cats are so sensitive to their owners’ emotions, they could be more affectionate when you’re sick or worried out. When your cat licks or rubs against you, it is telling the other cats once again how important you are to it. It’s possible that other cats avoid you on sometimes because they think you belong to another cat, as you may have noticed.
Somebody from the family
It makes sense why many people joke that cats think they are people given how certain cats interact with their owners. An outstanding example is a cat that will leave dead mice or birds on its owner’s porch in an effort to share a nice meal. Cats have even been known to provide their owners with live prey in an effort to teach them how to hunt. It is clear that a lot of cats not only view their humans as members of the family but also as being slightly unfit for the cat role. This nurturing or parental tendency is more prevalent in female cats.
When cats lick you, they might be trying to teach you how to groom yourself. Your cat recalls receiving genuine affection from its mother when she licked it. Cats will also lick one another to calm down. Cats will lick you or stroke your head gently to claim you as one of their own. Cats try to reduce your stress in the same way that you would pet a cat who was feeling tense.
However, It Hurts
A cat’s thorough licking isn’t always enjoyable. Cat tongues have hooks that face backward and are made to draw and clean a cat’s fur similarly to a comb, which explains why this is the case. Remember that because your cat enjoys being licked, it is unlikely that it is aware of how painful it is to you. When a cat licks you, it’s just trying to be affectionate.
RELATED: Why Do Cats Groom and Lick Themselves So Often?
