A cat expert has shed some light on what it really means when felines lick you.
Cats are known for licking their coats as a way to groom themselves and maintain their personal hygiene. You might have also seen a cat licking another, or you might be used to your pet even licking you.
This is just one of the behaviours displayed by felines and while some people don’t mind being licked by their cat, others don’t enjoy the feeling of their pet’s rough tongue on their skin. Cats have “hundreds of hook-like papillae covering the entire tongue, which make it feel like sandpaper”, according to PetMD.
Whether you like your cat licking you or not, you might wonder why felines do this. Amanda Campion, a clinical animal behaviourist, with decades of experience caring for cats has given the reason for this cat habit.
She regularly shares informative videos on TikTok about cats and gives expert advice. In a recent post, Campion said: “Why cats lick you and when is too much licking too much? Carry on watching to find out.”
The cat guru explained that cats love to lick humans because it’s “part of social grooming and bonding.” She added that this is what one cat will do to another cat when they’re “considered [to be] part of their family unit.”
This means that if your cat’s licking you, you are part of their family unit too, according to Campion. She continued: “Some cats will lick to self soothe. When they’re licking, they’re releasing happy hormones and then this will make them feel better, especially when they’re stressed some cats can frantically lick.”
The feline behaviourist warned that overlicking humans or objects can become a “compulsive behaviour” so she advised to “keep an eye on this if it suddenly becomes more and more and they’re even pinning your arm down to lick you.”
She noted that this needs to be addressed. Campion recommends “redirection and reducing any stresses” and highlighted that as an owner, it’s your job to find out what these stressful triggers are, such as if it’s a new baby in the home or a new cat in the neighbourhood.
The cat expert said: “Find out the why and then you can support your cat with synthetic pheromones, pet remedy, nutraceutical or if it’s really bad you could speak to your vet and get referral to a clinical animal behaviourist. Campion advocates for regular play and enrichment as she believes this will “really satisfy those social urges and it could reduce” but she thinks redirecting a “compulsive licker” with something like a matatabi stick or wands is a helpful action to take.
She further noted: “If your cat’s just regularly giving you sweet kisses then you’ve got nothing to worry about. It’s not a problem, it’s just their way of bonding and showing affection with you.”
Cat owners took to the comment section of Campion’s TikTok video to share their personal experiences with licking. One said: “My cat, Frankie, 15 months old licks my face every morning and then bites my chin!”
Another added: “My current cat likes me more than ones I’ve had in the past, but he never licks me at all. It’s actually kind of disappointing because their sandpaper like tongues always felt very soothing to me. People and dog tongues just feel wet against your face, but cat tongues are like a tiny little targeted massage.”